French-language films get a brief niche

JAKARTA (JP): Here, as in the rest of the world, Hollywood is top dog. Just take a look at the gallery of Tinseltown posters gracing local movie theaters.

But moviegoers will get a brief chance to see something of what the rest of the world has to offer in the Cinema des Pays Francophones (movies of French-speaking countries) next weekend.

Embassies of 12 of 49 francophone countries -- Belgium, Cambodia, Canada, Laos, Mali, Morocco, Egypt, France, Rumania, Switzerland, Tunisia and Vietnam -- cooperated with the French Cultural Center to bring five quality films to the Usmar Ismail Film Center on Jl. Rasuna Said, South Jakarta.

This is the second Cinema des Pays Francophones, which is held in conjunction with the World French Speaking Day (La journee Mondiale de la Francophone). The first was organized last year at Taman Ismail Marzuki art center, Central Jakarta.

The lineup is Le Cousin (Alain Corneau, France, 1977), Les Agneaux (Marcel Schupbah, Switzerland, 1996), Essaida (Mohamed Zran, Tunis, 1996), Je Pense a Vous (Luc et Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Belgium, 1995) and Trop Tard (Lucian Pintilie, Rumania, 1995).

"The tickets are free, but you have to get them at our office," Aji Yahuti R., public relations officer for the French Cultural Center, said.

If tickets are still available on the screening days, they can be obtained at Usmar Ismail Film Center. The theater has a 500- seat capacity.

The festival kicks off Friday with the screening of Le Cousin, a story about a modern policeman. Corneau is scheduled to attend the opening, which is by invitation only.

"Le cousin" is the police's code name for informant. It seems that Inspector Delvaux has found a great "cousin" to help in catching criminals. The cousin is ready to take any risk, even beyond the law.

The movie will be screened for the public on Saturday at 5 p.m.

Les Agneaux or The Lambs (Saturday, 3 p.m.) tells the adventure of two brothers, Daniel, 15, and Marie, 14. After the death of their mother, they escape from their house as they cannot stand their abusive father. They enter the real world, and find it is even crueler than their hated parent.

Essaida (Saturday, 8 p.m.) is the story of Amine, a confused Tunis artist. He is preparing an exhibition when he meets Nidal, who lives in Essaida, also in Tunisia. Her father is an alcoholic.

Fabrice, the protagonist of Je Pense A Vous or I think of You (Sunday, 3 p.m.), falls victim to the axe of unemployment. After losing his job, he feels that the world is crumbling and he "disappears." His wife, Celine, finds him in a cheap hotel and tries hard to bring him back to real life.

Trop Tard or Too Late (Sunday, 5 p.m.) details the story of Dimitri Costa, a young attorney who works as an intern at the prosecutor's office. He is assigned to investigate the mysterious murder case of two mining workers. He is helped by Alina, an engineer of topography.

With the exception of Essaida, the films will also be screened at Delta 21 Theater, Jl. Pemuda, Surabaya, on March 25 and March 26. (sim)