Go on a romantic P&O Ferries trip – to the International Love Film Festival
If you’re not a big fan of Valentine’s Day ‘celebrations’ but would still like to do something romantic this spring, why not leave the beaten track and head to mainland Europe for some leftfield, love-themed entertainment?
The 28th Festival International du Film D’Amour (or International Love Film Festival, although it sounds so much more romantic in French) takes place in the Belgian city of Mons from February 24th until March 2nd.
The festival’s theme isn’t schmaltzy tearjerkers where everything ends in marriage vows and the couple buying a seaside house, but love with all its highs and pitfalls. The films on show are not the standard Hollywood fare, but very often works of art that you’ll be hard pressed to find in your local Blockbuster branch.
The International Love Film Festival will take place at two screening rooms, while there will be evening events, exhibitions and workshops at the ‘cinema village’ in the Lotto Mons Expo centre.
Among the films to be shown is the keenly awaited directorial debut from Angelina Jolie, called In the Land of Blood & Honey. An uncompromising, surprisingly naturalistic film, it deals with the plight of ordinary people swept up in the Bosnian war.
There will also be a focus on Scandinavian cinema, with ten films from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden part of the programme. This includes the Swedish production Apflickorna (French title: Voltiges), which ran as part of last year’s London Film Festival under its English title She Monkeys. This film deals with the sexual coming of a 15-year old girl called Emma (played by newcomer Mathilda Paradeiser), who becomes involved in an intense rivalry with another girl in her volting class.
This festival would be a great substitute for the usual Valentine’s Day fare of a bunch of flowers and a generic card – you can also explore the cosy charm of Mons itself, which boasts a couple of lovely side streets where you can grab a drink. For more information about the International Love Film Festival, check out the official website.
Mons, the location of the International Love Film Festival, lies near the French border and is only an hour and a half’s drive away from P&O Ferries’ Belgian port in Zeebrugge.
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