Unifrance congratulates director Trần Anh Hùng and his producer Olivier Delbosc (Curiosa Films), whose film The Taste of Things will represent France at the Oscars 2024, following the decision of the selection committee convened by the CNC on September 21.
The Taste of Things, which reunites Juliette Binoche - who won an Oscar in 1997 for The English Patient - and Benoît Magimel, is a passionate, gourmet hymn to French gastronomy and savoir-faire, combining this shared taste for the culinary arts with a touching love story. This is the seventh feature from director Trần Anh Hùng, who won the prestigious Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival 2023, where the film had its world premiere.
Sold internationally by Gaumont, The Taste of Things made its North American premiere in early September at the 50th Telluride International Film Festival, accompanied by the director and world-renowned, multi-starred chef Pierre Gagnaire. The film will soon be screened at the New York Film Festival (NYFF).
Following its presentation at Cannes, the film was co-bought for the USA by Sapan Studios and IFC Films, the latter having distributed a large number of French films across the Atlantic (Both Sides of the Blade by Claire Denis, Paris, 13th District by Jacques Audiard, Things to Come by Mia Hansen-Løve, Clouds of Sils Maria by Olivier Assayas, and Blue is the Warmest Color by Abdellatif Kechiche, to mention just a few).
Distributed by Gaumont, The Taste of Things will hit French screens on November 8.
Unifrance would also like to raise a toast to the four other films proposed to represent France at the Oscars: Anatomy of a Fall by Justine Triet, Sons of Ramses by Clément Cogitore, The Animal Kingdom by Thomas Cailley, and On The Wandering Path by Denis Imbert. Each of these works demonstrates the excellence, diversity, and vibrancy of French filmmakers and filmmaking.
As it does every year for the Best International Film Oscar contender, Unifrance will do its utmost to support The Taste of Things campaign over the coming months..
The selection committee, independent and renewed every year, was made up of exporters Sabine Chemaly and Tanja Meissner, producers Patrick Wachsberger and Charles Gillibert, film directors Olivier Assayas and Mounia Meddour, and composer Alexandre Desplat.
The Taste of Things will next have to pass the shortlist stage (15 films), which will be revealed on December 21. The five films nominated for the Best International Film Oscar will be revealed on January 23, and the Oscar ceremony will take place on March 10, 2024 in Los Angeles.
