Last year the Critics’ Week section introduced us to first and second features from the likes of Vladimir Perišić, Iris Kaltenbäck, Amanda Nell Eu, Amjad Al Rasheed and Marie Amachoukeli. In 2024, Ava Cahen’s team viewed 1050 feature films have loaded up the competition (and Special Screenings section) with eleven features. France is unsurprisingly the dominant representation country with five selections and three co-productions. Opening with Jonathan Millet‘s Les Fantômes (aka Ghost Trail) which was coined as a Cairo Conspiracy meets the surveillance world of The Lives Of Others this stars Adam Bessa, Tawfeek Barhom, Julia Franz Richter, Hala Rajab and unfolds in modern-day Strasbourg.…...
- 4/15/2024
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
Rwandan actress Eliane Umuhire (“Augure by Baloji,” “My New Friends”), French producer Sylvie Pialat (“Timbuktu,” “Staying Vertical”), Belgian cinematographer Virginie Surdej and Canadian film critic, journalist and frequent Variety contributor Ben Croll have been named on the jury for the Critics’ Week section of the Cannes Film Festival.
The four will now join Spanish filmmaker Rodrigo Sorogoyen, who last week was named Critics’ Week jury president, with the group set to choose the sidebar competition’s award winners, including the Grand Prize for best feature film, the French Touch Prize of the Jury, the Louis Roederer Foundation Rising Star award for best actor or actress and the Leitz Ciné Discovery Prize for best short film.
The 2024 Critics Week lineup is set to be unveiled on April 15, four days after the Cannes official selection is announced on April 11.
Last year, Venice Golden Lion-winning “Happening” director Audrey Diwan presided over a Critics...
The four will now join Spanish filmmaker Rodrigo Sorogoyen, who last week was named Critics’ Week jury president, with the group set to choose the sidebar competition’s award winners, including the Grand Prize for best feature film, the French Touch Prize of the Jury, the Louis Roederer Foundation Rising Star award for best actor or actress and the Leitz Ciné Discovery Prize for best short film.
The 2024 Critics Week lineup is set to be unveiled on April 15, four days after the Cannes official selection is announced on April 11.
Last year, Venice Golden Lion-winning “Happening” director Audrey Diwan presided over a Critics...
- 4/10/2024
- by Alex Ritman
- Variety Film + TV
Richard Linklater’s Nouvelle Vague, which reconstructs the genesis and filming of Breathless by Jean-Luc Godard, is among the recipients of the first round of Cnc’s ‘avance sur recettes’ (advance on receipts) grants of 2024.
The film, the first entirely in French from US director Linklater, is now in production in Paris. It is being produced by Paris-based Arp Productions and stars Zooey Deutsch as American Breathless star Jean Seberg.
Vince Palmo, Holly Gent, Michèle Halberstadt, and Laetitia Masson join Linklater as co-writers.
The Cnc’s refundable grant is broken into three categories. Asr 1 gives funds to directors’ first films,...
The film, the first entirely in French from US director Linklater, is now in production in Paris. It is being produced by Paris-based Arp Productions and stars Zooey Deutsch as American Breathless star Jean Seberg.
Vince Palmo, Holly Gent, Michèle Halberstadt, and Laetitia Masson join Linklater as co-writers.
The Cnc’s refundable grant is broken into three categories. Asr 1 gives funds to directors’ first films,...
- 3/18/2024
- ScreenDaily
Taking place from February 29 through March 10, this popular annual festival showcases the verve, creativity, and depth of contemporary French cinema in a variety of genres. This year's opening night film is the critical and box office hit The Animal Kingdom, starring Romain Duris and Adèle Axarchopoulos. Others in the lineup include Little Girl Blue with Marion Cotillard; Book of Solutions, Michel Gondry's first new film in eight years; and loads of films by talented newcomers, such as Ama Gloria by Marie Amachoukeli, Banel & Adama by Ramata-Toulaye Sy and Nora El Hourch's Sisterhood (Hlm Pussy). With the recent critical success of Justine Triet's Anatomy of a Fall and Tran Anh Hung's The Taste of Things, French cinema is having a moment with American audiences. As always,...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 3/1/2024
- Screen Anarchy
Dialling into a unique relationship dynamic that isn’t portrayed in cinema, Marie Amachoukeli, who won the Camera d’Or award at the 2014 edition of the Cannes Film Festival for Party Girl (co-directed and written with Claire Burger and Samuel Theis) moved into her solo directorial outing with a story that was always there… Titled Àma Gloria and receiving its world premiere in the Critics’ Week section in Cannes in 2023, it made its Sundance debut as one of four Spotlight section films this past January — and introduced audiences to the diminutive but towering performance from Cléo – a little six-year old child dealing with her own interpersonal issues and heartbreak.…...
- 2/28/2024
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
Anatomy of a Fall French producer Marie-Ange Luciani put in a flying appearance at the Berlinale this week with Claire Burger’s coming-of-age drama Langue Étrangère which received a warm reception in competition.
With the Berlin premiere taking place the day after the Baftas in London (where Anatomy of a Fall won Best Screenplay) and eight days before the January 27 voting deadline for this year’s Academy Awards, Luciani was also in the thick of the awards campaign.
She co-produced the Oscar hopeful with David Thion at Les Films Pelléas under the banner of her Paris-based banner Les Films de Pierre, the company created by Yves Saint Laurent’s long-time business and life partner Pierre Bergé which she acquired on his death in 2018.
New production Langue Étrangère is a bittersweet coming-of-age tale starring Lilith Grasmug as French teenager Fanny who travels to Germany on language exchange trip. Her German counterpart...
With the Berlin premiere taking place the day after the Baftas in London (where Anatomy of a Fall won Best Screenplay) and eight days before the January 27 voting deadline for this year’s Academy Awards, Luciani was also in the thick of the awards campaign.
She co-produced the Oscar hopeful with David Thion at Les Films Pelléas under the banner of her Paris-based banner Les Films de Pierre, the company created by Yves Saint Laurent’s long-time business and life partner Pierre Bergé which she acquired on his death in 2018.
New production Langue Étrangère is a bittersweet coming-of-age tale starring Lilith Grasmug as French teenager Fanny who travels to Germany on language exchange trip. Her German counterpart...
- 2/23/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Claire Burger has used the troubled lives of the non-bourgeois to measure the pulse of culture since at least her 2009 César-winning short film It’s Free for Girls, which she co-directed with Marie Amachoukeli (Àma Gloria). That film addressed revenge porn before the phenomenon became such a common one, through the story of a working-class girl whose dream of getting her hairdressing diploma is derailed by a filmed sexual act.
In Burger’s tender and surprisingly funny third feature, Langue Étrangère, the issue du jour is the multiplicity of simultaneous crises that young people in Europe and beyond have to contend with today: from fascism to climate change, from structural racism to police brutality. Most significantly, and one of the reasons why this is such a necessary film, Burger links contemporary Europe’s political chaos to its psychic disarray. Might young people’s urge to protest collectively not also function...
In Burger’s tender and surprisingly funny third feature, Langue Étrangère, the issue du jour is the multiplicity of simultaneous crises that young people in Europe and beyond have to contend with today: from fascism to climate change, from structural racism to police brutality. Most significantly, and one of the reasons why this is such a necessary film, Burger links contemporary Europe’s political chaos to its psychic disarray. Might young people’s urge to protest collectively not also function...
- 2/20/2024
- by Diego Semerene
- Slant Magazine
The complex plights of migrant women who leave homes and children seeking means to provide for them have rarely been addressed with the sensitivity and delicateness of Àma Gloria, which looks at it through a new lens: a six-year-old French girl, Cléo (Louise Mauroy-Panzani), who has to come to terms with the abrupt departure of her beloved nanny Gloria (Ilça Moreno Zego).
Cléo has no recollection of the mother she lost to cancer years before. The only maternal figure she knows is Gloria, the Cape Verdean woman who looks after her while her father (Arnaud Rebotini) is at work. Cléo’s world revolves around Gloria, who feeds her, showers her with affection, and helps shape the way she looks at life. The love between them is undeniable, but Cléo has no idea Gloria had a life far away from her. How could she? Children don’t understand the dynamics of work or things like migration.
