Vive la France!

THE PARTY To kick off the weeklong celebration of Gallic cinema, film buffs and avid Francophiles came together at the Honolulu Museum of Art’s Doris Duke Theatre for an early evening soirée and the Hawai‘i début of the tongue-in-cheek comedy Le Skylab, directed by actress-turned-filmmaker Julie Delpy. THE HIGHLIGHTS From start to finish, the evening was a red, white and blue affair. While guests enjoyed a sumptuous repast, island musician Pierre Grill jazzed things up with his band, L’Escargot Nouveau. In an impromptu twist, Sandra Silve, who taught hula and hosted island visitors in Paris for years, danced a gorgeous hula. The event took on a more official allure when Honorary French Counsul Patricia Lee greeted Gov. Neil Abercrombie and the first lady, Dr. Nancie Caraway, an avid Francophone who later addressed the audience. THE PLAYERS Honorary French Counsul Lee; Doris Duke Theatre’s director and film curator Gina Caruso; Gov. Abercrombie and his wife; Chanel’s Sally Sanchez and Lina Viengkhou; stylist Bruno de Paris and wife Lise Choucair; and board members of Alliance Française Hawaii. Photos by Tracy Chan