Literary Adaptations

The 2012 festival featured classic and contemporary French films based on French and American literature. From Donald E. Westlake’s bestselling novel, The Ax, to Victor Hugo’s poem, “How Good are the Poor,” Films on the Green introduced viewers to renowned directors such as François Truffaut, Jacques Demy and Costa-Gavras’ adaptations of literature.

In keeping with the French Embassy’s mission to strengthen student and younger audience access to French art and culture the Festival has partnered with WNYU, New York University‘s radio station, which is solely operated by NYU students. Before screenings, guest DJs from the station play a variety of classic and contempory French tunes.

OSS 117, LE CAIRE NID D’ESPIONS (OSS 117: CAIRO, NEST OF SPIES)
Directed by Michel Hazanavicius (2006)
Starring Jean Dujardin & Bérénice Bejo
Based on OSS 117, a series of novels by Jean Bruce

LES NEIGES DU KILIMANDJARO (THE SNOWS OF KILIMANJARO)
Directed by Robert Guédiguian (2011)
Starring Jean-Pierre Darroussin & Ariane Ascaride
Based on the poem Les Pauvres Gens from La Légende des Siècles by Victor Hugo

LA GUERRE DES BOUTONS (WAR OF THE BUTTONS)
Directed by Yves Robert (1962)
Starring André Treton, Jacques Dufilho & Jean Richard
Based on the novel La Guerre des Boutons by Louis Pergaut

LE COUPERET (THE AXE)
Directed by Costa-Gavras (2005)
Starring José Garcia, Karin Viard & Yolande Moreau
Based on the novel The Ax, by Donald Edwin Westlake

PEAU D’ANE (DONKEY SKIN)
Directed by Jacques Demy (1970)
Starring Catherine Deneuve, Jean Marais & Jacques Perrin
Based on the fairy tale Peau d’Ane by Charles Perrault

NE LE DIS A PERSONNE (TELL NO ONE)
Directed by Guillaume Canet (2006)
Starring François Cluzet & Kristin Scott-Thomas
Based on the novel Tell No One by Harlan Coben

PERSEPOLIS
Directed by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud (2007)
With the voices of Chiara Mastroianni & Catherine Deneuve
Based on the graphic novel Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

JULES ET JIM
Directed by François Truffaut (1962)
Starring Jeanne Moreau, Oscar Werner & Henri Serre
Based on the novel Jules et Jim by Henri-Pierre Roché

Official Sponsors
BNP Paribas, Air France, TV5 Monde

Supporters
Sandro, WNYU 89.1FM, FACE

Friends
New York Observer, Columbia Maison Française, French Institute Alliance Française, Yelp