Garance Marillier champions feminism in storytelling

Acclaimed French actress Garance Marillier, one of the most compelling young voices in feminist cinema today, arrived in Manila as the guest of honor for the 28th French Film Festival.

The Embassy of France to the Philippines and Micronesia, led by Ambassador Marie Fontanel, in partnership with SM Supermalls, hosted a press welcome for Marillier ahead of the gala screening of Couture at SM Cinema, SM Aura. Her visit highlights the festival’s continued commitment to elevating women’s narratives and fostering creative collaboration between France and the Philippines.

Marillier’s presence reinforces the Embassy’s advocacy for feminist cinema — an initiative it has championed since 2024 under France’s feminist diplomacy. This year’s festival puts a renewed spotlight on women-led stories, female perspectives, and the artistic courage of women whose work shapes the global film landscape.

In Couture, written and directed by Alice Winocour, Marillier portrays Christine, a backstage worker at Paris Fashion Week whose quiet resilience represents the invisible labor of seamstresses, makeup artists, and other artisans essential to the fashion world. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2025 before screening at San Sebastián, earning praise for its nuanced portrayal of women working behind the scenes.

Marillier first gained international attention through her breakout performance in Julia Ducournau’s Raw (2016), for which she received a César nomination. She later reunited with Ducournau in the Palme d’Or–winning Titane, solidifying her place in daring, women-centered cinema. Her subsequent work includes the biographical drama Marinette, where she portrays football legend Marinette Pichon, and the short film Favours, a project that examines women’s experiences in public spaces.

Three of Marillier’s films — Favors, Couture and Marinette — will feature special post-screening dialogues, giving audiences the opportunity to explore the feminist themes and creative motivations behind her roles.

This year’s festival also marks a significant milestone in Philippine-French cultural ties. In May 2025, during the Cannes Film Festival, France and the Philippines signed a landmark Co-Production Agreement aimed at expanding collaboration and facilitating globally distributed film projects. In line with this development, a two-day Co-Production Conference was held from 27 to 28 November, in partnership with the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) and France’s National Center for Cinema and Animation (CNC). French and Filipino producers, including Michel Plazanet, Franck Priot and Henri de Lorme, led discussions on global opportunities and cross-border filmmaking.

The festival will also spotlight Elsewhere at Night (Ailleurs la nuit), a 2025 Filipino-Canadian-French co-production featuring Marillier. The film represents a milestone in cross-cultural collaboration, showcasing the increasingly interconnected creative ties between French, Filipino, and Canadian filmmakers.

A rich lineup of contemporary films, heritage titles, and animation works will be featured throughout the festival, including Partir un jour, La Femme la Plus Riche du Monde, Amélie et la Métaphysique des Tubes, Luc Besson’s Dracula, and the restored classic animation Le Roi et l’Oiseau. The Filipino adaptation of Call My Agent will also be screened alongside the original French series Dix Pour Cent.

The festival will also host the ANIMAHENASYON Festival, which highlights the role of animation in cultural storytelling and social change.

Beyond screenings, the festival expands into cultural spaces through collaborations with the UP Film Institute, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, and the Alliance Française de Manille. A dedicated program titled HER CITY, co-presented with the Quezon City Film Commission, will explore gender and cinema through dialogues and screenings led by women filmmakers from France and Asia.

The 28th French Film Festival runs from 24 to 30 November at SM Aura and SM City Manila and from 1 to 6 December at the Alliance Française de Manille.