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In 2002, after studying at FAMU in Prague, David Duponchel returned to his hometown of Rouen, convinced that Central and Eastern European cinema possessed a unique value that was not being showcased on French screens. With a group of passionate friends, he decided to create this space himself. What began as a local initiative, driven by a personal and daring program, eventually crossed the Atlantic in 2009 to establish itself in Peru, Argentina, and Colombia, bringing these singular narratives to cities where independent cinema struggled to gain a foothold.

Today, the AL ESTE Festival is the fruit of this bridge built between two continents. After years of growth in Latin America, the festival returns to its roots in France while retaining the spirit of its beginnings: a selection of films that embrace both experimentation and critique. It is the story of a project born from friendship and a passion for cinema, which continues to seek social impact through a different and sincere artistic perspective.