Cléo has no recollection of the mother she lost to cancer years before. The only maternal figure she knows is Gloria, the Cape Verdean woman who looks after her while her father (Arnaud Rebotini) is at work. Cléo’s world revolves around Gloria, who feeds her, showers her with affection, and helps shape the way she looks at life. The love between them is undeniable, but Cléo has no idea Gloria had a life far away from her. How could she? Children don’t understand the dynamics of work or things like migration.
- 1/31/2024
- by Jose Solís
- The Film Stage
Unifrance and Film at Lincoln Center have unveiled the lineup for the 29th Rendez-Vous with French Cinema, a festival celebrating contemporary French film running from Feb. 29-March 10.
Thomas Cailley’s “The Animal Kingdom” will screen as the 2024 Opening Night Selection in its New York premiere. The film, which was nominated for 12 Cesar Awards, tells the story of an infection that mutates humans into animal hybrids.
“It is a great honor to open this year’s edition with the French critical and box-office hit ‘The Animal Kingdom’ with director Thomas Cailley in attendance,” said Daniela Elstner, executive director of Unifrance.
Elstner continued, “This remarkable film along with this year’s selection is a great example of the vitality and diversity of French cinema today. A mix of new and established filmmakers together with the stellar presence of actress Marion Cotillard indeed make for a rich 29th edition of this year’s Rendez-Vous With French Cinema.
Thomas Cailley’s “The Animal Kingdom” will screen as the 2024 Opening Night Selection in its New York premiere. The film, which was nominated for 12 Cesar Awards, tells the story of an infection that mutates humans into animal hybrids.
“It is a great honor to open this year’s edition with the French critical and box-office hit ‘The Animal Kingdom’ with director Thomas Cailley in attendance,” said Daniela Elstner, executive director of Unifrance.
Elstner continued, “This remarkable film along with this year’s selection is a great example of the vitality and diversity of French cinema today. A mix of new and established filmmakers together with the stellar presence of actress Marion Cotillard indeed make for a rich 29th edition of this year’s Rendez-Vous With French Cinema.
- 1/25/2024
- by Jaden Thompson
- Variety Film + TV
For all its many, many faults, 2023 was a banner year for international films. The awards season buzz for global gems like Justine Triet’s French courtroom thriller Anatomy of a Fall (released by Neon stateside), Jonathan Glazer’s German-language Holocaust drama Zone of Interest (A24), Hayao Miyazaki’s Japanese anime The Boy and the Heron (GKids), and J.A. Bayona’s Spanish-language real-life survival tale Society of the Snow (Netflix) only scratches the surface.
Among the many many other foreign highlights from last year are Mubi’s Fallen Leaves and How to Have Sex — the first a laconic triumph by Finnish film master Aki Kaurismäki, the latter a stunning debut by Brit first-timer Molly Manning Walker — Sony Pictures Classics’ The Teachers’ Lounge, a German school drama from director Ilker Çatak and Iranian drama Shayda from director Noora Niasari; Agnieszka Holland’s harrowing The Green Border, about Poland’s treatment of would-be...
Among the many many other foreign highlights from last year are Mubi’s Fallen Leaves and How to Have Sex — the first a laconic triumph by Finnish film master Aki Kaurismäki, the latter a stunning debut by Brit first-timer Molly Manning Walker — Sony Pictures Classics’ The Teachers’ Lounge, a German school drama from director Ilker Çatak and Iranian drama Shayda from director Noora Niasari; Agnieszka Holland’s harrowing The Green Border, about Poland’s treatment of would-be...
- 1/5/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: New York-based cultural institution Villa Albertine and Unifrance have announced the selection of French features due to be showcased in the 10th edition of their joint Young French Cinema program.
The initiative aimed at promoting films in the U.S. by emerging French filmmakers without domestic distribution will showcase 11 titles this year.
They include Marie Amachoukeli’s Cannes Critics’ breakout Àma Gloria, Virginie Verrier’s female soccer pioneer bio-pic Marinette and Erwan Le Duc’s father and daughter tale No Love Lost.
Under the program, the titles are made available for booking by arthouse cinemas, film societies, the Alliance Française network and universities across the U.S.
“The program mainly focuses on rising talents, from high-profile independent works to impactful dramas and powerful documentaries about the world around us,” the partners said in a joint statement.
“The 2024 selection demonstrates that this young generation—more than ever—shares a global...
The initiative aimed at promoting films in the U.S. by emerging French filmmakers without domestic distribution will showcase 11 titles this year.
They include Marie Amachoukeli’s Cannes Critics’ breakout Àma Gloria, Virginie Verrier’s female soccer pioneer bio-pic Marinette and Erwan Le Duc’s father and daughter tale No Love Lost.
Under the program, the titles are made available for booking by arthouse cinemas, film societies, the Alliance Française network and universities across the U.S.
“The program mainly focuses on rising talents, from high-profile independent works to impactful dramas and powerful documentaries about the world around us,” the partners said in a joint statement.
“The 2024 selection demonstrates that this young generation—more than ever—shares a global...
- 1/3/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
The Spotlight section is a quartet of items with two heavy-hitters from the Cannes Un Certain Regard section, a small gem from Cannes’ Critics’ Week and a major accomplishment from an established voice who should have been in comp in Venice. Marie Amachoukeli brings àma Gloria, Molly Manning Walker returns to Sundance for a second straight year with How to Have Sex, The Mother of All Lies gets some more film fest love and Richard Linklater’s Hit Man gets a major boost. Here are the four plus two Family Matinee section selections.
àma Gloria / France — Six-year-old Cléo loves her nanny, Gloria, more than anything.…...
àma Gloria / France — Six-year-old Cléo loves her nanny, Gloria, more than anything.…...
- 12/6/2023
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
Festival ran November 2-12.
Sofia Exarchou’s Animal has won the €10,000 Golden Alexander-Theo Angelopoulos prize for best film at the 64th Thessaloniki International Film Festival, the first time in 30 years a Greek production has won the top prize.
The film’s lead actress Dimitra Vlagopoulou also won the best actress award ex aequo with Joanna Arnow for US production The Feeling That The Time For Doing Something Has Passed, which she also directed.
Vlagopoulou had previously won best actress at Locarno where the film had its world premiere.
The Greek, Austrian, Romanian, Cypriot, Bulgarian co-production follows a group of women...
Sofia Exarchou’s Animal has won the €10,000 Golden Alexander-Theo Angelopoulos prize for best film at the 64th Thessaloniki International Film Festival, the first time in 30 years a Greek production has won the top prize.
The film’s lead actress Dimitra Vlagopoulou also won the best actress award ex aequo with Joanna Arnow for US production The Feeling That The Time For Doing Something Has Passed, which she also directed.
Vlagopoulou had previously won best actress at Locarno where the film had its world premiere.
The Greek, Austrian, Romanian, Cypriot, Bulgarian co-production follows a group of women...
- 11/15/2023
- by Alexis Grivas
- ScreenDaily
In “Àma Gloria,” directed by Marie Amachoukeli, childhood is the domain of formative gains and losses. After opening this year’s Cannes Critics’ Week, the film screened as part of the Meet the Neighbors+ competition at the Thessaloniki Film Festival. Amachoukeli previously co-directed “Party Girl,” which won Cannes’ Camera d’Or in 2014.
“Àma Gloria” introduces us to six-year-old Cléo (Louise Mauroy-Panzani), who lives in Paris with her widower dad Arnaud (Arnaud Rebotini) and her nanny Gloria (Ilça Moreno Zego). A blissfully constructed day-to-day routine keeps the world in order until one day Gloria has to return to her Cape Verdean family. In preparation to leave France for good, she invites Cléo to spend the summer with her in Cape Verde.
“Àma Gloria” unfolds as an exploration of childhood through the eyes of its young protagonist. Reviewing the film for Variety, critic Jessica Kiang called it “a debut made dazzling by...
