If you like French cinema, you can put it in your diary: from November 7 to 20, São Paulo will host the 15th edition of the Varilux Festival! The renowned festival will feature award-winning films that have been part of festivals all over the world and have been a success with audiences and critics alike.
The largest event to screen Francophone works outside of France, Varilux has brought together more than a million spectators since its inception. The full program is on the official website, but you can check out some of this year’s spoilers below!
Free warm-up sessions!
As well as showing unreleased films featured in festivals such as Cannes and Venice, the festival also offers a series of free activities in São Paulo for film lovers.
For example, on November 4, at 3pm, there will be a free screening of Xavier Legrand’s “The Successor” at Cine FAAP in Higienópolis.
On November 5, director Xavier Legrand, winner of two César awards, will give a masterclass open to the public at the same place and time. Also on November 5, at 3 p. m., the Augusta Cinema Space will screen the film “Bolero, a Melodia Eterna” for free, with the presence of actor Raphaël Personnaz, who introduces the film.
In addition, French journalist and critic Jean-Michel Frodon will give a lecture on film criticism at Cine FAAP, from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., covering topics such as recent developments in cinema and the role of criticism in the digital age.
Varilux French Film Festival 2024 pays tribute to French cinema icon
Alain Delon (one of the most renowned French actors of all time) , who died on August 18 this year, will be the star of the next edition of the Varilux French Film Festival. So get ready to reminisce about the icon’s many successes on the big screen!
The classic movie will be ‘The Sun as Witness’, the film that revealed Delon. Directed by René Clément, it tells the story of Tom Ripley, who travels to Europe to bring a tycoon’s son back to the United States. However, he ends up hatching a plan to assume the identity of the young rich man.
Watch the films from the 2023 edition!
This year’s festival hasn’t started yet, but how about taking advantage of the wait to get ready? After all, on its profile, the Varilux Festival has released last year’s films that are available on stream. Check them out:
- Soul Mates: Prime Video
- Anatomy of a Fall: Prime Video
- The Beasts: Prime Video
- Cinema is a Heavy Drug: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movie, YouTube (available to rent)
- And God Created Woman: Plex TV
- My New Toy: Prime Video
- The Book of Discord: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movie