Britain’s French Film Festival has been an enduring showcase for the best of French film talent over nine seasons now, the only festival in Britain devoted exclusively to French cinema. It takes place across four Scottish cities, Edinburgh Filmhouse, Glasgow Film Theatre, Aberdeen Belmont Centre and Dundee Contemporary Arts, before moving to London Cine Lumiere for its final week. Media and sponsor launches are held in both Scotland and London. The reputation of French cinema makes the festival very successful in attracting media attention. Having earned its own reputation both here and abroad as an unrivalled and unique showcase for French cinema in Britain, the festival has been equally successful in attracting the support of statutory, commercial and cultural organisations from both countries and has now earned a prime position in the cultural calendar of both nations.

The festival has always presented an extensive selection of films. Special seasons of a particular director or star have helped their work reach a broader public on this side of the channel. In the past films seen here have been picked up for distribution in the UK, which, without the festival’s role as a showcase for French cinema, might not have been the case. Next year the French Film Festival intends to supplement its festival activities by moving into distribution, having secured theatrical rights to Claude Miller’s Le Chambre Des Magiciennes, which can be previewed as part of this years film selection.

The festival is regularly attended by some of the most influential names and personalities of French cinema, who audiences have the chance to meet in person. These include luminaries like Claude Miller, Brigitte Rouan, Anne Fontaine, Jean-Paul Rappeneau, Josiane Balasko, Claude Sautet, Gerard Jugnot, Michel Deville and Lois Becker. The festival continues to enjoy the patronage of Jeanne Moreau.

This year the festival pays tribute to Le Thriller and also presents a broad Panorama of mainstream successes. Emerging talent is covered in the New Waves section of festival offerings and audiences can cross arts boundaries with a special showing of Jean-Luc Goddard’s cult hit Vivre Sa Vie, which has given its title to a wide-ranging exhibition of French contemporary art which can be seen in various galleries throughout the autumn.