SAINT-PHILIPPE. The Film Festival will continue from February 17 to 20, which is obvious to the organizers despite the health context.
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“If we call each other Not Afraid, it’s not for nothing! You have to read between the lines!” Aurélie Mengin does not even understand that he is being asked about the holding of his International Festival of Fantastic Cinema. The director and founder of the event has cracked an uncompromising online editorial on the management of the event. “Today, more than ever, we have to get back into the ring, put on our gloves and strike, yes, strike harder than the Covid!” For this 11th edition, the festival is even planning an even more extensive program than in previous years, which can be explained by a real enthusiasm for once again giving its place to culture. “We had a lot of distributors who were very happy to finally be able to show their film somewhere”, explains Aurélie Mengin.
No more films to see, therefore, and a recipe that does not change with the partnership with Canal + for the short film competition as well as the selection for school audiences.
No way 2021 looks like 2020
For Aurélie Mengin, the idea of canceling the event did not even cross her mind. “We would have kept it streaming in the worst case, but out of the question to drop everything”, details the director who was able to attend several other international festivals in this tormented period. “Here we are lucky to have all our cultural places open, it would be serious not to take advantage of it!”
An observation shared with the municipality of Saint-Philippe, to which the health protocol governing the festival was submitted. The Henri-Madoré room will therefore once again be made available to the event which, Mayor Olivier Rivière hopes, will contribute to “reboot the cultural pump”. “For us too, there is no question that 2021 looks like 2020 and that we mortgage the actors of culture”, added the chosen one. As for the detailed program, it should be unveiled in the coming days.
Skander Farza
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