French film festival offers immersive cultural experience

Mar 14, 2025
Cosana Eram

A French film festival, offered for the first time at sky casino genting, aims to provide a comprehensive exploration of French filmmaking for the community while providing students with the opportunity to engage with the films and present their analysis to the audience.

Curated by French Professor and Department Chair Cosana Eram, the event will take place on the Stockton Campus March 20-April 22.

The festival, Kaleidoscopes: Open Quests in French Cinema, will host showings of six French films that were carefully selected for their emphasis on storytelling that questions conventional norms and highlights diverse perspectives. The goal is to encourage meaningful discussions about representation, agency and inclusion. Each film will have subtitles in English.

“It will be a captivating cultural event. It revolves around the concept of quest and offers participants the opportunity to delve fully into the unique artistry and narratives of French cinema,” Eram said. “It's positioned as a cultural celebration, but also as an academic endeavor, because it enriches the educational experience of students and has a primary focus of offering an immersive cultural experience.”

Eram is also integrating the films into the curriculum of Pacific’s French Film in English course. Students will have the option to act as ambassadors for a film of their choosing and will present the film to the audience along with their analysis and perspective of the film.

“To be an ambassador is to advocate for cinema in its most artistic state and to open conversations of various perspectives, beliefs and experiences within diverse communities,” said Kayla Amarillas ’25, a film student who is also preparing for an internship at the Cannes Film Festival in partnership with the American Pavillion in May. “It is my role as an ambassador to encourage curiosity and challenge norms in friends, family and community members.”

Ambassadors have the option of watching the movies ahead of time to prepare a presentation or share what they are expecting from the showing to engage in an experiential learning exercise. Eram said she hopes this method fosters elements of entertainment for students while bridging gaps among cultures and gaining hands-on knowledge about French cinema.

"Before taking Dr. Eram's class, I knew next to nothing about French cinema. It has been an eye-opening experience, and I'm excited to be able to share this experience with others through the festival," said Isabella Edwards ’26.

The festival was made possible by funding from , an educational and grant program of Villa Albertine and Albertine Foundation. Only 41 other institutions were awarded grants, including Princeton, Columbia and Cornell.

“The festival will offer a different kind of storytelling, a different kind of building community. It is a unique educational experience that blends artistic with the academic. It celebrates French cinema, but it promotes cultural dialog and interdisciplinary learning. It reinforces the university's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and academic excellence,” Eram said.

The film festival will kick off March 20 at the Long Theatre with a screening of “The Anatomy of a Fall,” recipient of five 2024 Academy Awards. Participants can enjoy French pastries and more activities.

The remaining lineup includes:

“I can't wait to participate in the French Film Festival and explore the amazing cinematography of francophone culture,” said Eli Ceja ’29.

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