Emotion and adventure highlights of Diff

Films exploring the history of European cinema, childhood melancholy, social dilemmas and an aviation adventure set in the Sahara Desert are among the eclectic mix of French films – five features and five shorts – on show in the "In Focus" segment of Dubai International Film Festival (Diff) this year.

Sheila Whitaker, Director of International Programme at Diff, said this year's selection of French cinema for "In Focus" highlights the creative flavour that marks the nation's cinema.

"French films have been a constant source of inspiration for emerging talent as well as cinema veterans. The nuances and creativity associated with French cinema have often set the direction for global film-making trends. Some of the world's all-time greatest films have come from France and Diff is bringing a vivid showcase of French cinema this year."

The creative high of French cinema meets Arab cinema's talent powerhouse, Omar Sharif, in J'ai Oublié de te Dire (I Forgot To Tell You), directed by Laurent Vinas-Raymond.

Sharif packs a tour-de-force performance in this drama chronicling the life of a young girl Marie, who is freed from prison and moves to France.

A major part of it is a handsome local mechanic Baptiste, who is more than willing to show Marie around town. Equally important is the grandfatherly figure of Jaume, who begins instructing Marie in the finer things in life – art, sculpture and cookery, etc. As Marie and Jaume bond ever deeper, their friendship develops in a manner that is both heartwarming and inspiring.

Agnès Varda, one of France's key directors and pioneer of styles that shaped the "new wave" of the late 1950s, presents a fascinating documentary of her life and history of European cinema in Les Plages D'Agnès (The Beaches of Agnès).

While her experience is rooted in a golden past, the 81-year-old legendary auteur is an enthusiastic advocate of digital technology.

Debutante director Mona Achache's brings Le Hérisson, an oddball French film that resonates with charm and originality. The film depicts the story of a disenchanted 11-year-old Paloma, who decides to kill herself on her 12th birthday.

As her appointment with death approaches, she meets some kindred spirits, who inspire to question her pessimistic outlook.

Le Dernier Vol (The Last Flight) by director Karim Dridi, features Marie, an adventurous young pilot, who sets out to track down her aviator lover who has vanished in the Sahara Desert.

Short film La Raison De L'autre (Another's Reason), directed by Foued Mansour, narrates the story of Caro, who works in a benefits office in France. When she discovers one of her claimants is cheating, she decides to follow him, one dark night.

There are many more French movies marked for Diff to be held from December 6 until 16.

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