Record-breaking success for the 2018 edition of the Rendez-Vous with French Cinema in New York

21 MARCH 2018

The 2018 edition of the Rendez-Vous With French Cinema à New York, an event jointly organized by UniFrance and the Film at Lincoln Center, wrapped on March 18, after 10 days of screenings and encounters between New York filmgoers and the cream of French arthouse cinema, with a ticket-sales record.

The 23rd edition took place from March 8 through 18, in the presence of 18 French artists who came to present the 24 films selected by Dennis Lim and Florence Almozini, from the Film at Lincoln Center.

In total, 9100 tickets were sold, a record number resulting in unequalled box office revenues of $109.207, over the event's 10 days – which took place at the Lincoln Center's Walter Reade Theater. We should also note the 600 students who came to see Orchestra Class by Rachid Hami, who was present at each of the screenings to answer all the questions that audiences never failed to ask.

The festival placed specific emphasis on young people this year, initiating a MoviePass (similar to the French unlimited-entrance subscription cards operating in France), Student All Access passes and the inauguration of the "Salut les jeunes !" day, with reduced rate tickets for under-40s.

After an opening night during which Jeanne Balibar and Mathieu Amalric, who had come to present Barbara took the spotlight, all the directors present exchanged with audiences during question and answer sessions after the screenings.

In sidebar events, 6 master classes were organized in different universities and institutions around the city (Fordham Univeristy, School of Visual Arts, NYU, Anthology Film Archive).

Lastly, the festival was an occasion for the Metrograph cinema to present a selection of films starring Vincent Macaigne, Mathieu Amalric, and Jeanne Balibar. And a connection was established with the New York International Children's Film Festival, which takes place between March and April, and which showed 5 French features and 13 shorts this year, in the presence in particular of Benjamin Renner.

The portfolio is by Jean-Baptiste Le Mercier and Thomas Brunot.