Vive Les Films! French Film Festival Opens with Panache

Katherine Witschen handed out programs

Lumières! Caméra! Action! The Stanford White Casino Theater filled with cabaret music, can-can dancers, French wines, paté, and local cineastes for the opening of the Sixth Annual French Film Festival under the aegis of Salve Regina University.

Having lost the affiliation with the Tournées group, the Festival this year charged a modest fee for its series of six films, from historical thrillers to vintage nouvelle vague. It was a petite price to pay for the interesting contemporary, classic and award-winning array of works that were shown

during the Festival.

The newly renovated theater, dark for 25 years, was a perfect location, as Sister Therese Antone, who had been involved in the restoration project since its inception, welcomed guests, reminding them that the racks under the original (refurbished) seats were for gentlemen's top hats! None was worn that evening, however.

Sister Therese Antone, a proponent of the theater's restoration

Salve Regina musicians, led by Peter Davis, played "Gaite Parisienne" and other French favorites from the Folies Bergere and the boites of Paris to introduce the charming romantic comedy, "L'Arnacoeur" ( The Heartbreaker) starring Romain Duris (who two years ago delighted the Festival goers as Moliere), and Vanessa Paradis. The film was redolent with funny and antic performances, set against the luxe scenery of Monte Carlo and Morocco.

Allen Antone, chairman of the event, greeted guests, and Newport Seen saw Diana Bitting, Mary Joan Seiter, artists Bill Heydt and Tony Gill, members of the Alliance Francaise de Newport (a Festival sponsor) Joan Fletcher and Eugene McNulty, Brendan Kelly, Camille Allen, David and Susan Killebrew, Ruth Orthwein, Ellen Barnes, Esther Bernstein, Nancy Custin, and Mary Shepard.

The universal Gallic symbol, the Eiffel Tower

Many of the this year's films were winners or nominess for the César awards, the French equivalent of America's Academy Awards. And it showed.

Sponsors for the atmospheric opening evening were Curtis and Kelley Cord, owners of The French Source (cheese and paté) and The Wine Cellar (les vins francais). A raffle was held for a gift basket, which was awarded to Mary de Pinho at the last Sunday screening. FIN

-L.P.