More than 15 long features and co-productions, representing a diversity of French cinema, will be showcased during IFFI, the International Film Festival of India, that begins in Goa later this week.

From the inception of this new form of art, more than a century ago, both France and India felt a strong inclination for what was to be commonly known as the seventh art, says Jérôme Bonnafo (rpt Jome Bonnafo), Ambassador of France in India.

Among them, the French Oscar entry ''Orchestra Seats"
("Fauteuils d'Orchestre"), the box-office hit "Taxi 4" and three keenly awaited films of this year: "99 Francs" (a film adaptation of a best-seller book), "The Second Wind" (a remake of one of finest film in French cinema history) and the amazing "Intimate Ennemy" (a first of its kind look at the Algerian struggle for independence).

IFFI organisers here said the six films "Living Together" collection prepared by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs are "modern-day fables about French society". Meanwhile the Film Heritage section, co-organised by the Thomson Foundation, will attempt to bring together some of the masterpieces of the history of World cinema.

Veteran filmaker and indophile Alain Corneau will be leading the French delegation to IFFI at Goa, comprising of Florent-Emilio Siri, Jan Kounen, and talented young actress Fanny Valette as well as the Thomson Foundation team, the European Club of Producers, Samira Zaibat of the international critic's week in Cannes, and Fabien Westerhoff participating in the NFDC organised Film Bazaar section.

Retrospective "Living Together" will include six films: Samia by Philippe Faucon; When you come down from Heaven (Quand tu descendras
ducie) by Eric Guirard; What's going on (Wesh, Wesh, qu'est ce qui se passe? by Rabah Ameur-Zaïmeche; My neighbours (Voisins, voisines) by Malik Chibane; Zim & Co by Pierre Jolivet; and Forgetting Cheyenne (Oublier Cheyenne) by Valérie Minetto.

Cinema of the World will include: The Second Wind (Le 2ème souffle) by Alain Corneau (2007); The Intimate Enemy (L'ennemi intime) by Florent Emilio Siri (2007); 99 Francs by Jan Kounen (2007); Change of address (Changement d'adresse) by Emmanuel Mouret (2006); Taxi 4 by Gérard Krawczyk (2007); Orchestra Seats (Les Fauteuils d'orchestre) by Danièle Thomson (2006); The Songs of Love (Les Chansons d'amour) by Christophe Honoré (2007); The Page turner (La Tourneuse de pages) by Denis Dercourt (2005); The Other (L'Autre) by Ariel Rotter (co-production / 2007); and Goodbye Bafana by Bille August (co-production / 2007).
Frederick [FN] Noronha * फ्रेडरिक नोरोंया [fredericknoronha@gmail.com] for filmfestivals.com