Francofonia

2015 film

4 September 2015 (2015-09-04) (Venice)
11 November 2015 (2015-11-11) (France)

Running time

90 minutesCountriesFrance
Germany
Netherlands^[1]^[2]LanguagesFrench
Russian

Francofonia is a 2015 internationally co-produced drama film directed by Alexander Sokurov. It was screened in the main competition section of the 72nd Venice International Film Festival^[3]^[4] and in the Masters section of the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival.^[5] The film won the Mimmo Rotella Award at Venice.^[6] Variety defined it as a "dense, enriching meditation on the Louvre and specifically (but not exclusively) the museum’s status during WWII".^[2]

Among the works of art referenced in the film are:

The Mona Lisa^[7]
The Raft of the Medusa^[8]

Cast

Louis-Do de Lencquesaing as Jacques Jaujard
Vincent Nemeth [fr] as Napoléon Bonaparte
Benjamin Utzerath [de] as Franz von Wolff-Metternich
Johanna Korthals Altes as Marianne

Reception

Critical response

Francofonia has an approval rating of 87% on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 75 reviews, and an average rating of 6.90/10. The website's critical consensus states, "Francofonia may test the patience of the uninitiated, but viewers willing to delve into a beautifully filmed look at the intersection of art and war will be richly rewarded".^[9] It also has a score of 71 out of 100 on Metacritic, based on 25 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".^[10]

Awards and nominations

Awards
Award	Category	Recipients and nominees	Result
72nd Venice International Film Festival	Golden Lion	Alexander Sokurov	Nominated
	Mimmo Rotella Award	Alexander Sokurov	Won
	Green Drop Award	Alexander Sokurov	Nominated

References

^ "Francofonia Press Kit" (PDF). Films We Like. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
^ ^a ^b "Venice Film Review: 'Francofonia'". Variety. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
^ "Venice Film Festival: Lido Lineup Builds Awards Season Buzz – Full List". Deadline. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
^ "Venice Fest Reveals Robust Lineup Featuring Hollywood Stars and International Auteurs". Variety. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
^ "Toronto Film Festival Adds 60+ Titles". IndieWire. Archived from the original on 11 August 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
^ Dave McNary. "Venice Winner 'Francofonia' Bought by Music Box for U.S." Variety.
^ Bradshaw, Peter (4 September 2015). "Francofonia review – eerie look at the Louvre's vulnerable freight" – via www.theguardian.com.
^ "War Paint". The Moscow Times.
^ "Francofonia (2016)" – via Rotten Tomatoes.
^ "Francofonia" – via Metacritic.