Schools Programme
In 2020 Cork International Film Festival presented two Irish premiere French titles, À l’abordage and Fahim, The Little Chess Prince, in a new online Schools’ Programme, available direct to classrooms nationwide via Cork International Film Festival’s digital Festival platform. These specially selected titles support film in school curricula across Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle in French.

Leaving Cert: French
À l’abordage
Guillaume Brac / France / 2020 / 95 mins
Subtitled / Comedy / Age Recommendation: 15+
Felix convinces his best friend, Chérif, to accompany him on a road trip for a surprise visit to his new love, Alma, who is vacationing in the south of France. Short of funds, they sign up for a rideshare with ‘mummy’s boy’ Édouard. Needless to say, things don’t go as planned for this unlikely trio. Guillaume Brac’s delightfully fresh and fun film feels natural throughout, even in the most unlikely situations, and it’s a pleasure to spend time with these characters. SE
Presented in association with the French Embassy in Ireland and Alliance Française Cork



Junior Cycle: French
Fahim, The Little Chess Prince
Pierre-François Martin-Laval / France / 2019 / 107 mins
Subtitled / Comedy-Drama / Age Recommendation: 9+
Eight-year-old Fahim arrives in Paris from Bangladesh with his father. Fahim is a promising chess player and his talent is immediately recognised by one of the top French coaches, Sylvain Charpentier (Gérard Depardieu). But while Charpentier prepares Fahim for the junior French championship, Fahim’s father struggles in vain to obtain legal immigrant status. This heartfelt drama is based on the true story of the French-Bangladeshi chess player and, since 2017, FIDE master Fahim Mohammad. AK
Presented in association with the French Embassy in Ireland
