God save the screen, the cream of English cinema

LThe formula remains the same and this is not to displease. For the 19^e Once, the Gallia and the Amitiés Saintes-Salisbury twinning committee have joined forces to offer a tasty cocktail of British cinema with mostly very recent films. Zoom in on some of the 16 films showing, from November 20 to 26 at the Gallia.

N for new items

The festival makes a point of offering previews to the public. This year, he will be able to see “Bird” at the end (Tuesday November 26, at 8 p.m.), with Barry Keoghan, the Irish actor (“Saltburn”, “Banshees of Inisherin”), new darling of British cinema, in the role main. He plays Bug, a jilted father who lives with his daughter Hailey and son Hunter in a squat in Kent. The film follows the teenager and her discovery of life, after meeting a boy, Bird.

Another preview, “September Says”, the first film by Franco-Greek director Ariane Labed. This drama follows the lives of two sisters, September and July, who live with their single mother. The former’s exclusion from high school will have consequences on the lives of the trio.

F for Family

Young audiences are not forgotten with “Wonka”, with the omnipresent Timothée Chalamet, who looks back on the youth of Willy Wonka, a fantastical character imagined by Roald Dahl in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”. But also “MacPat the singing cat” (from 3 years old): Paddy MacPat and Fred, his musician friend, form a melodious duo to the delight of passers-by until the day they are separated.

B for Biopic

The biographical genre – biopic – occupies a prominent place this year. We will be able to see “One Life” on the touching story of this English banker (Anthony Hopkins) who saved hundreds of children from the camps at the end of the 1930s in Prague, which fell into the hands of the Nazis. Another film about this period, “Lee Miller” retraces the life of this muse of Man Ray who became one of the first female war photographers.

“Back to Black” returns to the tragic fate of Amy Winehouse, the London soul diva who died at the age of 27. The festival also offers a documentary, “Resilient Man”, which follows the fight of Steven McRae, British star dancer, to return to the stage after a serious injury to his Achilles tendon.

H for Homage

Dame Maggie Smith, famous British actress, died on September 27, at the age of 89. For the youngest, she will remain Professor McGonagall, ally of Harry Potter. For more than sixty years, she also shone on the stage and the small screen (“Downton Abbey”). The festival decided to pay tribute to him by screening “Room with a View” (1986) by the brilliant James Ivory, where we find the young Helena Bonham-Carter and Daniel Day-Lewis. Single session Friday, November 22, at 6:30 p.m.

S for School

Like every year, the association which seals the strong link between Saintes and the small town in Wiltshire, in the southwest of England, offers sessions to schools thanks to its actions. More than 1,200 middle and high school students will see “Music of my life” by Gurinder Chadha (in partnership with Amitiés Saintes-Salisbury, which offers 750 places). New for 2024, around a hundred CM2 students will also participate by coming to see “Paddington” in VOSTF.

T for Tradition

Who says God save the screen, says its traditional Tea Party. Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 November, from 3 p.m. in the Gallia hall, the Tea party will be held with homemade cakes, tea of ​​course and a raffle to benefit the actions of Amitiés Saintes-Salisbury. Without forgetting the van of Mr T, the fish’n’chips specialist (reservation recommended: 06 02 22 44 74), from Friday to Sunday, from 5 p.m. in front of the Gallia.

Information: www. galliasaintes.com. All films are original version with French subtitles, except those indicated VF.

Programme

Wednesday November 20. 14 h 30 « The Outrun » (1 h 58) ; 15 h « Wonka » (VF, 1 h 57) ; 17 h « MacPat le chat chanteur » (VF, 40 min) ; 17 h 30 « Lee Miller » (1 h 52) ; 18 h « Back to Black » (2 h 02) ; 20 h « Scandaleusement vôtre » (1 h 40, ouverture) ; 20 h 30 « Resilient Man » (1 h 30).
Thursday November 21. 4 p.m. “A Life” (1:50 a.m.); 4 p.m. “The Queen’s Game” (2 a.m.); 6:30 p.m. “Scandalously Yours” (1:40 a.m.); 6:30 p.m. “Aftersun” (1:42 a.m.); 8:30 p.m. “Lee Miller” (1:52); 8:30 p.m. “The Outrun” (1:58).
Friday November 22. 4 p.m. “Lee Miller” (1:52); 4 p.m. “Resilient Man” (1:30 a.m.); 6:30 p.m. “Wonka” (VOST, 1:57 a.m.); 6:30 p.m. “Room with a view” (1:57 a.m.); 9 p.m. “A Life” (1:50 a.m., tribute to Maggie Smith); 9 p.m. “Back to Black” (2:02 a.m.)
Saturday November 23. 2 p.m. “Scandalously Yours” (1:40 a.m.); 2 p.m. “Lee Miller” (1:52); 4 p.m. “Wonka” (VF, 1:57 a.m.); 4:30 p.m. “The Outrun” (1:58); 6:30 p.m. “A Life” (1:50 a.m.); 7 p.m. “Resilient Man” (1:30 a.m.); 9 p.m. “Without ever knowing us” (1:45 a.m.); 9 p.m. “September Says” (1:38 a.m., preview).
Sunday November 24. 2:30 p.m. “Wonka” (VF, 1:57 a.m.); 2:30 p.m. “Back to Black” (2:02); 5 p.m. “MacPat the singing cat” (VF, 40 min); 5:30 p.m. “English dinner” (1:30 a.m., Amitiés Saintes-Salisbury session); 7:30 p.m. “Lee Miller” (1:52); 7:30 p.m. “Scandalously yours” (1:40 a.m.).
Monday November 25. 3:30 p.m. “The Outrun” (1:58); 4 p.m. “Aftersun” (1:42 a.m.); 6 p.m. “Resilient Man” (1:30 a.m.); 6:30 p.m. “Without ever knowing us” (1:45 a.m.); 8 p.m. “The Bloodhound” (2:18 a.m., Cabinet of Curiosities); 9 p.m. “The Queen’s Game” (2 a.m.).
Tuesday November 26. 2:30 p.m. “A Life” (1:50 a.m.); 2:30 p.m. “The Queen’s Game” (2 a.m.); 5:30 p.m. “Scandalously Yours” (1:40 a.m.); 5:30 p.m. “Back to Black” (2:02); “Bird” (1:59, closing preview); 8 p.m. “Aftersun” (1:42 a.m.).
Prices. Entrance: 6 to 8 euros; 10 places, 55-70 euros; 5-seat festival pass, 30 euros; with family: €4.50.