CONTENT of this NEWSLETTER

1. REMINDER! Join us on Saturday February 21st for our 2nd Annual Winter Short Films Screening! 7pm, Midtown Monthly Gallery.
2. A SECRET by Claude Miller, coming up at the Crest Theatre! Save the date for the SFFF Special Screening on Friday, February 27th, 2009!

1 - 2nd Annual WINTER SHORT FILMS SCREENING

The Sacramento French Film Festival invites you to its
2nd annual WINTER SHORT FILMS SCREENING
Saturday February 21st at 7pm at the Midtown Monthly Gallery!

All films are presented in French with English subtitles!

We will present a surprise program of favorites from previous Festival editions as well as French short films never shown before in Sacramento!

The program will include among others, two films that premiered at the 2008 SFFF: JULIE JULIE by local filmmaker Liam Creighton (who moved to France last Summer!) and VIVE LA FOOD! Raphael Hitzke's acclaimed documentary that recently won the "Best of Best Film Award" at the Tucson Slow Food & Film Festival.This documentary introduces two French chefs who run one-man operations in Sacramento, Daniel Pont from La Bonne Soupe and William Rolle from Cafe Rolle. Raphael is also a member of the SFFF Planning Committee!
Listen to Raphael on Insight with Jeffrey Callison - KXJZ

Wine and snacks will be served at the intermission.

Midtown Monthly Gallery is located 1719 25th Street (between Q & R Streets). We hope to see you there. There are still some seats available, please RSVP if you plan to attend. It's free for all!

VIVE LA FOOD! - Raphael Hitzke, Director & John A. Jimenez, Director of photography.

2 - A SECRET by Claude Miller, coming up at the Crest Theatre! Save the date for the SFFF Special Screening on Friday, February 27th, 2009!

If you missed it on the SFFF 2008 closing night, now is your chance to discover this wonderful film! Showtime TBA next week!
The special screening will be followed by coffee and pastries anda post-screening discussion led by Professor Kevin Elstob.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE!

François is a sickly child who doesn’t fit in at school or at home. Lonely, he plays with his imaginary brother and dreams up an idealized past for his secretive parents. When he becomes a teenager, an old friend of his parents reveals to him his family’s deep and tragic secret, which goes back to the Second World War and the French Occupation. The devastating truth allows François to find himself at last and reconnect with his parents. The all-star cast includes Patrick Bruel, Cécile de France (The Russian Dolls, Avenue Montaigne), Ludivine Sagnier, Julie Depardieu and Mathieu Amalric (The Diving bell & the Butterfly, James Bond Quantum of Solace).

Based on the autobiographical novel by psychoanalyst Philippe Grimbert (who participated in the writting and shooting of the film), Un Secret is one of Claude Miller’s best films, a deeply moving historical drama. This story of passion and guilt in troubled times was praised in France by critics and audiences alike. Watch the trailer here!

AWARDS
- Nominated for 11 Césars in 2008, winner for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Julie Depardieu
- Winner Grand Prix des Amériques, Montreal World Film Festival 2007

MEDIA
I was not prepared for the climactic emotional devastation, but as all the pieces fall into place, the film crystallizes as perfectly as Tania's flawless backward high dive piercing through the clear water with beauty and precision – Urban Cinefile Critics

Un secret makes for compelling viewing and Cécile de France and Patrick Bruel finally prove they are bona fide star material. - Boyd van Hoeij - European-films.net