Cannes film ‘Acid,’ classic French movies at 26th French Film Festival

MANILA, Philippines — Disaster movies are most often mainstream draws, but there are several titles that deserve a place at such prestigious film festivals such as the annual Cannes.

The French disaster flick, "Acide" (Acid), for instance, is indeed a disaster film, but, it differentiates itself from the usual end-of-the-world scenarios with its character study, lending its three main characters more human in times of disaster, rather than their heroic tendencies at the most crucial of times.

In contrast to its other Western disaster movie contemporaries, "Acid" delves more into how its three main characters, a teenager and her divorced parents, try to survive a downpour of acid rain. Amid their struggle to flee France to a safer place where the acid rain would not pass by, they navigate how they will deal with their unresolved issues with each other.

"Acid" is both a cautionary tale that claps back at the world for its failure to address climate change, and a reminder of man's humanity and foibles that cause him what he holds dear in times of distress.

"Acid" was part of the Midnight Screenings section at this year's 76th Cannes Film Festival last May. It was theatrically released in France last September.

It is among the featured films at the ongoing 26th French Film Festival, screening at SM Mall of Asia and SM Megamall from November 25 to December 3.

It is organized by the French Embassy in partnership with SM Supermalls and SM Cinemas.

Renowned actress Emmanuelle Béart graced the festival's opening last November 25 in SM Mall of Asia. Her documentary “Un silence si bruyant” (Such a Resounding Silence), is among the featured films in the festival. It prompts victims of incest to speak out, a topic to which French society pays great attention.

Other films featured include:

• "Bernadette (The President’s Wife)," the latest movie starring French icon Catherine Deneuve provides a glimpse into French politics as she portrays the life of former First Lady Bernadette Chirac in the corridors of the Elysée Palace;
• "Indes Galantes," a film that fuses opera singing and urban dance;
• "Alibi.com 2," a comedy that tackles family life;
• "Les Choses Qu'on Dit, Les Choses Qu'on Fait" (The Things We Say, The Things We Do), a film about romantic relationships and friendships;
• "Le Regne Anima" (Animal Kingdom), a film that shows a father-son dynamic in a dystopic world;
• "Les Trois Mousquetaires – D'Artagnan" (The Three Musketeers – D’Artagnan), another adaptation of Alexandere Dumas's popular novel; and
• "Asterix et Obelix: L'Empire du Milieu" (Asterix and Obelix: The Middle Kingdom), the film adaptation of popular comic books.

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