SMU’s showing of the French-German film, “Joususe” or “Queen to Play,” will be on Tuesday. (Photo Courtesy of Patrick Galize)

Have you somehow missed the past four days of SMU’s annual French Film Festival? Have no fear, there are still two chances left to catch the final movies on Tuesday and Friday, free of charge, at 7 p.m. in the Hughes-Trigg Student Center.

The past four movies have included a thriller, a mystery movie, a religious film and a food-based documentary.

The first movie in the festival was “Bellamy.” The film was about a Parisian inspector who takes a vacation only to find that his alcoholic stepbrother has arrived with a secret of his own.

“Un Homme Qui Crie,” or “A Screaming Man,” was the second movie and describes the life of a retired swimmer living in the midst of a civil war in Chad.

After his son is tragically killed, he struggles to come to terms with aiding his country in the war effort.

The third movie in the series was “Of Gods and Men,” also known by the French name “Des Dieux Et Des Hommes.” The film won the Grand Prix, the second highest award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2010.

It is loosely based upon the assassination of nine monks by Islamic Fundamentalists during the Algerian Civil War and tells the heart-wrenching story of monks struggling to stay faithful to their religion in the toughest of circumstances.

The movie planned for Tuesday is “Joueuse,” which translates to “Queen to Play.” Hélène, a hotel chambermaid, seeks out an American chess expert. After being scorned by her husband who finds it ridiculous that she wants to learn how to play chess, she forms a bond with her chess mentor who teaches her not only how to play chess but also how to transcend social divides.

The final film in the festival is “Quartier Mozart,” which will be shown on Friday, April 13.

Based on Cameroon folk tales, “Quartier Mozart” tells the story of a girl who wishes to experience what it’s like to be a boy.

After a witch grants her wish, she starts courting the daughter of a policeman in the community. She is not the only man to seek out that specific young lady, however. Her other suitors have special powers and attributes that spice up the plot of the story.

The lose adherence to traditional values portrayed in this movie makes this film not only aesthetically pleasing but also culturally interesting. “Quartier Mozart” is the oldest of the movies being shown in the Festival as it was released in 1992.

Conventional theaters in the United States rarely show French films, so it really is a coup for SMU to have a festival dedicated to them. Each film was reviewed positively when it was released, so there is not a “bad choice” when deciding what film screening to attend.

The SMU French Film Festival is winding down, so be sure to catch the last two movies.