Unifrance congratulates the filmmaker Alice Diop and her producers Toufik Ayadi and Christophe Barral (SRAB Films), whose film Saint Omer will represent France at the Oscars 2023, following the decision of the selection committee convened by the CNC on September 23.
Saint Omer is the first fiction film by documentary filmmaker Alice Diop and had its world premiere in early September at the Venice Film Festival where it received two prestigious awards: the Lion of the Future, for a first work, and the Silver Lion (Grand Prix du Jury). Sold internationally by Goodfellas, it had its North American premiere at TIFF, and was bought for the USA by Neon, via the Super label, which distributed Bong Joon-ho's Parasite. It will soon be screened at the BFI London Film Festival, in the presence of the director. Distributed in France by Les Films du Losange, Saint Omer will be released in France on November 23.
Alice Diop is among Unifrance's 10 to Watch 2022, which distinguishes each year ten, new generation French directors and artists who contribute to the effervescence of French cinematographic creation.
Unifrance would also like to tip its hat to the four other films that were part of the shortlist: One Fine Morning by Mia Hansen-Løve, Paris Memories by Alice Winocour, The Worst Ones by Lise Akoka and Romane Gueret, and Full Time by Éric Gravel.These works also demonstrate the excellence, diversity, and freshness of French cinema's authors and directors.
Finally, we are delighted that out of these five shortlisted films, four were directed by women.
Unifrance will do its utmost to support the Saint Omer campaign in the coming months.
The selection committee was composed of exporters Hengameh Panahi and Grégoire Melin, producers Philippe Rousselet and Didar Domehri, directors Jacques Audiard and Michel Gondry, as well as Ariane Toscan Du Plantier (Gaumont).
Saint Omer will have to go through several stages before it can be included in the final selection of foreign films vying for the Best International Feature Film Oscar, which should be announced next January.
