With 44 films selected (72 if minority French coproductions are included), 57 artists present (among whom Claude Lelouch, Jean Dujardin, Elsa Zylberstein, Catherine Corsini, Claire Denis, Diane Kruger, Jean-Paul Rappeneau, Mathieu Amalric, Dany BoonDany Boon and Julie Delpy) and 68 exporters, French cinemas confirms a leading presence in Toronto for the next TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival), which will take place from September 10 through 20, 2015.
According to Cameron Bailey, the festival's Artistic Director, this selection "attests to the vitality of French cinema. We are also inspired by the quality and number of French women directors in the selection this year. While the world film industry continues to debate the slowness with which women are granted a place, France has taken the lead by simply offering strong films by women." Piers Handling, the festival's CEO, adds that French cinema is "anchored in reality and is not afraid to tackle difficult subjects, with a distinct feeling for narrative. As always, we are stimulated by the unique sensibility that the French bring to their films."
A major event of the post-summer cinema season, the Toronto International Film Festival will hence be the place where 10 world premieres will be presented, accompanied by the films' artistic teams. Unifrance is delighted to accompany this exceptional selection bringing together renowned artists and rising talents, and to ensure their presence alongside French exporters.
The USA and English-speaking Canada represent the number one export territory for French films internationally. Box office income for French films in the zone tallied more than €120 million in 2014, being more than 20 million admissions. 63 French films were released in the territory last year. 2015 has been very encouraging for French films, with 5 majority French productions registering more than $1 million in box office income: Taken 3, Clouds of Sils Maria, The Salt of the Earth, Timbuktu, and Dior and I.
This year is notable for the presence at TIFF of artists confirmed as the rising generation of French actors and filmmakers, along with French women filmmakers (Julie Delpy, Alice Winocour, Lucile Hadzihalilovic, Catherine Corsini…) who will be accompanying their films, features or shorts, presented in the festival's main selections. The diversity of French cinema is also reaffirmed with many works by foreign filmmakers, produced or coproduced by France.
When it comes to short films, French cinema has not been left behind because no less than 9 short films will be presented at TIFF this year, 7 of which are in Official Competition.
Unifrance will bring together film industry professionals for several events:
A French Night gala will be organized on September 12, an event produced thanks to the support from Unifrance' partners: Renault, Lacoste, Piper Heidsieck, Nuxe and M0851.
New this year: Unifrance will be creating a "lounge space," with support from Chanel, on September 11, 13, 14 and 15 (by invitation only). The new space is intended to offer fine networking opportunities in the presence of film directors and their stars, and industry players attending TIFF. On September 12, the lounge will be organized in collaboration with Telefilm Canada to celebrate forty years of French and Canadian presence at the TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival), and with Canal+ to celebrate the selection of the second season of Les Revenants in Primetime, the new section dedicated to television series.
Alongside the market and the festival's selection, four other events will be receiving UniFrance films' support:
- Actrices, a photographic exhibition by Kate Barry, produced and exhibited by the Institut Français and which features 25 French actresses, from the great stars of French cinema to the promising newcomers of tomorrow.
- A master class given by Claude Lelouch, organized in collaboration with the Alliance Française.
- The TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) Talent Lab, a professional workshop for young international directors. Hiwot Admasu Getaneh (New Eyes) is the young filmmaker participating in the TIFF Talent Lab 2015.
- Presented for the first time at Toronto, the Shoot the Book! project, initiated by the Société Civile des Editeurs de Langue Française, with support from the Consulat Général in Toronto, Institut Français, and BIEF. Its purpose is to allow several French literary works to be presented to a jury of professionals during the festival with the aim of attracting enough attention to be transformed into film adaptations.
Unifrance at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival)
Jean-Paul Salomé and Isabelle Giordano, respectively President and Executive Director of UniFrance films, will be in attendance, accompanied by their teams. UniFrance films supervises a stand on the first floor of the Hyatt Hotel, which is available to its members and to French film exporters in order to facilitate their interaction with international distributors. The following exportors have confirmed their presence this year:
Bac Films, Celluloid Dreams, Coproduction Office, Doc & Film International, Elle Driver, EuropaCorp., Playtime, Funny Balloons, Gaumont, Indie Sales, Kinology, Le Pacte, Les Films du Losange, Memento International, Other Angle Pictures, Pathé International, Pyramide International, SND, StudioCanal, Newen Connect a TF1 Group Company, The Bureau Sales, Urban Sales, Versatile, Wide Management, Wide House, Goodfellas.
