8 offerings you shouldn’t miss at Maine’s only French language film festival
Maine’s Fifth‑Year French‑Language Film Festival Begins in Portland
Portland, ME — From October 15 to 18, the Portland Museum of Art will host the fifth annual Festival Champlain, the state’s only all‑French language film festival. The event will feature eight feature films from across the globe, all shown in French with English subtitles, and a series of Q&A sessions and discussions with filmmakers, festival organizers, and local cultural leaders.
The festival’s programming reflects Maine’s growing French‑speaking community, which includes not only long‑established Acadian and Québécois residents but also a vibrant group of immigrants from French‑speaking African countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, Djibouti, Ivory Coast, and Togo. According to Maine language statistics, French is the second‑most spoken language in the state and appears in some 3 percent of Maine households.
Featured Films
“Afrōtopia” – Directed and co‑written by Franco‑Gabonese filmmaker David Mboussou, the drama follows a young man forced to join his family’s logging business. When he discovers that his father plans to cut down a forest sacred to the local Bantu people, he uncovers a colonial‑era secret that threatens to ignite present‑day conflict. Mboussou is scheduled for a Q&A over Zoom after the screening.
“La Venue de l’Avenir” (Colors of Time) – A 2025 film by Cédric Klapisch about four cousins who inherit an abandoned house in Normandy that opens a portal to the past. The house holds a lost Impressionist masterpiece, a trove of letters, and family lore that forces the relatives to confront their connections to one another and to history. Portland Museum of Art deputy director Andrew Eschelbacher will lead a post‑screening presentation and discussion.
“Promis le Ciel” (Promised Sky) – From Tunisia, director Erige Sehiri tells the story of an Ivorian pastor who shelters women seeking a better life amid anti‑immigrant raids. The film examines bigotry, the fragility of sanctuary, and the unexpected arrival of a small orphaned girl. The director will discuss the film in a virtual forum.
“Maria Chapdelaine” – Adapted from Louis Hémon’s classic French‑Canadian novel, the drama follows 16‑year‑old Maria as she confronts tradition, romance, and the desire to escape rural Quebec life in the 1910s. Director Sébastien Pilote will appear via video link from Saint‑Ambroise, Quebec, to discuss his adaptation.
“Tous Toqués” (All Stirred Up!) – A comedy about a Quebec border agent who clashes with a French chef over a trunk of gourmet ingredients, only to partner with her when her daughter enters a cooking competition. Their reluctant teamwork offers a light‑hearted look at cross‑border misunderstandings.
“Ma Mère, Dieu et Sylvie Vartan” (Once Upon My Mother) – A heartwarming true‑story film that follows a Moroccan‑Jewish immigrant mother who sacrifices everything to ensure her disabled son remains independent and successful.
“Nos Belles‑Soeurs” (Sisters and Neighbors!) – An adaptation of Michel Tremblay’s comic play in which a housewife wins a million‑stamp prize, prompting her family and friends to scramble to claim the reward.
“L’Étranger” (The Stranger) – French director François Ozon presents his black‑and‑white adaptation of Albert Camus’ novel, closing the festival. The film follows a young Frenchman in Algiers who kills an Arab man for no apparent reason, and the ensuing trial that probes human nature in a haunting, existential manner.
About the Festival
Festival Champlain is organized by the nonprofit Afdume and has become a cultural highlight for Maine, attracting cinephiles and scholars alike. The 2025 lineup emphasizes the diversity of French‑language cinema, from African narratives to French‑Canadian classics and contemporary European works. Each screening includes an opportunity for audience questions, either in person or via virtual platforms.
Festival organizers say the event showcases the evolving role of French in Maine: “French is the second‑most spoken language in Maine, and it continues to grow thanks to new immigrants who bring fresh perspectives and stories,” the festival’s website notes. “Festival Champlain is a celebration of that linguistic and cultural tapestry.”
Tickets and Schedule
Tickets are available online through the Portland Museum of Art’s website and can be purchased in advance or at the box office on opening night. Detailed schedules, film synopses, and contact information for Q&A sessions are posted at afdume.org/festivalchamplain.
Festival Champlain is scheduled to run from October 15 through October 18, with daily screenings and special events at the Portland Museum of Art. The festival aims to strengthen Maine’s cultural identity while inviting residents to experience French‑language cinema in its original form.
