BURLINGTON, Vt. - In observance of National French Week, (Nov. 5-11), Champlain College presents a series of five recent feature films from France and French-speaking countries. All the films have English subtitles, and the showings are free and open to the public.

Now in its second year at Champlain, the Tournées Festival of weekend screenings is sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of French. It begins Friday, Nov. 7 at 7 pm in Alumni Auditorium on the Champlain College campus. Subsequent screenings are scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 8 at 3 pm and 7 pm and Sunday, Nov. 9, at 3 pm and 7 pm at Alumni Auditorium.

Champlain College is one of only 100 American Colleges and Universities selected to participate in the grant program for the 2008-2009 academic year.

The film selection covers a diverse range of themes, including disability, immigration, love and friendship between men, the quest for the absent father, and exploitation of migrant workers. Two of the films, including a documentary, are directed by women.

The showings, to be introduced by Dr. Antoine J. Polgar of the Champlain Faculty, are made possible with the support of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy and the French Ministry of Culture.

Other sponsors are: the French American Cultural Exchange (FACE); the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs; the Centre National de la Cinématographie; the Florence Gould Foundation; the Grand Marnier Foundation; highbrow entertainment; agnés b.; the Franco-American Cultural Fund; the Directors Guild of America; the Motion Picture Association; SACEM; and the Writers Guild of America.

Champlain College was founded in 1878 and currently has 2,000 undergraduate students. It is ranked 12th in the top tier of Best Baccalaureate Colleges in the North by 2009 America's Best Colleges. Champlain College also offers traditional study abroad programs with campuses in Dublin, Ireland and Montreal, Quebec and extensive online and continuing professional education. To learn more about Champlain College, visit www.champlain.edu.

Film Schedule below

The Tournées Festival - Schedule & Synopsis of Films
Champlain College - Alumni Auditorium. Free Admission

Friday, Nov. 7, 2008, 7 pm
Her Name Is Sabine / Elle S'appelle Sabine (France 2008, 85 min.): An intelligent, moving and beautiful portrait of Sabine, a 38-year-old autistic woman, filmed by her closest sister, French actress Sandrine Bonnaire. The film tells her story through personal footage filmed by the actress over a period of 25 years. Today, Sabine lives in a home in the Charente region with other young people. This film sends an urgent message to a society that still does not know how to properly take care of its citizens with physical and psychological disabilities. Credits: Director: Sandrine Bonnaire; Writers: Sandrine Bonnaire & Catherine Cabrol.

Un portrait de Sabine Bonnaire, autiste, réalisé par Sandrine Bonnaire, sa soeur la plus proche. Récit de son histoire à travers des archives personnelles, filmées par la comédienne sur une période de 25 ans, et témoignage de sa vie aujourd'hui dans une structure adaptée. Le documentaire évoque une personnalité attachante dont le développement et les dons multiples ont été broyés par un système de prise en charge défaillant. Après un passage tragique de cinq longues années en hôpital psychiatrique, Sabine reprend goût à la vie, même si ses capacités restent altérées, dans un foyer d'accueil en Charente.

Saturday, Nov. 8, 2008, 3 pm
L'Origine de la Tendresse and Other Tales
A Program of Short Films (France 2008, 97 min.): A program of six notable French short films, featuring a broad range of styles and genres, from animation to fiction to documentary, reflecting the diversity of both the visions of contemporary French filmmakers and the people of France.
L'Origine de la Tendresse
Kitchen" by Alice Winocour
"Gratte-papier" (Pen-Pusher) by Guillaume Martinez
"Ma mere: Histoire d'une immigration" (My Mother: Story of an Immigration) by Felipe Canales
"Je suis une voix" (One Voice, One Vote) by Jeanne Paturle and Cécile Rousset
"La dernière journée" (The Last Day) by Olivier Bourbeillon

Saturday, Nov. 8, 2008, 7 pm
The Man of My Life / L'Homme de Sa Vie, (France 2006, 114 min.): Frédéric and his beautiful wife Frédérique, return to Provence where they spend the summer in their family house. They bring along their children and some friends. Frédéric enjoys a perfect family and work life. One evening, Frédéric invites Hugo, their neighbor, for a barbecue at their house. After dinner, Frédéric and Hugo find themselves alone on the terrace. A powerful bond develops between the two men. The relationship will wreak havoc in both men's hearts, as well as in Frédéric's family life. Credits: Director: Zabou Breitman; Screenplay: Zabou Breitman & Agnès de Sacy; Cast: Frédéric: Bernard Campan; Hugo: Charles Berling; Frédérique: Léa Drucker
Comme chaque été, Frédéric et sa femme Frédérique vont passer les vacances dans leur grande maison perdue au milieu dela Drôme, avec une bonne partie de leur famille. Un soir, ils invitent à dîner Hugo, leur nouveau voisin, qui affiche avec amusement son homosexualité. Hugo et Frédéric, restés seuls à discuter de l'amour jusqu'à l'aube, vont nouer une relation qui va jeter le trouble dans leur coeur et dans leur entourage...

Sunday, Nov. 9, 3 pm,

Dreams of Dust /Rèves de Poussiere, (France/Canada/Burkina Faso 2006, 86 min.): Mocktar, a Nigerian peasant who lost his entire family in a terrible accident, tries to rebuild his life. He goes to Essakane, a dusty gold mine in northeast Burkina Faso, to look for work and to forget the past that haunts him. In Essakane, the life of the whole population revolves around the irrational expectation of finding gold. Credits: Director & Screenplay: Laurent Salgues; Cast: Mocktar:Makena Diop Thiam: Rasmane Ouedraogo Paté: Souleymane Souré Coumba: Fatou Tall-Salgues Tidiane: Joseph B.Tapsoba

Mocktar Dicko, un paysan Nigérien, vient chercher du travail à Essakane, une mine d'or au nord-est du Burkina-Faso. Mais ne connaissant rien au métier d'orpailleur, il doit tout apprendre. Dans cette prison aux barreaux de vent et de poussière, il espère oublier un passé qui le hante...

Sunday, Nov. 9, 7 pm
The Untouchable /L'Intouchable, (France 2006, 82 min.): A young actress, Jeanne, learns from her mother that her father is Indian, a Hindu "Untouchable." Intending to find her father, Jeanne wants to leave for India immediately but she needs money. She drops out of the rehearsals for Brecht's "Saint Joan of the Stockyards," staged by her lover, and asks her agent to get her a part that she had initially turned down, in a film. Jeanne sets out on her own for the vastness of India with little more than a name as a clue. She befriends a young man who acts as a guide, assisting her and introducing her to the mysteries of India. Credits: Director & Screenplay, Benoît Jacquot; Cast: Jeanne: Isild Le Besco; Jeanne's mother: Bérangère Bonvoisin; François: Marc Barbé; Agent:Manuel Munz; Jeanne's lover: Louis-Do de Lencquesaing; Mani: Parikshit Luthra; Awards: Marcello Mastroianni Award (Isild Le Besco), Venice Film Festival (2006).

Le jour de son anniversaire, Jeanne apprend de sa mère que son père est Indian, Hindou de l'Inde, rencontré en voyage. Un « Intouchable », lui dira sa mère. Jeanne est actrice, elle abandonne les répétitions de Sainte Jeanne des Abattoirs mise en scène par son amoureux. Pour partir en Inde, tout de suite, elle a besoin de fric, elle demande à son agent d'accepter un rôle de cinèma qu'elle avait refusé. On la voit jouer ce rôole comme un calvaire qu'elle s'inflige. Elle part. En inde, elle cherchera son père, le manquera, le trouvera et le laissera. Elle revient.