The French films, or majority/minority French coproductions, selected for the TIFF 2015
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
- Families by Jean-Paul Rappeneau, in his presence, accompanied by Mathieu Amalric, Gilles Lellouche and Colonia
- Colonia by Florian Gallenberger
- Desierto by Jonás Cuarón
- Dheepan by Jacques Audiard, in his presence, accompanied by Antonythasan Jesuthasan
- Summertime by Catherine Corsini, in her presence
- Ma Ma by Julio Medem
- My Mother by Nanni Moretti
- Mountains May Depart by Jia Zhang-Ke
- Mustang by Deniz Gamze Ergüven, in her presence, accompanied by İlayda Akdoğan, Doğa Zeynep Doğuşlu, Elit Iscan, Tugba Sunguroglu, and Gunes Sensoy
- Louder Than Bombs bye Joachim Trier
- The Lobster by Yorgos Lanthimos
- Un plus une by Claude Lelouch, in his presence, accompanied by Jean Dujardin and Elsa Zylberstein
- Youth by Paolo Sorrentino
GALA
- Lolo by Julie Delpy, in her presence, accompanied by Dany Boon and Disorder
- Disorder by Alice Winocour, in her presence, accompanied by Matthias Schoenaerts and Diane Kruger
CONTEMPORARY WORLD CINEMA
- 3000 Nights by Mai Masri
- As I Open My Eyes by Leyla Bouzid, in her presence
- Frenzy by Emin Alper
- An by Naomi Kawase
- Box by Florin Serban
- Campo Grande by Sandra Kogut
- The Apostate by Federico Veiroj
- Story of Judas by Rabah Ameur-Zaïmeche, in his presence
- Incident Light by Ariel Rotter
- Étage du dessous by Radu Muntean
- The Fear by Damien Odoul
- The Endless River by Oliver Hermanus
- Lamb, in the presence of Yared Zeleke
- Comoara (The Treasure) by Corneliu Porumboiu, in his presence
- Let Them Come by Salem Brahimi, in his presence, accompanied by Rachida Brakni and Amazigh Kateb
- Much Loved by Nabil Ayouch, in his presence
- Parisienne by Danielle Arbid, in her presence, accompanied by Damien Chapelle
- Journey to the Shore by Kiyoshi Kurosawa
WAVELENGTHS
- Eva Doesn't Sleep by Pablo Agüero, in his presence
- Arabian Nights - Volume 1, The Restless One by Miguel Gomes
- The Arabian Nights - Volume 2, The Desolate One by Miguel Gomes
- The Arabian Nights - Volume 3, The Enchanted One by Miguel Gomes
- The Other Side by Roberto Minervini, in his presence
PLATFORM (competitive section)
- Bang Gang (A Modern Love Story) by Eva Husson, in her presence, accompanied by The White Knights
- The White Knights by Joachim Lafosse, in his presence
- Sky by Fabienne Berthaud, in her presence, accompanied by Diane Kruger and Norman Reedus
- French Blood by Diastème, in his presence, accompanied by Alban Lenoir
- Claire Denis is a member of the PLATFORM jury
MASTERS
- Cemetery of Splendour by Every Thing Will Be Fine
- Everything Will Be Fine by Wim Wenders
- Francofonia by Alexandre Sokurov
- In the Shadow of Women by Philippe Garrel
- The Pearl Button by Patricio Guzmán, in his presence
- Rabin, the Last Day by Amos Gitaï, in his presence
- Sangue del mio sangue by Marco Bellocchio
VANGUARD
- Evolution by Lucile Hadzihalilovic, in her presence
- Love by Gaspar Noé, in his presence
TIFF DOCS
- A Young Patriot by Hitchcock/Truffaut
- Hitchcock/Truffaut by Kent Jones, in his presence
- Je suis Charlie by Daniel Leconte and Emmanuel Leconte, in their presence
- Nasser by Jihan El-Tahri, in his presence
CITY TO CITY
DISCOVERY
- Dégradé by Tarzan Abunasser and Ixcanul Volcano
- Ixcanul in the presence of Jayro Bustamante
- Keeper, de Guillaume Senez
- The Here After by Magnus Von Horn
- Cowboys by Thomas Bidegain, in his presence
PRIMETIME
- Les Revenants, television series, in the presence of Fabrice Gobert
TIFF KIDS
- Phantom Boy by Jean-Loup Felicioli and Alain Gagnol, in their presence
Short films
OFFICIAL SELECTION
- Mother(s) by Maïmouna Doucouré, in her presence
- Peripheria by David Coquard-Dassault, in his presence
- A Few Seconds by Nora El Hourch in her presence
- Tuesday by Ziya Demirel, in her presence
- Wellington Jr. by Cécile Paysant in her presence
- 7 Sheep by Wiktoria Szymanska in her presence
WAVELENGHTS
- Occident by Ana Vaz, in her presence
- Sector IX B by Mathieu Kleyebe Abonnenc in his presence
TIFF TALENT LAB
- New Eyes by Hiwot Admasu Getaneh, in her presence
