Films for Foodies

French Institute Alliance Francaise, 55 E 59th St between Madison and Park Aves. Cinephiles and epicures come together at this Tuesday night film series celebrating France’s culinary culture. Esquire restaurant critic John Mariani, a cocurator of the series, introduces each flick, occasionally joined by food-world luminaries such as pastry maestro François Payard and André Soltner, the Dean of Studies at the French Culinary Institute. The series kicks off with both the 1927 black-and-white short “The Battle of the Century” and Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette, starring Kirsten Dunst. D’Artagnan founder Ariane Daguin will join Mariani for a Q&A following the film. Future showings include gluttonous black comedy La Grande Bouffe (Oct 9) and a new documentary on the legendary chef Michel Bras, Step Up to the Plate (Oct 30). Tickets are available at fiaf.org.