Boston French Film Festival - The Marching Band (En fanfare)

The Boston French Film Festival returns with an exciting lineup that captures the textures, tensions, and petits bonheurs (small joys) of contemporary French life. The festival opens with Three Friends, Emmanuel Mouret's bittersweet comedy about love, infidelity, and emotional entanglement among a trio of women. Catherine Deneuve leads The President's Wife, a sly comedy about politician Bernadette Chirac's bid to step out from her husband's shadow. Winner of the 2024 Jury Prize and Best Actor award in the Un Certain Regard section of Cannes, Souleymane's Story is a gripping portrait of life on the margins. Holy Cow brings charm to the lineup with a tale about a teenage cheesemaker chasing a contest prize, while Night Call delivers high-stakes thrills as a locksmith races through Brussels during a night of unrest. Alexandre de La Patellière and Matthieu Delaporte's sweeping new adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo reminds us that French cinema, like the country's literature, still revels in grand tales of betrayal, justice, and revenge.

Together, these films offer a vivid snapshot of a society in motion—ever-evolving while remaining rooted in the passionate pursuit of artistic and intellectual truth. Grab some French wine and cheese at Taste and join us for these evocative stories.

Schedule of Events:

7:00 pm–8:45 pm - The Marching Band (En fanfare)

Directed by Emmanuel Courcol (France, 2024, 103 min.). English and French with English subtitles.

From Emmanuel Courcol (The Big Hit) comes a crowd-pleasing comedy-drama about two long-lost brothers who couldn’t be more different—until music brings them back together. Thibault (Benjamin Lavernhe) is a world-renowned conductor facing a personal health crisis; Jimmy (Pierre Lottin) is a big-hearted kitchen worker and amateur trombonist in a local marching band. Reunited as adults after a lifetime apart, their bond begins to form over shared notes and unexpected second chances.

Premiering in the prestigious Première section of Cannes, The Marching Band is both hilarious and moving, blending subtle social commentary with buoyant energy. Courcol paints an affectionate and nuanced portrait of class differences in contemporary France, while anchoring the film in two standout performances from Lavernhe and Lottin—two of French cinema’s most exciting rising stars.

Members
$12.00

Nonmembers
$15.00

Location: Harry and Mildred Remis Auditorium (Auditorium 161)

Click here to Buy Tickets