Cinéfranco, English Canada’s largest celebration of international Francophone cinema is celebrating its 16th anniversary with a treasure trove of films for Toronto audiences at the Royal Cinema. This year’s film line-up showcases a variety of topical themes including women’s dignity (Les Femmes du Bus 678 (Cairo 678), La Mise à l’aveugle (Small Blind), Paulette; the plight of children (Catimini ); justice (L’Affaire Dumont , Les Invisibles) and prison life (Tango libre (Dance to Freedom), Ombline, Dead Man Talking) along with spirited comedies (Comme un Chef (The Chef), Mince alors! (Big is Beautiful); intriguing dramas À Perdre la raison (Our Children), and adaptations (Le Prénom (What’s In A Name), Ce que le jour doit à la nuit (What the Day Owes the Night).

Returning to its roots at The Royal this year from Friday, April 5 – Sunday, April 14, 2013, Cinéfranco is once again the place to discover the depth and diversity of Francophone cinema. Films from Belgium, Canada, Egypt, France, Luxembourg, Morocco, and Switzerland will grace the big screen in Toronto’s beloved annual showcase of the best of Francophone cinema with 3 World Premieres, 7 North American Premieres, 13 English Canadian Premieres and 2 Toronto Premieres and a showcase of 25 features, 1 documentary and 6 shorts.

Marcelle Lean, Founder/Artistic & Executive Director of Cinéfranco says of this year’s festival, “Cinéfranco 2013 continues to strive for excellence in programming films with powerful topics (freedom, prison life, sex and love…) filmed by captivating directors whose presence will be a real treat. The mix of hilarious comedies and poignant dramas offer a vast range of choice to our sophisticated audiences.”

Opening night film, Luc Picard’s Esimésac, from Québec, is a beautiful tale of gentle giant Esimésac, who tries to help his starving village by creating a vegetable garden so that everyone can eat. He’s a child in a man’s body, who was born without a shadow. Opportunity knocks with a railway passing through St. Elie De Caxton, which would bring food, tourists and economic growth to the village. But would this be the best solution for their woes? Québec filmmaker Luc Picard, who will be in attendance, brings us on a magical journey.

Closing night film, Frédéric Fonteyne’s Tango libre (Dance to Freedom) from Belgium, stars François Damiens, Sergi López and Jan Hammenecker. JC, an ordinary prison guard falls for Alice at his weekly tango classes. He is surprised to see her visiting two prisoners, cellmates Fernand, her husband, and Dominic, her lover. When Fernand, furious to learn his wife tangos with the guard, asks the Argentinean boss for dancing lessons, the tango works its passionate magic and an air of freedom and fantasy blows through the prison.

For full program and information on the festival please click here.