Festivals - La Baule Festival: Where Political Cinema Resonates with Society

By Mulder, 26 september 2024

The Festival de la Fiction et du Documentaire Politique de La Baule returns this year for its second edition, once again promising ambitious programming and a strong commitment to political cinema. From October 3 to 6, 2024, the town of La Baule becomes the center of a unique cinematic event, where political narratives, whether real or fictional, are given pride of place to question, move and inspire.

This year, 13 never-before-seen films, including fiction and documentaries, will be screened at Le Gulf Stream cinema, La Baule's municipal cultural center and a true testament to the festival's longevity and quality. Among the works presented are films dealing with current issues, such as Boris Lojkine's L'Histoire de Souleymane, which tackles the theme of immigration through the journey of an asylum seeker in Paris, or Antoine Vitkine's Opération Trump, les espions russes à la conquête de l'Amérique, which explores relations between Russia and the United States.

The festival doesn't shy away from complex, universal themes. For example, the documentary Le parcours d'un roi - Le Maroc de Mohammed VI traces the rise of the Moroccan sovereign and the reforms he has initiated in his country, while Les Combats méconnus de Simone Veil highlights lesser-known aspects of the life and struggles of this great figure in French history.

The town of La Baule, a veritable land of cinema, once again enthusiastically welcomes this national and international event. Under the impetus of its founders, Anne-Catherine Mendez and Jérôme Paoli, and with the support of institutional partners such as the Pays de la Loire Region, France Télévisions and Public-Sénat, the festival has become a must-see event for lovers of cinema and politics.

The festival relies on juries made up of influential figures from the worlds of politics, the media and cinema. Roselyne Bachelot, former minister and editorial writer, chairs this year's fiction jury, accompanied by artists such as Léa Domenach, Pierre-François Martin-Laval and Helena Noguerra. The documentary jury, meanwhile, is chaired by actor Gilles Cohen, surrounded by leading figures from the documentary world.
A new feature of this year's event is the participation of a high-school jury, chaired by Najat Vallaud-Belkacem. The jury will bring a youthful, enthusiastic perspective to the documentaries in competition, helping to raise awareness of political and social issues among a new generation.

The festival aims to be a place where people can meet and discuss major social issues. It offers spectators the opportunity to exchange views with directors, actors and jury members during screenings and debates, as well as during special events such as masterclasses, including one hosted by Patrice Duhamel, author of the book Le Chat et le Renard (The Cat and the Fox), who will analyze the complex relations between Presidents and Prime Ministers under the Fifth Republic.

Political cinema, whether fiction or documentary, is a formidable tool for reflecting on our societies. It opens up debates on topical issues, questions the relationship between citizens and their leaders, and offers fresh perspectives on current political crises and challenges.

The La Baule Political Fiction and Documentary Festival has established itself, in its second year, as an unmissable cinematic event. Through the diversity and quality of its programming, it offers audiences the chance to see the world differently, through the prism of cinema, and to deepen their understanding of the political dynamics shaping our times.

(Source : press kit)