Festival de la Francophonie: Chicago premiere of Yves Sioui Durand's film MESNAK with director Q&A March 23, 2013

In partnership with the Festival du Film Francophone de Kalamazoo, curated by Vincent Desroches from Western Michigan University.

Mesnak (2011, 96 min.) - Québec / First Nations Introduced by director Yves Sioui Durand

While rehearsing the role of Hamlet in Montreal, Dave, an Aboriginal actor in his twenties, receives a photo of Gertrude, his biological mother, about whom he knows nothing. The young man immediately leaves in search of the Kinoganish reserve, where he meets Chief Claude St-Onge, who is preparing a referendum on the cutting rights of a logging company. Without realizing it, Dave has stumbled on Gertrude's future husband, and an old love triangle involving his dead father, the chief and his mother.

Also being screened will be:

1:00 p.m.: Matière Grise/Grey Matter (2011, 100 min.) - Rwanda, by Kivu Ruhorahoza.
Winner Best Actor and Special Jury Prize at the Tribeca Film Festival; Ecunemical Jury Award at Warsaw International Film Festival. First film ever made in Rwanda. Followed by a café & conversation.

3:00 p.m.: Toussaint Louverture (2012, 180 min.) - France / Haïti, by Philippe Niang.
Nominated for outstanding mini-series at the Monte-Carlo TV Festival, Toussaint Louverture tells the story of the liberation of Haiti. Followed by an apéritif & conversation

Official Website: http://www.af-chicago.org/app/Calendar.php?event=1002&type=31