This fall, Brandeis University is set to host the inaugural Albertine French Film Festival, bringing a rich selection of contemporary French films to campus. Through a series of screenings at the Wasserman Cinematheque, running from Oct. 25 to Nov. 19, the festival will showcase works that resonate with global audiences while also offering a glimpse into French perspectives on such issues.

The screenings will include English subtitles and will be both free and open to the public. In addition to the films, the festival will offer presentations and question and answer sessions with film critics, journalists, Brandeis faculty and directors. One such highlight includes a Q&A with guest director Alain Kassanda following the screening of his film “Colette et Justin,” which explores the lasting legacies of colonialism in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This interdisciplinary approach encourages deeper audience engagement, offering opportunities for active discussion and intellectual exploration of the films’ themes. 

Prof. Sophia Niehaus (FREN), received an Albertine Cinémathèque Festival Grant from the Albertine Foundation and Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the United States this past July. During an Oct. 4 interview with the Justice, Niehaus noted that despite their stylistic and thematic differences, all selected films “contemplat[e] the concept of justice and its sometimes elusive nature in times of social change.” Themes of the films include artificial intelligence, decolonization, political upheaval, the justice system, social unrest and worldwide health epidemics. This underlying thread of social change, as Niehaus pointed out, “resonates with Brandeis’ namesake and legacy, and with the pressing questions concerning law and order on college campuses that arose last year.”

French cinema has long been recognized for its rich intellectual and political contributions to global film culture. From the pioneering days of the Lumière brothers to the radical innovations of the French New Wave in the 1960s, French filmmakers have consistently pushed the boundaries of cinema as a medium for artistic expression and social commentary. Directors such as Jean-Luc Godard and François Truffaut revolutionized film narrative and form, while others like Agnès Varda and Claire Denis have used film to explore themes of identity, gender and colonialism.

Political engagement has been central to French cinema’s legacy, with filmmakers often responding to major social upheavals — whether the political unrest of May 1968, the Algerian War or the more recent debates over immigration, xenophobia and national identity. As Niehaus remarked, “French films have the capability to speak to our current cultural moment in significant ways,” underscoring how contemporary French cinema continues this tradition of tackling pressing social issues. By addressing pertinent themes, the films selected for the Albertine French Film Festival reflect this enduring tradition of French filmmakers using cinema as a platform to provoke thought and inspire conversation.

The festival’s lineup includes “Colette and Justin (Colette et Justin),” a documentary that personalizes the complex legacies of colonialism in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; “The Goldman Case (Le procès Goldman),” a courtroom drama that explores the political and ideological tensions of 1970s France through the controversial trial of activist Pierre Goldman; “Lumumba: The Death of a Prophet (Lumumba: la mort du prophète),” a documentary that investigates the assassination of Congo’s first Prime Minister, Patrice Lumumba; “The Beast (La Bête),” a sci-fi romance that examines the implications of artificial intelligence on human emotion; “The Innocent (L’Innocent),” which follows a widower and his stepfather, an ex-con, as they navigate love and romance and “Animal Kingdom (Le règne animal),” an exploration of genetic mutations. 

In an interview with the Office of the Dean of Arts and Sciences, Niehaus reflected on the power of film: “A film that resonates with us can expand our consciousness. It can make us more aware of the world and of our place within it, help us understand ourselves as well as others.” Niehaus referenced Claire Denis, a great French filmmaker, who described films that move her as “the image of the world,” and said that once we see a film that really moves us, “[t]hey enter our memory; we cannot erase them from ourselves.” Niehaus added, “I don’t know that it could be said any better than this.”

Niehaus expressed her vision of cultivating a richer cultural atmosphere on campus and within the greater Waltham community. “We hope this festival brings something new to the cultural offerings at the University and in the local area,” she explained. She expressed hopes that the film festival could become a recurring event at the University, emphasizing that “the support of the Brandeis community will be essential in making this happen.”

Niehaus also expressed excitement about the “spirit of collaboration” surrounding the festival, which has drawn participation from students and faculty across various departments, as well as sponsorships from the Film, Television and Interactive Media Departments, the Division of the Humanities, the Division of Creative Arts, the College of Arts & Sciences, the Department of Romance Studies and the Mandel Center for the Humanities. 

The full schedule of events can be found on the Department of Romance Studies website.