Interfilm, Berlin's International Short Film Festival, closed last Sunday with two prizes awarded to French short films. To coincide with this 18th edition of the festival, Unifrance launched its 24th Short Cuts videocassette.
This year 23 French films were selected for screening in the various sections of the Berlin Interfilm International Short Film Festival, among the 170 international films (from 20 countries) showcased at the event.
"Balibalo" by Marc Andréoni won the award for Best Sound, while "Maman, regarde!" by Paul Boujenah (Little Bear Productions) picked up the Confrontations 1st Prize.
In addition to the strong lineup of French films presented in competition, France was also in the spotlight this year with 5 Panorama sections devoted to French fare, featuring "Rien ne va plus," "Conte du jour et de la nuit," "Trick à la carte" (an animated film), a program of independent films (dedicated to the French production companies, Karé and Sacrebleu) and the unveiling of Unifrance's latest "Short Cuts" cassette, screened in Beta SP. This represents around 40 French films showcased in the various sections of the festival.
On the menu of the 24th Short Cuts videocassette are:
• "Balibalo" by Marc Andréoni (Fiction, 8' 06", 35mm, B & W). This comedy, as unsettling as it is hilarious, produced by Paramonti, was also selected at Rome, St Petersburg, São Paulo and at Geneva where it won the TV5 Prize for the Best French-language film and the TSR Prize.
• "Nosferatu Tango" by Zoltan Horvath (Animated film, 12' 48", 35mm, Color). This offbeat love story between a mosquito and a vampire has been selected at numerous festivals (Rome, Belo Horizonte, Toronto, Montecatini, Hiroshima, Drama, Ismaïlia, Moncton, Namur, Ankara, Leipzig, São Paulo, San Sebastian and Berlin). It was honored with the Best Animation award as well as a Special Mention from the Youth Jury at Montecatini. The film was produced by Le Mur du Son Cinéma and Nadasdy Film (Switzerland).
• "Comme un seul homme" by Jean-Louis Gonnet (Documentary, 15 min, 35mm, Color). An inside look at the private world of rugby players in their dressing room, this film has been selected at festivals at Oberhausen, Hamburg, Vila do Conde, Mayence, São Paulo, Cork, Leeds, Montreal, Leipzig, Uppsala, Turin and Berlin, among others. It won the RTP Prize and the award for Best Documentary at Vila do Conde, the Louis Le Prince Award for Best Documentary at Leeds and the Grand Prix at the Uppsala Festival. The film was produced by 4 A 4.
• "D’une cité l’autre" by Hélène Moinerie (Animated film, 5 min, 35mm, Color). Somewhere between an urban trance and a visual poem, this animated film produced Karé Productions was selected at Göteborg, Istanbul, New York, St Petersburg, Sitges and Berlin.
• "Loup!" by Zoé Galeron (Fiction, 20', 35mm, Color). This drama, starring Aurélien Recoing and Cécile de France set in a universe of secrets and allurement, was selected at Geneva (Cinéma Tout Ecran), Clermont-Ferrand and Berlin. It was produced by Balthazar Productions.
• "Pourquoi… passkeu" by Gilles Lellouche and Tristan Aurouet (Fiction, 7 min, 35mm, Color). This comedy, dealing with everyday life and its minor and major frustrations, was selected at Richmond, Brussels, Montreal and Berlin and was produced by Midi Minuit.
• "Des Anges" by Julien Leloup (Fiction, 14' 30", 35mm, Color). This debut film by a young director, winner of the Grand Prix at Clermont-Ferrand in 2002, has been selected at countless festivals including Barcelona, Berlin, Cork, Dresden, at the Lutins, Moncton, Namur, Oberhausen, St Petersburg, Uppsala and Valladolid. It was produced by Moby Dick Films.
This videocassette has been released by Unifrance in 800 copies, distributed to all international short film festivals and buyers. Unifrance members can obtain a copy by contacting the Short Film Department: christine.gendre@unifrance.org
