On The Town: Jane Birkin, an icon in France, arrives in Dublin today to celebrate, and take part in, the Martell French Film Festival, but earlier this week, friends gathered on the festival's opening night to salute a lesser-known French luminary, and to say goodbye.
Martine Moreau, arts officer at the French embassy, who has worked with the arts community in Dublin for the last 32 years, is leaving. She will return to work in Paris early in the new year.
"I'm going to lose one of my best friends and close colleagues in French cinema," said Gráinne Humphreys, festival programmer and assistant director of the Irish Film Institute. Many in the arts scene say they will miss Moreau's encouragement, passion and dedication.
"She is always searching for ways of bringing new and exciting films here," said Humphreys, before presenting Moreau with a bouquet of flowers.
The festival's opening film was Les Choristes, but Laurent Marie, a lecturer specialising in French cinema in UCD's French department, was especially looking forward to Clean, directed by Olivier Assayas, and to Henri Langlois: The Phantom of the Cinémathèque, directed by Jacques Richard.
Up to 6,000 people are expected to attend the festival, which will run over the 13 days and include 40 feature films.
Myles Dungan, of RTÉ's Rattlebag programme, was happy that Birkin was coming, because, he said, "she's trés, trés cool and chic".
Among those who came to the opening night were Prof Ciaran Benson, artist Vivienne Roche, and actor and director Rachel Dowling.
Maretta Dillon and Alicia Black, both of Access Cinema, which promotes access to arthouse cinema around the country, said to watch out for a documentary, directed by legendary photographer and film-maker Raymond Depardon, called 10e Chambre, Instants D'Audiences.
The Martell French Film Festival runs until Sunday, December 5th at the Irish Film Institute