“Àma Gloria” introduces us to six-year-old Cléo (Louise Mauroy-Panzani), who lives in Paris with her widower dad Arnaud (Arnaud Rebotini) and her nanny Gloria (Ilça Moreno Zego). A blissfully constructed day-to-day routine keeps the world in order until one day Gloria has to return to her Cape Verdean family. In preparation to leave France for good, she invites Cléo to spend the summer with her in Cape Verde.
“Àma Gloria” unfolds as an exploration of childhood through the eyes of its young protagonist. Reviewing the film for Variety, critic Jessica Kiang called it “a debut made dazzling by...
- 11/14/2023
- by Savina Petkova
- Variety Film + TV
Sofia Exarchou’s “Animal” won the Golden Alexander at the 64th Thessaloniki Film Festival on Sunday, marking the first time in 30 years that a Greek film took home the top honors at the country’s longest-running film event.
Exarchou’s sophomore feature, which premiered at the Locarno Film Festival, was praised by Variety’s Jessica Kiang as “a poignant portrait of life amid the sequins and the seediness of a Greek resort.” The film follows a group of entertainers at an all-inclusive island resort preparing for the busy tourist season who are forced to wrestle with the dark reality that the show must go on as the sultry Mediterranean nights turn violent.
Lead actor Dimitra Vlagopoulou, who won the acting award at the prestigious Swiss fest for what Kiang called a “riveting” performance, also shared the award for best actress in Thessaloniki. The awards were handed out by a jury comprised of producer Diana Elbaum,...
Exarchou’s sophomore feature, which premiered at the Locarno Film Festival, was praised by Variety’s Jessica Kiang as “a poignant portrait of life amid the sequins and the seediness of a Greek resort.” The film follows a group of entertainers at an all-inclusive island resort preparing for the busy tourist season who are forced to wrestle with the dark reality that the show must go on as the sultry Mediterranean nights turn violent.
Lead actor Dimitra Vlagopoulou, who won the acting award at the prestigious Swiss fest for what Kiang called a “riveting” performance, also shared the award for best actress in Thessaloniki. The awards were handed out by a jury comprised of producer Diana Elbaum,...
- 11/12/2023
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon East-West Award
Huang Jianxin
International Contribution to Chinese Cinema Award
Norman Wang
Fei Mu Awards
Fei Mu Awards: Best Film
“Only the River Flows” Dir. Wei Shujun.
Fei Mu Awards: Best Director
Geng Zihan for “A Song Sung Blue”
Film Review: A Song Sung Blue (2023) by Zihan Geng
Fei Mu Awards: Best Actress
Lyu Xingchen for “Carefree Days” (dir. Xu Lingling)
Fei Mu Awards: Best Actor
Zhang Yu for “Records Without Words” (dir. Li Lizhong)
Fei Mu Awards: Jury Award
“Dance Still” Dirs. Qin Muqiu, Zhan Hanqi
Fei Mu Awards: Special Mention (joint winners)
“The Night Rain South Township” Dir. Li Binbin.
“Undoing Time” Dir. Li Pu
Fei Mu Awards: Best Short Film
“Questions to Heaven” Dirs. Wenqi, Zheng Ziyi.
Roberto Rossellini Awards
Roberto Rossellini Awards: Best Film
“Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell” Dir. Pham Thien An
Roberto Rossellini Awards: Best Director
Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir for “City of Wind...
Huang Jianxin
International Contribution to Chinese Cinema Award
Norman Wang
Fei Mu Awards
Fei Mu Awards: Best Film
“Only the River Flows” Dir. Wei Shujun.
Fei Mu Awards: Best Director
Geng Zihan for “A Song Sung Blue”
Film Review: A Song Sung Blue (2023) by Zihan Geng
Fei Mu Awards: Best Actress
Lyu Xingchen for “Carefree Days” (dir. Xu Lingling)
Fei Mu Awards: Best Actor
Zhang Yu for “Records Without Words” (dir. Li Lizhong)
Fei Mu Awards: Jury Award
“Dance Still” Dirs. Qin Muqiu, Zhan Hanqi
Fei Mu Awards: Special Mention (joint winners)
“The Night Rain South Township” Dir. Li Binbin.
“Undoing Time” Dir. Li Pu
Fei Mu Awards: Best Short Film
“Questions to Heaven” Dirs. Wenqi, Zheng Ziyi.
Roberto Rossellini Awards
Roberto Rossellini Awards: Best Film
“Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell” Dir. Pham Thien An
Roberto Rossellini Awards: Best Director
Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir for “City of Wind...
- 10/17/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Two titles which debuted at Cannes this year were named as the major prize-winners at the seventh edition of the Pingyao International Film Festival in China.
Wei Shujun’s black comedy-thriller “Only the River Flows” won the festival’s Fei Mu prize for best Chinese film. “Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell,” by Vietnamese feature film debutant Pham Thien An, won the Roberto Rossellini prize for best international film. The picture is a Vietnam, Singapore, France, Spain co-production and won Cannes’ Camera d’Or for best first film.
Other prizes went to Hong Kong-based Norman Wang, a veteran consultant, marketeer and festival scout, and to Huang Jianxin, a leading mainland Chinese director-screenwriter and producer whose directing career has ranged from satire to propaganda. He also produced Sun Zhou’s Gong Li- and Tony Leung-starring “Zhou Yu’s Train.”
The festival, originally conceived by Jia Zhangke and Marco Mueller, is held in the Unesco-heritage,...
Wei Shujun’s black comedy-thriller “Only the River Flows” won the festival’s Fei Mu prize for best Chinese film. “Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell,” by Vietnamese feature film debutant Pham Thien An, won the Roberto Rossellini prize for best international film. The picture is a Vietnam, Singapore, France, Spain co-production and won Cannes’ Camera d’Or for best first film.
Other prizes went to Hong Kong-based Norman Wang, a veteran consultant, marketeer and festival scout, and to Huang Jianxin, a leading mainland Chinese director-screenwriter and producer whose directing career has ranged from satire to propaganda. He also produced Sun Zhou’s Gong Li- and Tony Leung-starring “Zhou Yu’s Train.”
The festival, originally conceived by Jia Zhangke and Marco Mueller, is held in the Unesco-heritage,...
- 10/17/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Wei Shujun’s Only The River Flows was presented with Best Film in the Fei Mu Awards at this year’s Pingyao International Film Festival (Pyiff), while Inside The Yellow Cocoon Shell, directed by Vietnam’s Pham Thien An, won Best Film in the festival’s Roberto Rossellini Awards.
The Fei Mu Awards recognise up-and-coming Chinese filmmakers selected in the festival’s Hidden Dragons section. The Roberto Rossellini Awards are presented to films in the Crouching Tigers section for emerging international filmmakers.
Both Only The River Flows and Inside The Yellow Cocoon Shell premiered at this year’s Cannes film festival, the former in Un Certain Regard and the latter in Directors Fortnight where it won the Camera d’Or.
Geng Zihan won Best Director in the Fei Mu Awards for A Song Sung Blue, which also premiered in Cannes Directors Fortnight. Luc Besson, who was in Pingyao with Dogman,...
The Fei Mu Awards recognise up-and-coming Chinese filmmakers selected in the festival’s Hidden Dragons section. The Roberto Rossellini Awards are presented to films in the Crouching Tigers section for emerging international filmmakers.
Both Only The River Flows and Inside The Yellow Cocoon Shell premiered at this year’s Cannes film festival, the former in Un Certain Regard and the latter in Directors Fortnight where it won the Camera d’Or.
Geng Zihan won Best Director in the Fei Mu Awards for A Song Sung Blue, which also premiered in Cannes Directors Fortnight. Luc Besson, who was in Pingyao with Dogman,...
- 10/16/2023
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
China’s Pingyao International Film Festival has announced the line-up for its seventh edition (October 11-18), which will open with Wei Shujun’s Only The River Flows and close with the world premiere of Fei Yu’s Football On The Roof.
