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Merci for an Incredible 5th Edition of the San Diego French Film Festival!
- Alliance Française San Diego
- May 15
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 11
From May 4 to 7, 2025, we were thrilled to host the 5th edition of the San Diego French Film Festival — and what a wonderful celebration it was! Organized by the Alliance Française of San Diego, this year’s festival brought together film lovers, artists, and friends of the Francophone world for four days of connection, discovery, and emotion through the magic of cinema.
A Glamorous Opening Night
We kicked things off on May 4 with a memorable soirée at THE LOT La Jolla. The evening began with a screening of En Fanfare by Emmanuel Courcol — a heartfelt film that set the perfect tone for the days ahead. After the movie, guests enjoyed champagne, hors d’œuvres, sweet treats, and music by DJ GregTraxX. We were honored to welcome French Consul Adrien Frier and French Deputy Roland Lescure, who shared inspiring words with our audience.
Special Guests and Meaningful Conversations
Throughout the festival, we had the pleasure of welcoming a number of special guests from the film industry, including actor Max Boublil, director Grégory Boutboul, actor Franck Amiack, producer and distributor Clay Epstein, director Iolande Cadrin-Rossignol, actress Laura Weissbecker, and Youri Rapoport, CEO of You Film and Agence Cineart. Their presence made this edition truly special, and we’re grateful for the conversations and insights they shared with us all.
A Rich and Diverse Program
Ahead of the main festival, we hosted a special Young Cinephiles Day on March 21 for local students learning French. Around 500 students joined us for a screening of L'Invulnérable by Lucas Bacle and the Quebecois documentary Océan vu du cœur. The session ended with a thoughtful discussion with director Iolande Cadrin-Rossignol, moderated by Dr. Cécile Nedellec, board member of the Alliance Française. It was such a joy to see the next generation engaging with French-language cinema!
From May 5 to 7, each evening featured a short and a feature film, with post-screening discussions that sparked conversation and reflection:
May 5: The short Queen Size opened the night, followed by Neuilly-Poissy, a social comedy that explores identity and inclusion. Director Grégory Boutboul and actor Max Boublil were with us to share more about their creative process.
May 6: We explored the theme of resilience with two parallel programs. One featured Chère Louise and Moto Taxi, which offered an intimate look into everyday life in Cameroon. The other paired Avec l’Humanité Qui Convient with Quelques Jours Pas Plus, a moving French dramedy.
May 7 (Closing Night): We wrapped things up with Jésus ne tremble pas and Ru, a stunning adaptation of Kim Thúy’s novel about a young Vietnamese refugee’s journey to Quebec. This deeply emotional film left a lasting impression on our audience.
Celebrating the Films That Moved Us
We’re proud to announce this year’s Jury and Audience Awards:
🎬 Jury Awards
Best Short Film: Jésus ne tremble pas by Olivier Lambert
Best Feature Film: Neuilly-Poissy by Grégory Boutboul, starring Max Boublil
🎥 Audience Awards
Best Short Film: Queen Size by Avril Besson
Best Feature Film: En Fanfare by Emmanuel Courcol
These films moved, inspired, and entertained our guests — and we were honored to share their stories with you.
Beyond the Screen
This year’s theme, Love in All Its Forms, ran through every part of the festival — from friendship and passion to solidarity and resilience. We were also proud to highlight visual art with Cœur d’Afghane, Amour à la Française, a beautiful exhibit by Manaz Raiszadeh on display at the Alliance Française from April through June. And thanks to the creativity of students from four San Diego schools, our educational projects brought even more life and color to the celebration.
Thank You!
We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make this year’s festival such a success. To our generous sponsors, our tireless volunteers, our talented guests, and our enthusiastic audience — merci infiniment. You made this edition truly memorable, and we can’t wait to welcome you back for the next one May 3-7, 2026!
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