Before the pandemic, the Desert Film Society—a local organization dedicated to showing independent films that may not otherwise be screened in the Coachella Valley—started Cinéma Français, a French film festival.
It took place in two consecutive years—and has not been back since COVID-19 arrived. But that’s about to change: Cinéma Français is set to return Friday, Feb. 2, through Sunday, Feb. 4, at Palm Springs Cultural Center. Seven feature-length films and seven short films will be screened. Tickets are available for each feature film (paired with a short), and a VIP pass includes access to every film.
During a recent interview, Beth Ellen Fromm, executive director of the Desert Film Society and executive producer of Cinéma Français, explained how the festival came to be.
“The valley has never had any festivals here that focus on one country,” Fromm said. “There’s the Palm Springs (International) Film Festival, which began as a foreign film festival and has since gone in other directions, and they do a lot of major studio releases now. I just thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to have a French festival?’
“Somebody today asked me why I picked France, and why didn’t I pick Italy or Germany. I just really don’t know. … When I was in high school and had to pick a language, I picked French. It’s just something in my head. I think French film has always had good movies.”
The decision also had to do with the reception French films received when shown by the Desert Film Society.
“When we show our movies every month, the movies that have the most attendance for our nonmembers are always French films,” Fromm said. “There’s a need in the audience to find French films out here.”
Fromm still goes out of her way to make sure that Cinéma Français shows newer films that wouldn’t otherwise ever be shown locally.
“We did it like we do (with the) Desert Film Society, where we do all new films that people could not have seen here in the desert beforehand,” said Fromm. “We did that the first year, and we were surprised it was successful. We did a second year—and then COVID came in.”
While Cinéma Français could have returned last year, Fromm said she had too much on her plate.
“Last year, when I wanted to resume, I said to all the members of Desert Film Society that I really wanted to do this again, but I need help,” Fromm said. “I just can’t do it all by myself, and not one soul volunteered to help me, so I didn’t do it last year. There’s only so far you can stretch yourself—and the hardest part we have is finding sponsors. I can find the movies; that’s not an issue, but it’s finding the people to back us up financially. This year, we’ve got some great sponsors, and we’ve got people helping me, and we’re able to resume.”
Fromm explained what it takes to program the festival.
“I read program books from other festivals all over the world, and if a title or synopsis sounds interesting, I go online; I try to find out who has the film, and I write them; and I reach out and tell them that we’re having a festival, and I’d like to consider their film,” Fromm said. “Ninety-some percent of the time, they (respond); then I watch it, and if I love it, great; I’m going to book it. If I really, really hate it, I’m finished with it, and if I’m in between—which does happen—I’ve got other people to help me, and I will send it to them.”
Fromm said programming the shorts was particularly challenging this year.
“I kept writing to people to see their shorts, and no one answered me,” Fromm said. “Finally, I got the last of the seven shorts confirmed. … They were the hardest—but then the next-hardest thing is getting the money, the financial part of it. We were blessed this year, as the Supple Foundation came in and gave some major donations, which changed everything. There were other private people who donated money just for the French festival.”
Fromm said attendees seem excited to have the festival back after a five-year absence.
“I’ve gotten letters from people saying, ‘I’m glad it’s back,’” she said. “They all understood the difficulty, and they understood that last year, I just couldn’t do it by myself. There was no negative reaction to that, but they’re all happy it’s coming back.”
I asked Fromm which of the films is her favorite, and she replied: “Everybody’s taste is different. I’ve got my favorites, and if you were to watch all seven, you probably wouldn’t pick the same one. I like dramas, and I love stories with twists and turns that, when you start watching it, you have no idea how it’s going to end, and when it ends, you say, ‘Oh my god; I didn’t see that coming.’
“This year, we have no documentaries; they are all dramas. One, Notre-Dame on Fire, is a dramatized version mixed in with real footage of the fire.”
She said there’s a good chance attendees will like what they see.
“When you come to the Desert Film Society, I can’t guarantee you’re going to like all 23 films—but I guarantee that out of the last 23 films you saw at the Regal, you didn’t like all of them, either,” she said.
Cinéma Français takes place from Friday, Feb. 2, through Sunday, Feb. 4, at the Palm Springs Cultural Center, 2300 E. Baristo Road, in Palm Springs. Tickets start at $15. For tickets or more information, visit cinemafrancaisps.com.
Brava Madame Fromm. Je vous remercie.
Le retour de cinéma francais est la bonne nouvelle!