Wei’s 1990s-set noir thriller, which premiered in Un Certain Regard at this year’s Cannes film festival, is also one of 11 titles competing in Pingyao’s Hidden Dragons competition for emerging Chinese filmmakers. Football On The Roof tells the story of a female soccer team fighting against the odds in the remote mountains of Yunnan province.
The Hidden Dragons line-up also includes Geng Zihan’s A Song Sung Blue, which premiered in Cannes Directors Fortnight, along with world premieres including Hao Feihuan’s Records Without Words, Li Binbin’s The Night Rain South Township and Yang Pingdao’s A Romantic Fragment (see full line-up below).
Pingyao has also...
Wei’s 1990s-set noir thriller, which premiered in Un Certain Regard at this year’s Cannes film festival, is also one of 11 titles competing in Pingyao’s Hidden Dragons competition for emerging Chinese filmmakers. Football On The Roof tells the story of a female soccer team fighting against the odds in the remote mountains of Yunnan province.
The Hidden Dragons line-up also includes Geng Zihan’s A Song Sung Blue, which premiered in Cannes Directors Fortnight, along with world premieres including Hao Feihuan’s Records Without Words, Li Binbin’s The Night Rain South Township and Yang Pingdao’s A Romantic Fragment (see full line-up below).
Pingyao has also...
- 10/8/2023
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
The selections for the first edition of MyMetaStories – The Innovative European Film Festival were announced and among the seven feature films selected we find Cedric Ido’s Gravity, Teona Strugar Mitevska’s The Happiest Man in the World and Clara Roquet’s Libertad. Along with those selections we find a baker’s dozen of thirteen shorts all presented at prestigious international festivals and from filmmakers who we’ve recently seen at this year’s Cannes Critics’ Week with Raphaël Balboni & Ann Sirot or Marie Amachoukeli. MyMetaStories will take place from October 6 to 29th on online, on digital platforms and from the 13th-16th on the Minecraft platform.…...
- 9/27/2023
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
Swiss festival programmes 148 films for this year’s edition.
The Zurich Film Festival (Zff) has unveiled a line-up of 148 films for its 2023 edition which takes place from September 28 to October 8.
The festival’s Focus Competition – which showcases feature films and documentaries from Germany, Austria and Switzerland - has six world premieres. They include Swiss films The Driven One by Piet Baumgartner, a long-term study of students at the elite university Hsg St. Gallen, and road movie Return To Alexandria by Zurich-based Tamer Ruggli, which stars Nadine Labaki and Fanny Ardant.
Scroll down for Focus and Feature Film Competition line-up
Other...
The Zurich Film Festival (Zff) has unveiled a line-up of 148 films for its 2023 edition which takes place from September 28 to October 8.
The festival’s Focus Competition – which showcases feature films and documentaries from Germany, Austria and Switzerland - has six world premieres. They include Swiss films The Driven One by Piet Baumgartner, a long-term study of students at the elite university Hsg St. Gallen, and road movie Return To Alexandria by Zurich-based Tamer Ruggli, which stars Nadine Labaki and Fanny Ardant.
Scroll down for Focus and Feature Film Competition line-up
Other...
- 9/14/2023
- by Tim Dams
- ScreenDaily
The Melbourne International Film Festival has confirmed that it will provide $202,000 will go to the winner of its Bright Horizons competition for features by first- and second-time directors. Bragging rights to being the richest film competition in the country previously belonged to the smaller CinefestOZ festival in West Australia, which follows later in August.
The Melbourne festival (in cinemas Aug. 3-20) has this year added two significant prizes: the inaugural First Nations Film Creative Award in collaboration with Kearney Group, and the return of the Blackmagic Design Australian Innovation Award, worth $47,500 recognizing an outstanding Australian creative within a film playing in the Melbourne 2023 program.
Winners across long-form awards categories will be announced at Melbourne’s closing night gala on Aug. 19, These will include the juried prizes and the Miff Audience Award.
The First Nations Film Creative Award supports First Nations talent and storytelling with the recipient awarded a $13,500 cash prize and $16,900 worth of financial services.
The Melbourne festival (in cinemas Aug. 3-20) has this year added two significant prizes: the inaugural First Nations Film Creative Award in collaboration with Kearney Group, and the return of the Blackmagic Design Australian Innovation Award, worth $47,500 recognizing an outstanding Australian creative within a film playing in the Melbourne 2023 program.
Winners across long-form awards categories will be announced at Melbourne’s closing night gala on Aug. 19, These will include the juried prizes and the Miff Audience Award.
The First Nations Film Creative Award supports First Nations talent and storytelling with the recipient awarded a $13,500 cash prize and $16,900 worth of financial services.
- 7/27/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Lila Aviles received best director in the international competition.
Marie Amachoukeli’s Ama Gloria and Juraj Lerotic’s Safe Place lead the winners of the 40th Jerusalem Film Festival, which handed out 1m Ils in prizes this evening (July 20).
Ama Gloria, which premiered in Critics’ Week at Cannes this year, won the best international film award. The film depicts the last summer between a six-year-old girl and her nanny Gloria, before the latter returns to Cape Verde to care for her own children.
Scroll down for the full list of feature winners
A jury led by Claire Denis and consisting of Whit Stillman,...
Marie Amachoukeli’s Ama Gloria and Juraj Lerotic’s Safe Place lead the winners of the 40th Jerusalem Film Festival, which handed out 1m Ils in prizes this evening (July 20).
Ama Gloria, which premiered in Critics’ Week at Cannes this year, won the best international film award. The film depicts the last summer between a six-year-old girl and her nanny Gloria, before the latter returns to Cape Verde to care for her own children.
Scroll down for the full list of feature winners
A jury led by Claire Denis and consisting of Whit Stillman,...
- 7/20/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Marie Amachoukeli’s Ama Gloria has won the Best International Film Prize at the 40th edition of the Jerusalem Film Festival, running from July 13 to July 26.
The feature, which world premiered as the opening film of Cannes Critics’ Week in May, revolves around a motherless six-year-old girl who travels to Cape Verde to reunite with her longtime nanny.
The jury presided over by Claire Denis, and also figuring Whit Stillman, Florian Zeller, Joana Vicente, and Maria Schrader praised the film’s “extraordinary poignancy, beauty and insight”.
Ama Gloria is produced by Bénédicte Couvreur, the long-time producer of Céline Sciamma and her films Petite Maman and Portrait Of A Lady On Fire.
Other winners in the International Competition include Best Director for Mexico’s Lila Avilés for Berlinale-selected family drama Totem and a Special Mention for the ensemble cast of Argentinian director Rodrigo Moreno’s The Delinquents, which debuted in Un Certain Regard this year.
The feature, which world premiered as the opening film of Cannes Critics’ Week in May, revolves around a motherless six-year-old girl who travels to Cape Verde to reunite with her longtime nanny.
The jury presided over by Claire Denis, and also figuring Whit Stillman, Florian Zeller, Joana Vicente, and Maria Schrader praised the film’s “extraordinary poignancy, beauty and insight”.
Ama Gloria is produced by Bénédicte Couvreur, the long-time producer of Céline Sciamma and her films Petite Maman and Portrait Of A Lady On Fire.
Other winners in the International Competition include Best Director for Mexico’s Lila Avilés for Berlinale-selected family drama Totem and a Special Mention for the ensemble cast of Argentinian director Rodrigo Moreno’s The Delinquents, which debuted in Un Certain Regard this year.
- 7/20/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Cannes titles and debut features make strong appearances throughout the programme.
Melbourne International Film Festival (Miff) has revealed the 11 titles in the running for its $93,400 competition prize, and will open with Shayda by Australian-Iranian director Noora Niasari.
The festival, which runs August 3-20, unveiled the titles at a programme launch this evening (July 11). Debut and second features are eligible for the Bright Horizons competition, which was introduced last year for the 70th edition, but debuts undoubtedly dominate this year.
Scroll down for full list of competition titles
In fact, the only undeniably second film is Mexican director Lila Avilés’ Tótem.
Melbourne International Film Festival (Miff) has revealed the 11 titles in the running for its $93,400 competition prize, and will open with Shayda by Australian-Iranian director Noora Niasari.
