For the 19th consecutive year, UniFrance is gearing up to host the Rendez-Vous with French Cinema in Paris (January 12-16, 2017), the world's biggest film market and press junket dedicated exclusively to French films. Participants this year will include 500 film buyers, exhibitors, and distributors for theatrical and VOD release, and 115 journalists from 34 countries. 81 films will be presented at the market, with 43 sales companies and 150 French actors and directors in attendance at this key industry event.
This event held in the French capital over five days will bring together international distributors and French sales agents, as well as journalists from around the world who will meet with actors and directors from French films that are eagerly-awaited abroad in 2017.
THE WORLD'S LEADING FRENCH FILM MARKET
Between January 12 and 15, 500 film buyers, exhibitors, distributors, and representatives from VOD platforms around the world will be in Paris at the invitation of UniFrance—France's international film promotion agency—to discover 81 French films, with 47 of these titles presented in market premieres by 43 French sales companies. This annual event is the world's biggest film market focused on international sales of French films.
This year's opening film will be Dalida, a biopic by Lisa Azuelos produced by Bethsabée Mucho, which will be presented at a special screening held in the presence of the film's key crew members (Lisa Azuelos, Julien Madon, Orlando) as well as Jean-Paul Salomé and Isabelle Giordano, president and executive director of Unifrance.
4 DAYS OF INTERVIEWS WITH FILM JOURNALISTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
This year, 115 film journalists and critics from 34 countries (predominantly from Europe) will take part in the event held from January 13 through 16 at the Grand Hotel Intercontinental in Paris, where they will meet with actors and directors who will be promoting the French films to be released in international markets between February and June, 2017. This is the world's biggest press junket devoted to French cinema, with around 1,500 interviews expected to be held this year. The following actors and directors have confirmed their presence at the event: Olivier Assayas, Isabelle Huppert, Reda Kateb, François Ozon, André Téchiné, Karin Viard, Lambert Wilson, Tahar Rahim, Katell Quillévéré, Bertrand Tavernier, Benoît Magimel, Aïssa Maïga, Trần Anh Hùng, Nathalie Baye, Bérénice Bejo, Lucas Belvaux, Céline Sciamma, Stéphane Brizé, François Cluzet, Luc & Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Lily-Rose Depp, Bruno Dumont, Anne Fontaine, Guillaume Gallienne, Nicole Garcia, Louis Garrel, Alain Guiraudie.
REPORT ON THE PERFORMANCE OF FRENCH FILMS ABROAD IN 2016
On January 13, at 7:00 p.m., at the Automobile Club de France in Paris, UniFrance will announce the results for French films in international markets in 2016 at a press conference held in the presence of the president CNC, Frédérique Bredin.
This report will include box office revenues, movie attendance figures, key statistics, and the performance of French films around the world, providing an opportunity to review the success of French productions in numerous countries last year and to present a progress report on changes and developments in the distribution of movie admissions in the various geographic regions.
LAUNCH OF THE 7TH EDITION OF MYFRENCHFILMFESTIVAL.COM
Also to be held at the Automobile Club de France on January 13 is the official launch of the 7th edition of the world's first online French film festival, MyFrenchFilmFestival. This official opening will be held in the presence of filmmaker Pablo Trapero, this year's jury president, as well as the members of the jury, whose names will be revealed for the first time at this event, and crew members from the films in competition.
From January 13 through February 13, web users around the world will be able to discover the work of talented directors—emerging stars and established veterans—of French films and French-language films through a selection of 30 productions (features and shorts), divided into thematic sections that reflect the diversity of contemporary French filmmaking. Three awards will be presented at the end of the festival: the Filmmakers' Jury Prize, the International Press Jury Prize, and the Lacoste Audience Prize. In addition to offering a brand-new fully-revised platform, MyFrenchFilmFestival will also be available for viewing on around 30 partner platforms (including iTunes in over 90 countries). A new section has been added this year entitled Midnight Screenings, which will offer viewers a racy, quirky selection of titles. The festival is accessible free-of-charge in many countries and regions around the world: Latin America, Africa, Russia, Poland, Romania, and India.
The opening ceremony will be followed by a concert by Emily Loizeau.
PRESENTATION OF A FRENCH CINEMA AWARD TO ISABELLE HUPPERT
On January 16 at 6:30 p.m. at the Ministry of Culture and Communication, a French Cinema Award* will be presented by Audrey Azoulay, the French Minister of Culture, and Jean-Paul Salomé, president of UniFrance, to the Isabelle Huppert, who has just recently been honored with a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama, for her performance in Elle.
Twelve directors who have worked with Isabelle Huppert agreed to participate in a special tribute that will be presented to accompany this award: Olivier Assayas, Bavo Defurne, Anne Fontaine, Mia Hansen-Løve, Eva Ionesco, Joachim Lafosse, Guillaume Nicloux, Marc Fitoussi, Serge Bozon, Samuel Benchetrit, Benoit Jacquot, Diane Kurys, and François Ozon.
With this award, which was recently presented to Dimitri Rassam & Aton Soumache, producers of The Little Prince, and Andrea Occhipinti, CEO of the Italian distribution firm Lucky Red), UniFrance regularly honors the work of an outstanding personality in the international movie industry who has contributed to raising the profile of French cinema around the world.
*This prestigious clear crystal award is hand-crafted at the legendary Saint-Louis crystal manufacturing house, which was founded in 1586 and remains a symbol of French standards of excellence and expertise. Created from a ball of fire and human breath, Saint-Louis crystal vibrates with all of the talent inherited from History while also drawing inspiration from the extraordinary creative fantasy of current trends. Every day, the Saint-Louis Cristallerie produces exceptional pieces created by master glassmakers and glasscutters who are among France's award-winning Leading Craftsmen. The French Cinema Award is one of these pieces.
ROUND TABLE
UniFrance will host a round table discussion on January 16 from 9:30 a.m. at the Grand Hotel Intercontinental (Ravel Salon) on the following theme: "What is the future of independent film distribution in the international context?" The round table will include the participation of Jean Labadie (Le Pacte), Éric Lagesse (Pyramide International), Jordan Mintzer (The Hollywood Reporter), Antonio Medici (Bim Distribuzione), and will be moderated by François Pier Pélinard-Lambert, chief editor of the magazine Le Film Français.
The complete program of the 2017 Rendez-Vous with French Cinema in Paris can be downloaded (see attachment).
