From Seattle to Moscow, and a stop-over in Shanghai, French films are picking up awards wherever they travel, with an action-packed schedule ahead this summer.
The month of June was particularly fruitful for French films in the international arena. "O.S.S. 117: Nest of Spies" by Michel Hazanavicius won the Audience Award at the 32nd Seattle International Film Festival, a major industry event that attracts some 160,000 spectators. At the Shanghai International Film Festival, Fabienne Godet and Olivier Gourmet were honored for the film "Sauf le respect que je vous dois" (“Burnt Out”) in the Best Director and Best Actress categories, while "Le Parfum de la dame en noir" (“The Perfume of the Lady in Black”) by Bruno Podalydès picked up the Exploration Spirit Award from the Chinese television channel CCTV 6. The 28th Moscow International Film Festival closed July 2, with Bertrand Blier winning the Best Director Award for “Combien tu m'aimes?” (“How Much Do You Love Me?”).
It is worth noting that Unifrance has registered 200 French film releases in international markets for the period covering June, July and August, 2006
These titles include “Asterix and the Vikings” by Stefan Fjeldmark released in 7 territories (Denmark, India, Norway, Quebec, Sweden, Russia, and Ukraine), “L’Enfer” by Danis Tanovic in 6 territories (Germany, Australia, Austria, Russia, Ukraine, and Italy), “How Much Do You Love Me?” by Bertrand Blier in 6 territories (Germany, Brazil, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, and Taiwan), and “Heading South” by Laurent Cantet in 5 territories (Germany, Spain, Italy, Great Britain, and the United States).
French films will continue to travel the globe in the upcoming quarter, with a packed schedule of festivals including Karlovy Vary, Boston, Munich, Warsaw, Melbourne, Edinburgh, Locarno, Hausegesund, Montreal, Venice, Toronto, and San Sebastian.
