The Hope College French Film Festival, sponsored by the college’s Department of Modern and Classical Languages, will show three films from Thursday, Feb. 15, through Saturday, Feb. 17, at the Knickerbocker Theatre in downtown Holland.
The series will open on Thursday, Feb. 15, at 7:30 p.m. with “Mali Blues,” a documentary about four musicians who use their music to stand up to extremism and inspire tolerance and peace in Mali. The musicians combine rich musical traditions with contemporary influences in a society in which fundamentalist Islam and Sharia law have become more widespread.
The series will continue on Friday, Feb. 16, at 7:30 p.m. with “Bienvenue à Marly-Gomont” (“The African Doctor”). Seyolo Zantoko, who is the only African graduate of his French medical school, and his family move to a small village in the north of France. While Seyolo is an excellent doctor, the town, Marly-Gomont, struggles to trust him. However, Seyolo begins to gain the town’s favor, giving him hope that his family may be able to stay.
The series will conclude on Saturday, Feb. 17, at 3 p.m. “Frantz,” a story about a young German woman, Anna, whose fiancé, Frantz, was killed in World War One. One day a Frenchman named Adrien Rivoire comes to town to pay his respects to Frantz and soon becomes friends with Anna. As Anna and Adrien’s relationship grows, Anna begins to learn more about Adrien and his motives for coming to Germany.
Tickets for the individual films are $7 for regular admission and $6 for senior citizens. Admission is free for Hope College faculty and students who have a Hope ID. Tickets will be sold at the door but are also available in advance at the Events and Conferences Office located downtown in the Anderson-Werkman Financial Center (100 E. Eighth St.). The office is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can be called at 616-395-7890.
The Knickerbocker Theatre is located at 86 E. Eighth St.