The festival, which runs August 3-20, unveiled the titles at a programme launch this evening (July 11). Debut and second features are eligible for the Bright Horizons competition, which was introduced last year for the 70th edition, but debuts undoubtedly dominate this year.
Scroll down for full list of competition titles
In fact, the only undeniably second film is Mexican director Lila Avilés’ Tótem.
- 7/11/2023
- by Sandy George
- ScreenDaily
Cannes titles and debut features make strong appearances throughout the programme.
Melbourne International Film Festival (Miff) has revealed the 11 titles in the running for its $93,400 competition prize, and will open with Shayda by Australian-Iranian director Noora Niasari.
The festival, which runs August 3-20, unveiled the titles at a programme launch this evening (July 11). Debut and second features are eligible for the Bright Horizons competition, which was introduced last year for the 70th edition, but debuts undoubtedly dominate this year.
Scroll down for full list of competition titles
In fact, the only undeniably second film is Mexican director Lila Avilés’ Tótem.
Melbourne International Film Festival (Miff) has revealed the 11 titles in the running for its $93,400 competition prize, and will open with Shayda by Australian-Iranian director Noora Niasari.
The festival, which runs August 3-20, unveiled the titles at a programme launch this evening (July 11). Debut and second features are eligible for the Bright Horizons competition, which was introduced last year for the 70th edition, but debuts undoubtedly dominate this year.
Scroll down for full list of competition titles
In fact, the only undeniably second film is Mexican director Lila Avilés’ Tótem.
- 7/11/2023
- by Sandy George
- ScreenDaily
The Melbourne International Film Festival has unveiled the full lineup for its 2023 edition, with “Shayda,” by Iranian-Australian director Noora Niasari, set as the opening title.
The festival will run as a live event August 3-20, at venues around the city and its suburbs, and online Aug 18 – 27. The hybrid format was developed during the Covid pandemic and Miff found it useful as a tool to reach further away audiences and wider demographics than a strictly in-theater edition.
The ‘Bright Horizons’ competition section open to films by first- or second-time feature directors contains an 11-title mix of new and recently-debuted works.
As well as opening the festival, “Shayda” will play in competition. The competition’s other Australian-made title was announced as “The Rooster,” from actor turned writer-director Mark Leonard Winter.
International titles in competition include “Banel & Adama,” by Franco-Senegalese director Ramata-Toulaye Sy, which played in competition in Cannes; “How to Have Sex,...
The festival will run as a live event August 3-20, at venues around the city and its suburbs, and online Aug 18 – 27. The hybrid format was developed during the Covid pandemic and Miff found it useful as a tool to reach further away audiences and wider demographics than a strictly in-theater edition.
The ‘Bright Horizons’ competition section open to films by first- or second-time feature directors contains an 11-title mix of new and recently-debuted works.
As well as opening the festival, “Shayda” will play in competition. The competition’s other Australian-made title was announced as “The Rooster,” from actor turned writer-director Mark Leonard Winter.
International titles in competition include “Banel & Adama,” by Franco-Senegalese director Ramata-Toulaye Sy, which played in competition in Cannes; “How to Have Sex,...
- 7/11/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Cynthia Erivo stars, alongside Alia Shawkat, Honor Swinton Byrne.
MetFilm Distribution has acquired UK-Ireland distribution rights to Drift, the English-language feature debut of filmmaker Anthony Chen, which stars in and is produced by Cynthia Erivo.
Adapted from Alexander Maksik’s novel A Marker To Measure Drift by Susanne Farrell and Maksik, Drift is a character study of a refugee – played by Erivo – who is struggling to eke out a living on a Greek island, while traumatised by memories of her war-torn country.
Alia Shawkat and Honor Swinton Byrne star alongside Erivo. Memento Films International handles worldwide sales on the title.
MetFilm Distribution has acquired UK-Ireland distribution rights to Drift, the English-language feature debut of filmmaker Anthony Chen, which stars in and is produced by Cynthia Erivo.
Adapted from Alexander Maksik’s novel A Marker To Measure Drift by Susanne Farrell and Maksik, Drift is a character study of a refugee – played by Erivo – who is struggling to eke out a living on a Greek island, while traumatised by memories of her war-torn country.
Alia Shawkat and Honor Swinton Byrne star alongside Erivo. Memento Films International handles worldwide sales on the title.
- 6/12/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Cynthia Erivo stars, alongside Alia Shawkat, Honor Swinton Byrne.
MetFilm Distribution has acquired UK-Ireland distribution rights to Drift, the English-language feature debut of filmmaker Anthony Chen.
Adapted from Alexander Maksik’s novel A Marker To Measure Drift by Susanne Farrell and Maksik, Drift is a character study of a refugee – played by Cynthia Erivo – who is struggling to eke out a living on a Greek island, while traumatised by memories of her war-torn country.
Alia Shawkat and Honor Swinton Byrne star alongside Erivo. Memento Films International handles worldwide sales on the title.
Drift debuted in the Premieres strand of Sundance Film Festival in January.
MetFilm Distribution has acquired UK-Ireland distribution rights to Drift, the English-language feature debut of filmmaker Anthony Chen.
Adapted from Alexander Maksik’s novel A Marker To Measure Drift by Susanne Farrell and Maksik, Drift is a character study of a refugee – played by Cynthia Erivo – who is struggling to eke out a living on a Greek island, while traumatised by memories of her war-torn country.
Alia Shawkat and Honor Swinton Byrne star alongside Erivo. Memento Films International handles worldwide sales on the title.
Drift debuted in the Premieres strand of Sundance Film Festival in January.
- 6/12/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
The director gave an interview to French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche.
In an article in French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche released today (June 11), Maiwenn belatedly detailed the reasons behind her reported attack on a French journalist earlier this year ahead of the world premiere of her film Jeanne Du Barry in Cannes.
On March 7, Edwy Plenel, editor-in-chief of French publication Mediapart, accused the actress/filmmaker of physically attacking him in a Paris restaurant in February without provocation, pulling his hair and spitting in his face before storming out of the restaurant. The incident attracted broad media interest in...
In an article in French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche released today (June 11), Maiwenn belatedly detailed the reasons behind her reported attack on a French journalist earlier this year ahead of the world premiere of her film Jeanne Du Barry in Cannes.
On March 7, Edwy Plenel, editor-in-chief of French publication Mediapart, accused the actress/filmmaker of physically attacking him in a Paris restaurant in February without provocation, pulling his hair and spitting in his face before storming out of the restaurant. The incident attracted broad media interest in...
- 6/11/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
The French drama explores the close relationship between a six-year-old girl and her nanny
BFI Distribution has picked up Marie Amachoukeli’s Cannes Critics’ Week opener Ama Gloria for the UK and Ireland. The French drama was acquired from Pyramide International.
The film, which is set to be released in 2024, explores the close relationship between a six-year-old girl and her nanny as they spend their last summer together in Cape Verde.
Pyramide has also sold the film to Transformer in Japan, Hugoeast in China, Cinéart in Benelux, Alambique in Portugal, Ama Films in Greece, Surtsey in Spain, and I Wonder in Italy.
BFI Distribution has picked up Marie Amachoukeli’s Cannes Critics’ Week opener Ama Gloria for the UK and Ireland. The French drama was acquired from Pyramide International.
The film, which is set to be released in 2024, explores the close relationship between a six-year-old girl and her nanny as they spend their last summer together in Cape Verde.
Pyramide has also sold the film to Transformer in Japan, Hugoeast in China, Cinéart in Benelux, Alambique in Portugal, Ama Films in Greece, Surtsey in Spain, and I Wonder in Italy.
- 6/9/2023
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
Eva Vik’s ‘Serpentine’ Starring Barbara Palvin To Make European Premiere at Taormina
Eva Vik’s short film Serpentine, starring supermodel Barbara Palvin, will make its European premiere at the 69th edition of Italy’s Taormina Film Festival, running from June 23 to July 1. Czech writer and director Eva Vik explores the possibilities of interspecies development in the film, which was previously nominated for the X Award at the Tribeca Film Festival. Set within a mysterious snake cult, the stylistic body-horror follows attempts to initiate a snake-human hybrid through genetic engineering – creating an extraterrestrial higher power intelligence as a new influential force. Palvin is joined in the cast by Soo Joo Park, and Luke Brandon Field. The film’s official partner is Bulgari brand, and it was produced by Evasion Pictures. The film will play in Taormina’s Influential Shorts program, a special gala event curated by Bella Thorne. “I look...
