French and Francophone Film Festival Saturdays at The Lyric

BLACKSBURG, Va., Jan. 27, 2009 – The annual French and Francophone film festival, organized by Virginia Tech's Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, begins Jan. 31 and will be the featured matinee offering at The Lyric theatre in downtown Blacksburg on Saturdays in February.

The films, which start at 3 p.m., are free and open to the public.

The films are in the original language version with English subtitles.

• Jan. 31 – Molière
  The great playwright meets one of his most famous characters in this comic work of historical fiction. 2007. 120 minutes. Comedy. Not rated.
• Feb. 7 - The Untouchable
  A young French woman travels to India in search of the Hindu father she never met. 2006. 82 minutes. Drama. Not rated.
• Feb. 14 - L’origine de la tendresse” and Other Tales
  An exciting program of six short films which include fiction, documentary, and animation on themes such as immigration, voting, love, and cooking. 95 minutes. Not rated.
• Feb. 21 - Lili et le baobab (Lili and the Baobob)
  A French photographer on assignment in Senegal befriends a single woman who later gives birth to a son. Together the two women challenge village customs. Set in Africa and France. 2006. 90 minutes. Drama. Not rated.
• Feb. 28 - Une vieille maitresse (The Last Mistress)
  A recently married young aristocrat tries to remain faithful to his virtuous wife when a capricious Flamenco dancer reappears in his life. 2007. 114 minutes. Drama. Not rated.

The film series is sponsored by the Cercle Francophone in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences at Virginia Tech. This Tournées Festival was made possible with the support of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy and the French Ministry of Culture (CNC).

• Jean Elliott
• Comm Director, College of Liberal Arts & Human Sciences
• 540-231-5915
• elliottj@vt.edu