What to Watch at Cinéfranco 2024

Cinéfranco, an annual film festival in Toronto, Ontario, celebrates the best of French-language cinema from Canada and around the world. Spanning a week of screenings, the festival offers audiences a diverse mix of drama, comedy, thrillers, and biopics, providing a glimpse into unique stories and cultural experiences.

Here is our list of what to watch during Cinéfranco

1. Rosalie – Drama/Romance/History

📅 November 5, 2024 @ 6:30 PM

Set in 1870s France, Rosalie tells the story of a young woman with a rare condition: she was born with hair covering her face and body. As she decides to embrace her true self, the film explores the tension between love, acceptance, and societal cruelty.

2. Un Jour Fille (Girl for a Day) – Drama/History

📅 November 7, 2024 @ 6:30 PM

Inspired by the true story of Anne Grandjean, an intersex individual living in 18th-century France. This historical drama captures Anne’s life, love, and struggle for identity, culminating in a trial that challenges social norms and raises powerful questions still relevant today.

3. Captives (Party of Fools) – Drama/Thriller/History

📅 November 2, 2024 @ 8:45 PM

Set in 1894 Paris, this film follows Fanni, who willingly commits herself to a women-only asylum. Within the walls of the institution, she discovers a community of extraordinary women and an opportunity to escape during the eccentric “Party of Fools.”

4. Dis-Moi Pourquoi Ces Choses Sont Si Belles (Tell Me Why These Things Are So Beautiful) – Drama/History/Biopic

📅 November 3, 2024 @ 6:00 PM

This biopic follows the unusual friendship between botanist Brother Marie-Victorin and Marcelle Gauvreau. Through letters, they explore human desires, love, and nature, leading to a captivating exchange on life’s deeper meanings.

5. Chasse Gardée (Open Season) – Comedy

📅 November 4, 2024 @ 6:30 PM

A family buys their dream home in the countryside, only to discover the locals have legal hunting rights on their land. What follows is a hilarious battle between the new homeowners and the village hunters, leading to chaotic but heartwarming attempts at coexistence.

6. Un Coup De Dés (Breaking Point) – Drama/Thriller

📅 November 9, 2024 @ 4:30 PM

Mathieu finds himself entangled in a web of deceit and betrayal, torn between loyalty to a friend who once saved his life and his attraction to the same friend’s former lover. As lies unravel, danger looms, pushing Mathieu toward an inevitable breaking point.

7. Un P’tit Truc En Plus (A Little Something Extra) – Comedy

📅 November 2 & 6, 2024 @ 6:30 PM

A father and son on the run find refuge at a summer camp for adults with disabilities, posing as a resident and his educator. This touching comedy follows their journey of personal growth as their experience at the camp changes their lives in unexpected ways.

These films reflect the diverse storytelling featured at Cinéfranco 2024, with stories ranging from historical dramas to uplifting comedies. Explore the full schedule and immerse yourself in films that offer profound insights, emotional depth, and engaging humor.

For more information and the complete lineup, visit the Cinéfranco Festival website.