Eva Vik’s short film Serpentine, starring supermodel Barbara Palvin, will make its European premiere at the 69th edition of Italy’s Taormina Film Festival, running from June 23 to July 1. Czech writer and director Eva Vik explores the possibilities of interspecies development in the film, which was previously nominated for the X Award at the Tribeca Film Festival. Set within a mysterious snake cult, the stylistic body-horror follows attempts to initiate a snake-human hybrid through genetic engineering – creating an extraterrestrial higher power intelligence as a new influential force. Palvin is joined in the cast by Soo Joo Park, and Luke Brandon Field. The film’s official partner is Bulgari brand, and it was produced by Evasion Pictures. The film will play in Taormina’s Influential Shorts program, a special gala event curated by Bella Thorne. “I look...
- 6/9/2023
- by Zac Ntim, Max Goldbart and Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
The French outfit has had a productive Cannes.
Pyramide International has signed a number of key sales for mathematics world-set Marguerite’s Theorem and Critics’ Week opener Marie Amachoukeli’s Ama Gloria and kept up the momentum on Catherine Breillat’s Competition title Last Summer.
Anna Novion’s Special Screening title Marguerite’s Theorem has sold to Adso in Spain, Red Cape in Israel, Angel Films for Scandinavia, Jinjin in Korea, Wanted in Italy, Weltkino Filmverleih in Germany, Teleview in the Middle East and Discovery in the former Yugoslavia, with discussions ongoing for Australia, Latin America and Taiwan.
Ella Rumpf stars a...
Pyramide International has signed a number of key sales for mathematics world-set Marguerite’s Theorem and Critics’ Week opener Marie Amachoukeli’s Ama Gloria and kept up the momentum on Catherine Breillat’s Competition title Last Summer.
Anna Novion’s Special Screening title Marguerite’s Theorem has sold to Adso in Spain, Red Cape in Israel, Angel Films for Scandinavia, Jinjin in Korea, Wanted in Italy, Weltkino Filmverleih in Germany, Teleview in the Middle East and Discovery in the former Yugoslavia, with discussions ongoing for Australia, Latin America and Taiwan.
Ella Rumpf stars a...
- 5/26/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
“One buyer said they received 138 scripts at the market,” said Orange Studio’s Charlotte Boucon.
France’s sales companies arrived in Cannes with busy slates, rich with festival titles and market packages. Nearly two weeks on and Screen finds out how business has been for them.
When it comes to French films, buyers in general seem to be both more restrained about rushing to scoop up titles and pay big money up front, yet at the same time are looking for more audacious titles with unique subjects to woo younger audiences.
“We’re seeing the adrenaline again that’s been...
France’s sales companies arrived in Cannes with busy slates, rich with festival titles and market packages. Nearly two weeks on and Screen finds out how business has been for them.
When it comes to French films, buyers in general seem to be both more restrained about rushing to scoop up titles and pay big money up front, yet at the same time are looking for more audacious titles with unique subjects to woo younger audiences.
“We’re seeing the adrenaline again that’s been...
- 5/26/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
It is unlikely that this Cannes will yield many characters as strikingly well-drawn as Cléo (Louise Mauroy-Panzani), the star of Marie Amachoukeli’s small but acutely affecting Critics’ Week opener “Ama Gloria.” Over the course of an efficient 84 minutes, Cléo changes and resists change, she learns and rejects life lessons, she befriends and betrays. She is funny, somber, silly, conniving, shockingly selfish and shiningly pure, sometimes all in the space of an afternoon. She is six years old.
Cléo, a bundle of personality under a tangle of hair and pair of thick glasses, lives in Paris with her affable widower Dad, Arnaud (Arnaud Rebotini), but is raised mostly by her beloved Cape Verdean nanny Gloria (Ilça Moreno Zego). Their relationship is close as a goodnight kiss, and obviously mutually adoring — witness the exchange of incandescent smiles when Cléo sees Gloria waiting at the school gates. So it’s a heavy...
Cléo, a bundle of personality under a tangle of hair and pair of thick glasses, lives in Paris with her affable widower Dad, Arnaud (Arnaud Rebotini), but is raised mostly by her beloved Cape Verdean nanny Gloria (Ilça Moreno Zego). Their relationship is close as a goodnight kiss, and obviously mutually adoring — witness the exchange of incandescent smiles when Cléo sees Gloria waiting at the school gates. So it’s a heavy...
- 5/20/2023
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety Film + TV
Cléo Entre 5 et 7: Everyone Shares the Same Song in Amachoukeli’s Sophisticated Sophomore Feature
Letting go is never easy but what happens when it’s a preschooler and a grown adult who need to part ways? It might be talked about one day along the Ponettes and Koylas of the cinematic universe, Marie Amachoukeli makes her solo debut a statement about attachment and with a remarkable screen charismatic diminutive person wrestling with big life issues who is standing tall as the focal point. With Ama Gloria, the Camera d’Or winner (co-directed Party Girl) French filmmaker presents us with a minimalist text that deciphers how we unconsciously find surrogates to fill painful voids and in the same measure explores just how much is at stake for people who are paid to be family and the life-altering implications of what that looks like for everyone involved.…
Continue reading.
Letting go is never easy but what happens when it’s a preschooler and a grown adult who need to part ways? It might be talked about one day along the Ponettes and Koylas of the cinematic universe, Marie Amachoukeli makes her solo debut a statement about attachment and with a remarkable screen charismatic diminutive person wrestling with big life issues who is standing tall as the focal point. With Ama Gloria, the Camera d’Or winner (co-directed Party Girl) French filmmaker presents us with a minimalist text that deciphers how we unconsciously find surrogates to fill painful voids and in the same measure explores just how much is at stake for people who are paid to be family and the life-altering implications of what that looks like for everyone involved.…
Continue reading.
- 5/17/2023
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
’Jim’s Story’ is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Pierric Bailly.
French filmmaking duo the Larrieu brothers, known for their eccentric comedies are turning to melodrama with Jim’s Story for which Pyramide International has rights and is kicking off sales at the Cannes Market.
Jim’s Story is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Pierric Bailly and stars Sara Forestier, Sara Giraudeau, Karim Leklou, and Valérie Donzelli, director of Cannes Premiere title Just The Two of Us, alongside Noé Abita.
The film is about a family living in the Jura...
French filmmaking duo the Larrieu brothers, known for their eccentric comedies are turning to melodrama with Jim’s Story for which Pyramide International has rights and is kicking off sales at the Cannes Market.
Jim’s Story is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Pierric Bailly and stars Sara Forestier, Sara Giraudeau, Karim Leklou, and Valérie Donzelli, director of Cannes Premiere title Just The Two of Us, alongside Noé Abita.
The film is about a family living in the Jura...
- 5/16/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
Pyramide seals deals on Cannes Competition title ‘Last Summer’; boards Wang Bing trilogy (exclusive)
Catherine Breillat’s erotic drama is a remake of May el-Toukhy’s Queen Of Hearts.
Paris-based Pyramide International has closed deals in key territories for Catherine Breillat’s erotic thriller Last Summer ahead of the film’s world premiere in Competition at Cannes later this month.
Pyramide has sold the film to September Films in Benelux, Potential Films in Australia and New Zealand, Nk Contents in South Korea, Xenix Film in Switzerland, Hooray Films in Taiwan, Estinfilm in the Baltics and Nashe Kino in Russia.
Last Summer stars Léa Drucker as a lawyer who develops a relationship with her 17-year-old...
Paris-based Pyramide International has closed deals in key territories for Catherine Breillat’s erotic thriller Last Summer ahead of the film’s world premiere in Competition at Cannes later this month.
