Thanks to UTS Vertigo magazine, my friend and I won two free tickets to the Alliance Francaise French Film Festival (AFFFF) which is held in Sydney from March 5- 23, 2014.
“Celebrating its 25th year in 2014, AFFF is not only the biggest film festival in Australia; it is also the biggest festival of French films outside of France. Each year the festival curates a selection of the best contemporary French films, including comedies, dramas, documentaries and much more.”
I don’t think I’ve ever bought tickets to the AF film Festival. I guess that goes with saying that I was the President/Vice President of the French Speaking Society (FRESS) at University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) for almost 3 years.
I won the tickets with the 25 words or less of something I associate France or French culture: “Those sexy pick up lines I made the French Society at UTS learn at their convo groups. It was fantastic- vouz voulez venir avec moi? ;)”
I was pretty keen this time round because I’ve never been to Palace Norton Street, but instead have only been to Palace Verona on Oxford St.
Walking up the stairs, we walked into a dark and more classy affair.
Surprisingly, there was a snake of a line but thankfully I booked my tickets in advance. Last year they didn’t have many tickets left and we ended up watching this (extremely) crap movie that we walked out on. A guy was raping this girl and it got too graphic almost half the cinema left before it finished.
What I absolutely love about Palace Norton is that they offer cheese board platters. I cannot believe someone did not finish this. We just got some water.
It’s a pretty small cinema and just enough screens compared to Events or Hoyts.
I’m not if its because I rarely go to the cinemas, but these seats were huge, comfortable and spacious. The place where you put your drinks is pretty big too and not a distraction at all. I guess it’s where you put those cheese boards, right? #ifonlyiwasahighroller
Wrestling Queens is honestly the funniest movie ever.
I’m not lying- I was laughing my pants off for the whole duration. I highly recommend this.
“Seeking to reconnect with the estranged son she had as a teenager, 30-year-old Rose (Marilou Berry) decides to capture his attention by appealing to his number one obsession: wrestling. Enlisting three fellow supermarket check-out clerks, she forms a troupe and the Wrestling Queens (Les reines du ring) are born.”
As always, coming back every year to AFFF!!
Review Rating: =D =) =| =(
Product (Free Alliance Francaise French Film Festival): =D
Ambience: =D
Service: =D
Value: =D
Would I go free to the Alliance Francaise French Film Festival every year? How can you say no? If you don’t have a person connection to French culture, then this is your change to be mesmerised with the French language. If you’ve learnt French before then this will be a good challenge for your listening skills. If you’re French, then this will bring you back to your roots. GO!
Would I donate the money I saved to my charity?
Ticket prices include:
GENERAL ADMISSION
Alliance Française de Sydney & Palace
Movie Club Members* $15.50
Adult $20.00
Concessions** $17.00
Children (see classifications) $14.50
Wow, $20 for a movie ticket is quite steep. I must admit, I cannot stay still to watch a movie unless its insanely good, which Wrestling Queens was. I wouldn’t mind bringing back those cheap $8 Tuesdays we had back when I was at school. Anyways, $15 would go to charity if it included a glass of wine.
Highlight: the movie itself. Great selection of movies this time round. As mentioned before, last year’s wasn’t that great and it seems to me that quite a few of my french friends are interested in going- so that mean’s it’s good!
Suggestion of Improvement: have a movie ticket + cheese board + drink value deal. It’ll attract more people to come and of course enjoy a movie over French food. I think people would pay $25 or even $30 for it.
Ends: March 23, 2014
Link: http://www.affrenchfilmfestival.org/
Palace Cinemas: http://www.palacecinemas.com.au/
Angela Bee
The Walking Advertisement 