The 10th FrancoFilm Festival announces line-up, including Oscar-nominated 'Les Miserables'

The festival will run for nine days in Dubai and Abu Dhabi

This image released by Amazon Studios shows, from left, Damien Bonnard, Alexis Manenti and Djebril Zonga in a scene from "Les Miserables." On Monday, Jan. 13, 2020, the film was nominated for best international film of the year. (Amazon Studios via AP)
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The Francofilm Festival, which aims to promote the French language through cinema, will kick off its tenth year next month to coincide with the Month of Francophonie around the world. It will bring nine French language films to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

The Full Festival Line-up

'Les Miserables'

The festival will open up with Les Miserables, a French drama film directed by Ladj Ly, based on the short film of the same name by Ly. The film won the Jury Prize at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival and is running for Best International Film at the 92nd Academy Awards.

'A Son' (Bik Eneich: Un Fils)

Tragedy strikes when Meriem (Najla Ben Abdallah) and her husband Fares (Sami Bouajila) drive down a road where extremists are attacking the military. In the crossfire, their son Aziz, 10, (Youssef Khemiri) is shot and critically wounded. The parents are told that Aziz must have a liver transplant. But when the doctors run blood tests to try to match a family member as a donor, the family is rocked by the revelation that Fares is not Aziz’s father. Bouajila won the Best Actor award at the Venice Film Festival in 2019 for his role in the film.

'Sawah' 

On his way to a DJ Championship in Brussels, a young Egyptian is mistaken for an illegal immigrant and detained in a country he's never heard of before. The film stars Egyptian actor and MC Karim Kassem.

'The Prince's Voyage' (Le Voyage du Prince)

Directed by Jean-François Laguionie and Xavier Picard, this animated film tells the story of a monkey prince who is washed ashore in an unfamiliar land and is found by a young boy called Tom. Tom's parents, two scientists banished from their community because they believe in the existence of other monkey civilisations, take the prince in. While the parents want to use the prince to prove their theory is true, the prince discovers a society he knew nothing about.

'African Mirror'

This documentary is made up entirely of archival material that looks at how Swiss filmmaker and travel writer Rene Gardi left his mark on how a whole generation viewed Africa from the 1950s onward. The film is written and directed by Mischa Hedinger.

'Systeme K'

This documentary takes us to Kinshasa’s vibrant street art scene and a group of people who are passionately taking their political messages to the streets.

'The Burial of Kojo' 

Directed by Blitz Bazawule, The Burial of Kojo revolves around two brothers, Kojo and Kwabena. Kojo goes missing on a mining expedition and his daughter must embark on a magical journey to rescue him. The story is told from the perspective of a young girl. In the words of the director's words, the story is "highly non-linear and extremely immersive".

'The Mercy of the Jungle' (La Misericorde de la Jungle)

Directed by Rwandan director Joe Karekezi, this 2018 film tells the story of two soldiers separated from their military unit at the beginning of the Second Congo War and their struggle to survive in a hostile jungle environment amidst the intense armed conflict.

'War Witch' (Rebelle)

This 2012 Canadian dramatic war film is about a child soldier forced into a civil war in Africa and who is believed to be a witch. The film screened at the Toronto International Film Festival.


The Francofilm Festival will run from Friday, February 28 until Saturday, March 7Film screenings will take place at Cinema Akil in Dubai and the Edition Hotel in Abu Dhabi. All non-English films will have English, Arabic and French subtitles. Tickets are from Dh52.5. For bookings and timings, visit Cinema Akil.