Pyramide has sold the film to September Films in Benelux, Potential Films in Australia and New Zealand, Nk Contents in South Korea, Xenix Film in Switzerland, Hooray Films in Taiwan, Estinfilm in the Baltics and Nashe Kino in Russia.
Last Summer stars Léa Drucker as a lawyer who develops a relationship with her 17-year-old...
- 5/3/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
After Cannes Film Festival announced its main lineup last week, the Directors’ Fortnight and Critics’ Week sidebars have unveiled their slates. Now in its 55th edition, Directors’ Fortnight features Hong Sangsoo’s second feature of the year, In Our Day, while Sean Price Williams’ The Sweet East, Michel Gondry’s The Book of Solutions, Bertrand Mandico’s She Is Conann, and more.
“The Directors’ Fortnight was born when a community of directors came together with the desire to create an independent space that would encourage the emergence of free filmmaking regardless of geographical provenance or any other limiting criteria,” said Julien Rejl, Artistic Director of the Directors’ Fortnight. “At the heart of the creation of the Directors’ Fortnight was the singular quality of a work of art and the impossibility of pigeonholing it. We have chosen to present 30 films to you which, through their own unique language, embody a spirit...
“The Directors’ Fortnight was born when a community of directors came together with the desire to create an independent space that would encourage the emergence of free filmmaking regardless of geographical provenance or any other limiting criteria,” said Julien Rejl, Artistic Director of the Directors’ Fortnight. “At the heart of the creation of the Directors’ Fortnight was the singular quality of a work of art and the impossibility of pigeonholing it. We have chosen to present 30 films to you which, through their own unique language, embody a spirit...
- 4/18/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
The 2023 Cannes Critics Week lineup has officially been unveiled.
Hot off of the world premiere of first-time filmmaker Charlotte Wells’ Oscar-nominated “Aftersun,” this year’s Critics Week marks seven highly-anticipated feature debuts from directors like Amanda Nell (“Tiger Stripes”) and Jason Yu (“Jam”).
The lineup kicks off with opening night film “Ama Gloria,” directed by French filmmaker Marie Amachoukeli, who previously won Cannes’ Camera d’Or for 2014’s “Party Girl” which Amachoukeli co-directed with Claire Burger and Samuel Theis. (Critics Week allows for both first and second films in its lineup.) “Ama Gloria” centers on six-year-old girl Cléo who copes with her nanny Gloria leaving to return to Cape Verde.
The closing night film is Erwan le Duc’s “La fille de son père,” billed as a “bittersweet comedy about paternity and filiation with a poetic and off-beat angle.” Le Duc previously helmed “Perdrix”; Nahuel Perez Biscayart and Céleste Brunnquell star as father and daughter.
Hot off of the world premiere of first-time filmmaker Charlotte Wells’ Oscar-nominated “Aftersun,” this year’s Critics Week marks seven highly-anticipated feature debuts from directors like Amanda Nell (“Tiger Stripes”) and Jason Yu (“Jam”).
The lineup kicks off with opening night film “Ama Gloria,” directed by French filmmaker Marie Amachoukeli, who previously won Cannes’ Camera d’Or for 2014’s “Party Girl” which Amachoukeli co-directed with Claire Burger and Samuel Theis. (Critics Week allows for both first and second films in its lineup.) “Ama Gloria” centers on six-year-old girl Cléo who copes with her nanny Gloria leaving to return to Cape Verde.
The closing night film is Erwan le Duc’s “La fille de son père,” billed as a “bittersweet comedy about paternity and filiation with a poetic and off-beat angle.” Le Duc previously helmed “Perdrix”; Nahuel Perez Biscayart and Céleste Brunnquell star as father and daughter.
- 4/17/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
She couldn’t have asked for a better way to begin her mandate as the Artistic Director of the 2022 edition of the International Critics’ Week. La jauría topped the section and a little film called Aftersun silently slayed Cannes’ smallest section on the side and built the type of momentum that you’d have to see it to believe it. For year number deux, Ava Cahen’s competition films come from Belgium, Jordan, South Korea, Brazil, and France with the opening and closing selections adding a “French touch”. For the opening film, we have a Céline Sciamma production company-backed sophomore film in Marie Amachoukeli‘s Ama Gloria (#110 in our Most Anticipated list) – a film that has been described as a hybrid.…...
- 4/17/2023
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
Clockwise from top: Alma Gloria, Tiger Stripes, The (Ex)perience Of Love and No Love Lost Photo: Courtesy of La Semaine de la Critique Hot on the heels of last week’s unveiling of the official selection of this year’s Cannes Film Festival, the artistic director of the 62nd Critics' Week, Ava Cahen, today set out her offerings.
She noted that the selectors had watched 1000 features. Among the 11 selected films for this year’s edition, seven are first films and six were directed by women.
Critics' Week artistic director Ava Cahen Photo: Courtesy of La Semaine de la Critique The opening film Ama Gloria, represents the first solo film by French director Marie Amachoukeli who won the Caméra d’Or for Party Girl which she co-directed with Claire Burger and Samuel Theis. She delivers a delicate, intimate film about the deep connection between six-year-old Cléo and Gloria, her nanny.
She noted that the selectors had watched 1000 features. Among the 11 selected films for this year’s edition, seven are first films and six were directed by women.
Critics' Week artistic director Ava Cahen Photo: Courtesy of La Semaine de la Critique The opening film Ama Gloria, represents the first solo film by French director Marie Amachoukeli who won the Caméra d’Or for Party Girl which she co-directed with Claire Burger and Samuel Theis. She delivers a delicate, intimate film about the deep connection between six-year-old Cléo and Gloria, her nanny.
- 4/17/2023
- by Richard Mowe
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Cannes Critics’ Week, a parallel film festival sidebar selected by the French Syndicate of Cinema Critics, has unveiled its 2023 selection of 11 features, including seven competition titles and four special screenings.
The section focuses on first and second features from emerging directors. The 62nd edition runs alongside the main Cannes festival May 17-25.
This year’s competition lineup includes two Asian horror movies: the Korean horror film Sleep (Jam) from first-time director, and former Bong Joon Ho assistant, Jason Yu, and Tiger Stripes from Malaysian director Amanda Eu. The former features Parasite star Lee Sun-kyun and Train to Busan‘s Jung Yu-mi as newlyweds whose lives descend into horror triggered by the husband’s strange behavior while asleep. Tiger Stripes, which draws inspiration from Southeast Asian folklore, is a coming-of-age tale about a 12-year-old girl whose body starts to change in alarming and horrifying ways as she hits puberty.
Physical changes...
The section focuses on first and second features from emerging directors. The 62nd edition runs alongside the main Cannes festival May 17-25.
This year’s competition lineup includes two Asian horror movies: the Korean horror film Sleep (Jam) from first-time director, and former Bong Joon Ho assistant, Jason Yu, and Tiger Stripes from Malaysian director Amanda Eu. The former features Parasite star Lee Sun-kyun and Train to Busan‘s Jung Yu-mi as newlyweds whose lives descend into horror triggered by the husband’s strange behavior while asleep. Tiger Stripes, which draws inspiration from Southeast Asian folklore, is a coming-of-age tale about a 12-year-old girl whose body starts to change in alarming and horrifying ways as she hits puberty.
Physical changes...
- 4/17/2023
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The lineup for the 2023 Cannes Critics’ Week (La Semaine de la Critique) has been announced. See also the full lineup of the Official Selection.No Love Lost (Erwan Le Duc, 2023).Competition - FEATURESPower Alley (Lillah Halla)Il pleut dans la maison (Paloma Sermon-Daï)Inshallah A Boy (Amjad Al Rasheed)Jam (Jason Yu)Lost Country (Vladimir Perisič)Le ravissement (Iris Kaltenbäck)Tiger Stripes (Amanda Nell Eu)Special Screenings - FEATURESThe (Exp)erience Of Love (Ann Sirot and Raphaël Balboni)Vincent Must Die (Stéphan Castang)Opening FILMAma Gloria (Marie Amachoukeli)Closing FILMNo Love Lost (Erwan Le Duc)...
