The French Connection

Visited by hundreds of thousands of people, the southwest of Western Australia still shelters within its beauty, its own deep mysteries of origin. In creating CinéfestOZ, the Board Members were often asked why they had chosen a French Film Festival rather than a joint celebration with another country? The answers are compelling and for those who do not know - here is a journey of discovery - a connection.

From the moment of Binot Paulmyer's claimed discovery in 1503, Australia the '5th continent of the New World', became a fascination. In the sixteen hundreds Dutch explorers found the Antipodes to be irresistible and British Adventurers, such as Dampier, Cook, Banks and Flinders soon followed.

At the end of the 18th century the French, influenced by the 'Period of Enlightenment', commissioned the largest expedition to ever leave Europe. It departed from France on the 19th of October 1800 and was led by explorer Nicolas Baudin. Their aim was to complete the work of previous French explorers - La Perouse & D'entrecasteaux by scientifically charting Australia and identifying its unique environment.

The place names along the Western Australian coastline exist as testimony to this pageant of Napoleonic history. Baudin's voyage in particular, impacted upon the region, with names such as Geographe Bay, after his lead ship Geographé and Hamelin Bay, after his second in command, Jacques Felix Emmanuel Hamelin. The Vasse River for example, was named in honour of Thomas Timothee Vasse of Dieppe in Normandy who was drowned in Geographe Bay when he fell from a dingy during a northerly gale on 8th June 1801. Strangely Baudin's name does not appear in any of the place names. He was unpopular with his men and when he died on the return voyage, others were left to record the events, colluding to keep Baudin's name from the text of history.

What was in the mind of Captain Nicolas Baudin as he stood, viewing the distant Australian, south western shoreline, on the deck of the corvette 'The Geographé'. The year is 1801 and history will record that Baudin's crew made landfall at what is now known as 'Cape Hamelin'.

Sadly, the heritage and the impact left by these explorers will be lost during the next one hundred and ninety years and while the names of Captain James Cook, Joseph Banks and Matthew Flinders live on, the French connection will be a hazy moment in time, a disconnect from existence.

CinéfestOZ is a celebration of this French connection. A festival where the art of French and Australian film becomes the bridge between the historic events of the past.