Seven French short film directors whose films were selected in the various Cannes festival sections agreed to answer three questions on the subject of Cannes, the present, and the future.
CLEMENT TREHIN-LALANNE
Director of Aïssa (Official Competition) (photo)
This film was honored with a Special Mention from the Cannes Jury.
What does the Cannes Film Festival mean to you?
I come from a family of film buffs. My parents took me with them to see independent films in art house theaters from a very young age in Essonne [a constituency outside Paris]. In these theaters, the exhibitors skillfully handpicked their films from those offered up at the Cannes Festival. It was there that I saw my first Palme d'Or winner at the age of 8, Barton Fink. The Cannes selections really nurtured my interest and knowledge of movies. It's an incredible honor and joy for me to have my short film Aïssa selected at Cannes in the Official Competition.
What do you expect from your film's selection at Cannes?
To be selected in the Official Competition gives me the chance at last to show my film to audiences, and to do so in excellent conditions. The festival is also an ideal event to showcase the subject of my film, which is the age examinations undergone by undocumented immigrants in France to prove that they are minors. These tests are a violation of the human rights of children and of human dignity, and must be abolished, as they are in many of our European neighbors. Moreover, I hope that having my film selected will also help me gain support for the transition to making feature films in the future.
What are your upcoming film projects?
Being selected at Cannes has led me to reconsider a short film project that I've been working on for some time as a possible feature film. So now I will try to bring this new project to fruition. I also work at the same time as assistant unit manager on feature film shoots, so I intend to continue to take advantage of these experiences as an enriching opportunity to learn about the filmmaking profession.
Léa Mysius
Director of Les Oiseaux-Tonnerre (Cinéfondation)
What does the Cannes Film Festival mean to you?
The Cannes Film Festival is one of the world's biggest film festivals and I am honored to be able to show my film here this year.
What do you expect from your film's selection at Cannes?
For me it is an opportunity to meet with movie industry professionals as well as, and especially, a chance to show Les Oiseaux-Tonnerre to a wide audience in the hope that the film will continue to have a life of its own after Cannes.
What are your upcoming film projects?
I am currently trying to put together funding for Planasse, a short film that I'm planning to co-direct with Paul Guilhaume, which we are hoping to shoot this summer. At the same time, I'm also writing a screenplay for a feature film that I would like to direct after our short.
Davy Chou
Director of Cambodia 2099 (Directors' Fortnight)
What does the Cannes Film Festival mean to you?
It is the most fabulous place in the world to show your film.
What do you expect from your film's selection at Cannes?
It's hard to say... When I received the news that my film, which had been written and shot very quickly, had been selected, it was such a surprise to me... I am just full of curiosity to see how my film will be received, which is important because this film is, in a way, a taste of what's to come in a feature film project that I'm currently working on.
What are your upcoming film projects?
As I mentioned, I am currently writing a screenplay for a feature film set in Phnom Penh, at the same location where the action of Cambodia 2099 takes place. It's a modern island under construction by the name of Diamond Island, and the film tells the story of gangs of young people who hang out there every day. The film is produced by Charlotte Vincent (Aurora Films) and co-produced by my production company Vycky Films. I hope to be able to shoot it before the beginning of next year.
DEMIS HERENGER
Director of Guy Môquet (Directors' Fortnight)
What does the Cannes Film Festival mean to you?
Lots of films, lots of people here to see films, but not only that–lots of professionals from the industry are here too, and in a very short space of time. To me, Cannes, through its various sections and its awards, is like a cursor, showing where the action is right now in contemporary cinema.
What do you expect from your film's selection at Cannes?
I am expecting that my film will be seen, appreciated, shared, and I hope that its screening will spark discussions, reviews, an enthusiastic reaction, and that it will lead to other screenings. I also expect that its selection will facilitate my efforts for getting future films made.
What are your upcoming film projects?
There's no shortage of ideas, and my aim is not to give up until I manage to shoot them. It's not the project or the commitment that are the difficult part; it's the organizational aspect and getting a minimum amount of funding.
LAURIE LASSALLE
Director of Les Fleuves m’ont laissé descendre où je voulais (Critics' Week)
What does the Cannes Film Festival mean to you?
Lots of tuxedos and glitter, but also amazing films that we don't necessarily get to see afterwards. It's the chance to discover rare gems in the sidebar sections, such as the Director's Fortnight, Critics' Week, and Un Certain Regard.
What do you expect from your film's selection at Cannes?
I feel that it's already incredibly fortunate for my film to be shown and screened at Cannes, and elsewhere around the world. I hope that having my film selected will mean that my fabulous crew will get plenty of work, and that Cannes will serve as a trampoline for my next film!
What are your upcoming film projects?
A feature film about super-anti-heroes. Producers out there take note! I'm also working on a fictional documentary about love and madness, as well as a ton of other projects that are top secret!
Tomasz Siwínski
Director of A Blue Room (Critics' Week)
What does the Cannes Film Festival mean to you?
It's a great honor for me to present my film here and to soak up some of the atmosphere of this legendary place.
What do you expect from your film's selection at Cannes?
I hope it will enable me to attract attention to my work, and that it will help me to make new contacts and to meet with potential new collaborators for my films. As this is its premiere screening, I'm keen to find out the audience's impressions and opinions about my film.
What are your upcoming film projects?
I am currently in pre-production on an animated film, which will be either a medium-length or feature film when it's completed. This film is about the relationship between a father and his daughter, set against the backdrop of a tale about nature and the passage of time.
FRANK TERNIER
Director of 8 Balles (Directors' Fortnight)
What does the Cannes Film Festival mean to you?
Since I was a kid, this has been the number one film festival everyone talks about...Cannes has become a must-do event for the industry. During my years at high school, I was interested in directors whose films were screened at Cannes, and through these films I discovered another view of cinema. One director who comes to mind is Michael Haneke, who presented his film Benny's Video at Cannes... This is one of the films that nurtured my curiosity. To me, Cannes means a selection of original and unconventional films, and creative directors...
What do you expect from your film's selection at Cannes?
This selection at Cannes has served as a rather amazing accelerator for my film. Since its inclusion in the festival was announced, I've received quite a few invitations. What I expect from it all is really quite simple: the opportunity for wider exposure for my film and the chance to make contacts to promote this film and my future projects.
What are your upcoming film projects?
I have two projects currently in the writing stage, two short films. The first is an animation entitled Riot–En attendant le printemps, which, like my previous film, explores the subject of mourning, but it also speaks about social violence and the voice of the media. The second is a drama entitled En attendant Yumi, which is a poetic film about our performance of everyday activities, with a somewhat staged interpretation of our daily lives and our bodies...
