Foccart, l'homme qui dirigeait l'Afrique

Cassis

"I was visiting Jerome Hill. Jerome loved France, especially Provence. He spent all his summers in Cassis. My window overlooked the sea. I sat in my little room, reading or writing, and looked at the sea. I decided to place my Bolex exactly at the angle of light as what Signac saw from his studio which was just behind where I was staying, and film the view from morning till after sunset, frame by frame. One day of the Cassis port filmed in one shot." -JM

The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat

A group of people are standing along the platform of a railway station in La Ciotat, waiting for a train. One is seen coming, at some distance, and eventually stops at the platform. Doors of the railway-cars open and attendants help passengers off and on. Popular legend has it that, when this film was shown, the first-night audience fled the café in terror, fearing being run over by the "approaching" train. This legend has since been identified as promotional embellishment, though there is evidence to suggest that people were astounded at the capabilities of the Lumières' cinématographe.

Banlie.ue

Robert Scheer: Above the Fold

A documentary on the six-decades long career of a muckraking journalist, who was involved with the radical 196os magazine Ramparts, with the Los Angeles Times newspaper, and later with the Internet website Truthdig.

Ghosts of Ole Miss

In the fall of 1962, a dramatic series of events made Civil Rights history and changed a way of life. On the eve of James Meredith becoming the first African-American to attend class at the University of Mississippi, the campus erupted into a night of rioting between those opposed to the integration of the school and those trying to enforce it. Before the rioting ended, the National Guard and Federal troops were called in to put an end to the violence and enforce Meredith's rights as an American citizen.

Les yeux dans les Bleus

This documentary follows the French soccer team on their way to victory in the 1998 World Cup in France. Stéphane Meunier spent the whole time filming the players, the coach and some other important characters of this victory, giving us a very intimate and nice view of them, as if we were with them.

The Bapst Brothers, Carriers

The Bapst Brothers: Romain, Maurice and Jacques – whom we will also meet in The Gruyere Chronicle (produced in 1990) – are peasants and carriers and work with their father. In autumn and winter, they bid for the community’s wood, cut down the pine trees and bring down the logs through the snowy woods by horse-drawn sleigh.

Angoulême : 50 ans de bulles

In 1974, a group of friends, inspired by what they had seen in Italy and driven by their common passion, organized a comic book fair in their Charente town of Angoulême. Half a century later, the event has become an internationally renowned festival, which is about to celebrate its 50th edition. This documentary tells the story of the creation of the Angoulême International Comics Festival in the context of the 1970s, and the evolution of the event since then, which has made the city a world reference in an exponentially growing bubble market.

The Red Elvis

A documentary on the late American entertainer Dean Reed, who became a huge star in East Germany after settling there in 1973.

Wild France

A documentary that shows the different fauna that populates natural habitats of France, and the people that aims to protect and preserve them.

La Vie sans Brahim

Rookies

HipHop as a language and an outlet for young people: The film follows the youngest class members of a dance academy on their way to becoming professional dancers. Many of the students come from the socially deprived areas of Paris. Accompanied by a pulsating, dancing camera that pulls the audience right into the action, the film negotiates themes such as origins, pains, dreams and hopes.

Lumiere's First Picture Shows

An overview of the works of French film pioneers Louis and Auguste Lumière from 1895 to 1897.

Cap d'Agde, Naked City

Cap D'Agde is a popular summer resort town in France. A large section of the town is clothing-optional, and thousands of tourists flock there every year for the opportunity to spend their days naked--not only on the beach or in the pool, but in the shopping area also. Our tour guides, Alison Brown and Wendy Cooper, show off the town's attractions and interview a number of visitors and locals to find out what they most enjoy about vacationing in the nude.

Jeunesse Rouge: The Story of Young Communist Revolutionaries in France

"Jeunesse Rouge" is a documentary exploring young French Communist revolutionaries fighting for a just and equal society. The film follows their organizing and mobilizing, while delving into the history of the Communist movement in France. Archival footage and interviews with activists show their passionate commitment, from protests and strikes to political education. It highlights the power of youth activism and their potential to bring about change in the face of systemic inequality.