WAUSAU — French cinema is returning to Wausau in February as the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point at Wausau brings the Tournées French Film Festival to campus. Screenings of award-winning French-language films were held annually from 2010 to 2014.

All films are unrated and will be in French with English subtitles. Unless otherwise noted, they will be shown at 7 p.m. in the James F. Veninga Theater of the UW Center for Civic Engagement, 625 Stewart Ave., Wausau. The schedule is as follows:

  • Feb. 7 – “L’Atelier” (“The Workshop”)
  • Feb. 8 – “Makala”
  • Feb. 15 – “Un Beau Soleil Intérier” (“Let the Sunshine In”) This film includes strong sexual content and will be shown in the auditorium of the main campus building, Room 133.
  • Feb. 17, 2 p.m. – “Jeannette: L’enface de Jeanne d’Arc” (“Jeannette: The Childhood of Joan of Arc”)
  • Feb. 21 – “Voir du Pays” (“The Stopover”)
  • Feb. 23 – “Le Crime de Monsieur Lange” (“The Crime of Monsieur Lange”)

A facilitator-led audience discussion will follow each showing.

“I’m delighted that we have once again received the grant that makes these showings possible,” said Julie Bunczak, the campus’ Lecture and Fine Arts Series coordinator, in a news release. “Foreign films demand that American audiences step out of their comfort zones. These films defy the standard American cinematic story arc and focus more on character exploration than on a frantic race to a climactic scene.

Tickets are $7 per film or $28 for a pass for the entire festival. Admission is free for all UW-Stevens Point students. Visit uwmc.uwc.edu/arts/lfa for film summaries and a link to purchase tickets.

For more information, contact Bunczak at 715-261-6234.

Photo courtesy UWSP at Wausau. The documentary “Makala” and five other films will be shown at UW-Stevens Point at Wausau as the Tournées French Film Festival returns to campus in February.