The East comes to Chinon - pt 1

We are in the middle of a superb film festival L'Est, Du Nouveau. It began last Wednesday and runs until tomorrow, Monday 29 October. All the films for Chinon's 7th festival come from the Eastern bloc meaning Russia, Poland, Hungary, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Rumania, Serbia and Czechoslovakia. In all there are sixteen films and an animation, which is being shown in partnership with Fontevraud Abbey, where animation is a key element of the cultural programming. So far we have seen nine films.

The film festival here, as always, is really something. It's very well organised by Cinéplus, which locally means Roselyne Chouvy and Philippe Prat, who throughout the year co-ordinate Art House films, shown in Chinon every Thursday and then in September, the six day film festival.

L'Est du Nouveau is the fourth film festival we have been to. Each year has a different theme. The films (as every Thursday) are shown in their original language with French subtitles. Last year's film festival showed films from the East - China, Korea, Cambodia etc. 2012 had an American theme. The first festival we went to in 2011 was a German celebration.

The quality of the film making in L'Est, du Nouveau, the writing and the powerful interpretations has so far proved an extraordinary experience. It was also a brave choice of films. The countries providing the focus, contain societies where political corruption and violence is endemic. This is reflected in every film, some of which met with resistance in being made and distributed. From the youngest to the oldest, man, woman or child, the police, the military, politicians, someone somewhere is going to commit an act of aggression against another individual. There's been nothing gratuitous, and frequently off-screen. Whilst the act itself may not be seen, but it is clearly implanted in the imagination. We're left with the impression that it is impossible to break the cycle.