- 4/17/2023
- MUBI
Sidebar devoted to first and second films runs May 17-25.
Cannes Critics’ Week, the sidebar devoted to first and second films, has unveiled the selection for its 62nd edition running May 17-25.
Scroll down for full list of titles
A selection committee led by Ava Cahen, now in her second year in the position, chose 11 titles from 1,000 films screened and seven were selected for the competition.
All of the films in selection are world premieres. Seven are first films that will vie for the Camera d’Or and six are directed by women, including four of the seven films in competition.
Cannes Critics’ Week, the sidebar devoted to first and second films, has unveiled the selection for its 62nd edition running May 17-25.
Scroll down for full list of titles
A selection committee led by Ava Cahen, now in her second year in the position, chose 11 titles from 1,000 films screened and seven were selected for the competition.
All of the films in selection are world premieres. Seven are first films that will vie for the Camera d’Or and six are directed by women, including four of the seven films in competition.
- 4/17/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
Rolling off a successful edition that premiered Charlotte Wells’ celebrated film “Aftersun” with Paul Mescal, Cannes Critics’ Week is back with an international lineup spanning South Korea and Malaysia to France and Jordan, among others.
The Critics’ Week sidebar runs parallel to the Cannes Film Festival, and focuses on first and second films. Under the leadership of artistic director Ava Cahen since last year, the lineup will boast 11 feature films chosen from 1,000 submitted movies.
Out of these 11 movies, seven are feature debuts and six are directed by women. Among them is the opening night film, “Ama Gloria,” directed by French helmer Marie Amachoukeli, who previously won Cannes’ Golden Camera for “Party Girl” which she co-directed with Claire Burger and Samuel Theis.
“Ama Gloria” tells the story of Cléo, a six-year old girl who sees her beloved nanny, Gloria, leave town to return to Cape Verde.
This 62nd edition will wrap...
The Critics’ Week sidebar runs parallel to the Cannes Film Festival, and focuses on first and second films. Under the leadership of artistic director Ava Cahen since last year, the lineup will boast 11 feature films chosen from 1,000 submitted movies.
Out of these 11 movies, seven are feature debuts and six are directed by women. Among them is the opening night film, “Ama Gloria,” directed by French helmer Marie Amachoukeli, who previously won Cannes’ Golden Camera for “Party Girl” which she co-directed with Claire Burger and Samuel Theis.
“Ama Gloria” tells the story of Cléo, a six-year old girl who sees her beloved nanny, Gloria, leave town to return to Cape Verde.
This 62nd edition will wrap...
- 4/17/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
As we eagerly await her sophomore feature Ama Gloria (currently in post but tipped to premiere later in the year), we just learned that Marie Amachoukeli has an overlap in projects already working on her third feature – an animated film that comically reverse-engineers the hourglass. Variety reports that Marie Amachoukeli (who is at the Cartoon Movie pitch and co-production forum in Bordeaux will co-direct (with Vladimir Mavounia Kouka) Happy End sometime next year. The 2D project in the style of Max Fleischer won’t be for the kids. Variety has a three-minute promo teaser you can watch here.
Co-written with Amachoukeli and Jean-François Halin, this follows Bertha King, a suicidal career soldier who is unlucky enough to finally end things right as the grim reaper hangs up his scythe.…...
Co-written with Amachoukeli and Jean-François Halin, this follows Bertha King, a suicidal career soldier who is unlucky enough to finally end things right as the grim reaper hangs up his scythe.…...
- 3/16/2023
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
Cannes acclaimed filmmaker Marie Amachoukeli and leading French studio Miyu Productions will pair on “Happy End,” a macabre comedy Amachoukeli will co-direct with Vladimir Mavounia Kouka. Set for production in 2024, the project has already received backing from Bac Films and MK2, with the latter handling international sales.
Variety has scored a first look at the project, which recently presented at the Cartoon Movie pitch and co-production forum in Bordeaux.
Imagining a world without death and employing a visual style reminiscent of Max Fleischer, the 2D, adult-targeted film follows Bertha King, a suicidal career soldier who has the bad to luck to finally end things right as the grim reaper hangs up his scythe. Left yearning to die while death has gone on strike, the depressed hero must navigate a morose new existence all of sudden freed from the bonds of mortality.
“The idea of the film is to encourage laughter and re-enchantment,...
Variety has scored a first look at the project, which recently presented at the Cartoon Movie pitch and co-production forum in Bordeaux.
Imagining a world without death and employing a visual style reminiscent of Max Fleischer, the 2D, adult-targeted film follows Bertha King, a suicidal career soldier who has the bad to luck to finally end things right as the grim reaper hangs up his scythe. Left yearning to die while death has gone on strike, the depressed hero must navigate a morose new existence all of sudden freed from the bonds of mortality.
“The idea of the film is to encourage laughter and re-enchantment,...
- 3/16/2023
- by Ben Croll
- Variety Film + TV
Ama Gloria
One-third of the trio who won the Camera d’Or for Party Girl back in 2014, Marie Amachoukeli-Barsacq is the last one out of the gate to move into a sophomore feature. The French filmmaker of Georgian background moved into production back in March. Produced by Lilies Films (Celine Sciamma’s films) and recipient of Cnc’s advance on receipts, described as a hybrid film, Ama Gloria (formerly titled “Rose Hill”) stars Ilça Moreno, Louise Mauroy-Panzani, Fredy Gomes Tavares, Abnara Gomes Tavera and Arnaud Rebotini. On paper this tale about six-year-old Cléo who loves Gloria (her nanny) to the moon and back sounds like a tear-jerker and taps into a motherly figure that is rarely addressed in cinema.…...
One-third of the trio who won the Camera d’Or for Party Girl back in 2014, Marie Amachoukeli-Barsacq is the last one out of the gate to move into a sophomore feature. The French filmmaker of Georgian background moved into production back in March. Produced by Lilies Films (Celine Sciamma’s films) and recipient of Cnc’s advance on receipts, described as a hybrid film, Ama Gloria (formerly titled “Rose Hill”) stars Ilça Moreno, Louise Mauroy-Panzani, Fredy Gomes Tavares, Abnara Gomes Tavera and Arnaud Rebotini. On paper this tale about six-year-old Cléo who loves Gloria (her nanny) to the moon and back sounds like a tear-jerker and taps into a motherly figure that is rarely addressed in cinema.…...
- 1/12/2023
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
Exclusive: The Europe-based Pop Up Film Residency mentorship program has unveiled the filmmakers and mentors who will participate in its summer 2022 edition.
The program, which is among a number of feature development initiatives spearheaded by former TorinoFilmLab artistic director Matthieu Darras, consists of three-week residences focused on one project only in different locations across Europe.
Mentors for the upcoming edition include French director Lucile Hadžihalilović, who won San Sebastian’s Special Jury Prize last year for gothic psychological horror Earwig; Paraguayan filmmaker Marcelo Martinessi, whose debut film The Heiresses broke out with a Berlinale Silver Bear victory in 2018, and Marie Amachoukeli, a Caméra d’Or winner in 2014 for first film Party Girl, who is currently completing her first solo feature.
Confirmed feature directors joining the programme include Brazil’s Caru Alves de Souza, whose joint work with Raffaella Costa, My Name Is Baghdad won best film in the Berlinale...
The program, which is among a number of feature development initiatives spearheaded by former TorinoFilmLab artistic director Matthieu Darras, consists of three-week residences focused on one project only in different locations across Europe.
Mentors for the upcoming edition include French director Lucile Hadžihalilović, who won San Sebastian’s Special Jury Prize last year for gothic psychological horror Earwig; Paraguayan filmmaker Marcelo Martinessi, whose debut film The Heiresses broke out with a Berlinale Silver Bear victory in 2018, and Marie Amachoukeli, a Caméra d’Or winner in 2014 for first film Party Girl, who is currently completing her first solo feature.
Confirmed feature directors joining the programme include Brazil’s Caru Alves de Souza, whose joint work with Raffaella Costa, My Name Is Baghdad won best film in the Berlinale...
- 7/11/2022
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
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