French Film Festival March 24-27 at Richmond's Byrd Theatre

What: Films, master classes, reception, discussions with actors and directors

Where: Byrd Theatre, 2908 W. Cary St.

When: Today through Sunday. Events start 6:30 p.m. Thursday, 1:30 p.m. Friday, 8:30 a.m. Saturday and 8:15 a.m. Sunday

Master classes: (free and open to the public) Both on Friday. 1:30 p.m., Partnering with France's renowned Cinema Schools; 3:30 p.m., Spotlight on Biodiversity and Sustainability in Documentary Filmmaking

Presented by: Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Richmond

Tickets: $115 for regular pass, $105 for faculty pass, $65 for student pass; $25 for reception with pass purchase (reception 7 p.m. Saturday at VCU Scott House, 909 W. Franklin St.); $15 for individual films available 30 minutes before each show if seats are left

Information: (804) 827-3456

Website: http://frenchfilmfestival.us

Even if your main interests in film are the technical aspects — sound, lighting, camera angles, etc. — it's worth it to attend the French Film Festival, which starts today at Richmond's Byrd Theatre.

"We fly in the technicians and projectionists who are responsible for all the films at the Cannes Film Festival," said Peter S. Kirkpatrick, festival co-founder and associate professor of French Civilization and Culture and Film Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University.

"They come in and tweak the Byrd Theatre," said Kirkpatrick, ensuring that the sound and visuals are optimal.

Most people come to see the films, though, and to interact with the films' actors and directors, who introduce the films and discuss them afterward.

This year there are about a dozen each long-form and short-form films being presented by close to 40 actors, directors, producers and cinematographers. Other events include two master classes that are free and open to the public and an opening reception.

The festival is a joint effort of VCU and the University of Richmond. Kirkpatrick and his wife, Françoise Ravaux-Kirkpatrick, a professor of French at the University of Richmond, co-founded the festival, which runs though Sunday.

"The festival being in its 19th year, we are still showing a wide diversity of French filmmaking," Kirkpatrick said. "We have a sampling of the best films the French made this past year — children's films, short films, documentaries, historical dramas."

The films are in French with English subtitles.

"Two of the four documentaries focus on biodiversity and organic food, which is a big movement that's happening in France and in the world," Kirkpatrick said. "We are having a master class also with the director who is using documentary in order to get this socially engaged…message to the public and the world about the planet and agricultural production. That's important because the French actually made quite a few films about the ecology this past year."

The other two documentaries are from actor/producer/director Jacques Perrin.

"He is coming to present not only the film 'Oceans' but also his new documentary which has taken him over 15 years to make. It's about the history of Vietnam and the Vietnamese," Kirkpatrick said.

"Jacques Perrin has this poetic way about talking about humanity and about people. He does it in 'Oceans,' about the ocean and all the creatures that live in the ocean, and our rapport with the ocean," Kirkpatrick said. "Even if someone does not even know about Vietnamese, Vietnam or the geography or even Asia, he takes people on a journey that shows we are all human and it doesn't matter where we're from."

Kirkpatrick said festival ticket sales this year are on par with last year, when about 21,000 people attended.

ttlsmith@timesdispatch.com

(804) 649-6572