During this month packed with movie industry events, Unifrance organized two film festivals in particular.
The Budapest French Film Festival (UNIFRANCE)
Held from April 19 through 22, this festival received a delegation of French artists: Aurélien Recoing for 13 - Tzameti, Thierry Klifa for Le Héros de la famille (Family Hero), Patrick Braoudé, and Anne-Sophie Franck, and Djena Tsimba for Mes copines.
French Film Panorama in China (UNIFRANCE)
This year’s Panorama event took place from April 27 through May 7 in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Nankin. A delegation of French artists attended the event, led by Jérôme Seydoux, including Frédéric Schoendoerffer for Agents secrets (Secret Agents), Catherine Corsini for Les Ambitieux (Ambitious), Carole Bouquet and Nils Tavernier for Aurore, Abderrahmane Sissako for Bamako, Philippe Calderon for La Citadelle assiégée (The Besieged Fortress), Danièle Thompson for Fauteuils d'orchestre (Avenue Montaigne), Laurent Boutonnat for Jacquou le Croquant, Eric Lartigau for Prête-moi ta main (I Do: How to Get Married and Stay Single), Santiago Amigorena for Quelques jours en septembre (A Few Days in September), and Denis Dercourt for La Tourneuse de pages (The Page Turner). The short films screened at the event were presented by Sébastien de Fonseca, producer and member of the Unifrance Short Film Committee.
Unifrance also provided travel assistance to French artists attending the following film festivals:
Buenos Aires International Independent Film (Feature films)
Jean-Pascal Hattu for 7 ans (7 Years), Isabelle Czajka for L'Année suivante, Gustave Kervern for Avida, Claire Simon for Ca brûle, and Luc Moullet for Le Prestige de la mort (Death's Glamour).
Tribeca Film Festival, New York (Feature films)
Benoît Delépine and Gustave Kervern for Avida, Ghassan Salhab for Le Dernier homme (The Last Man), Julie Delpy for Two Days in Paris, Camila Guzmán Urzúa for El Telon de Azucar (The Sugar Curtain), Michel Kammoun for Falafel, Pascale Ferran for Lady Chatterley, Patrice Leconte for Mon meilleur ami (My Best Friend), Jean-Pierre Darroussin for Le Pressentiment (The Premonition), and Emanuele Crialese for The Golden Door.
Istanbul International Film Festival (Feature films)
Thibault Vinçon for Les Amitiés maléfiques (Poison Friends).
San Francisco International Film Festival (Feature films)
Jean-Pascal Hattu for 7 ans (7 Years); Olivier Dahan for La Môme (La Vie en Rose), and Jeanne Waltz for Pas douce (A Parting Shot).
London French Film Festival (Feature films)
Michel Hazanavicius and Bérénice Béjo for OSS 117, Le Caire nid d’espions (OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies), Patrick Grandperret for Meurtrières, and Christian Vincent for Quatre étoiles (Four Stars).
City of Lights, City of Angels Film Festival, Los Angeles (Feature films)
Chantal Briet for Alimentation générale, Guillaume Canet for Ensemble, c’est tout (Hunting and Gathering), Bruno Dumont for Flandres (Flanders), Pierre Salvadori for Hors de prix (Priceless), Michaël Simon for Je crois que je l’aime (Could This Be Love?), Olivier Dahan and Marion Cotillard for La Môme (La Vie en Rose), Thomas Gilou for Michou d’Auber, and Olivier Assayas for Paris, je t’aime.
City of Lights, City of Angels Film Festival, Los Angeles (Short films)
Renan Delaroche for La Porte and Laurent Bertoni for The Professionals.
San Francisco International Film Festival (Short films)
Alexandre Charlet for Peter Pan a grandi et John Lennon est mort.
Short Film Nights in Kiev (Short films)
Manuel Schapira for Décroche.
Lisbon International Independent Film Festival (Short films)
Eugene Green for Les Signes and Yann Sinic for Le Remords.
Dresden FilmFest – International Short Film Festival (Short films)
Suki for Reflets.
Gyor MediaWave Festival (Short films)
Olivier Ciechelski for L’Écluse.
Rome Independent Film Festival-RIFF (Short films)
Matteo Minetto for Intimita.
Festivals/Awards
Sprockets Film Festival (Feature films)
Azur et Asmar (Azur and Asmar) by Michel Ocelot – Best Animated Film.
Larissa Mediterranean New Directors’ Film Festival (Short films)
Mafia Loose by Bénédicte Delmas – Special Mention in the International Competition.
Accident by Patrick Halpine – Special Mention in the Mediterranean Competition.
Vos papiers! by Claire Fouquet – Special Mention in the Mediterranean Competition.
Trente ans by Nicolas Lasnibat – Best Actor.
Enceinte jusqu'aux dents by Marie Donnio – Best Actress.
Le Dîner by Cécile Vernant – Best Actress.
Brussels International Fantasy Film Festival (Short films)
Demain la veille by Julien Lecat and Sylvain Pioutaz – BeTV Prize.
Rome Independent Film Festival-RIFF (Short films)
Le Dîner by Cécile Vernant – Best Foreign Short Film.
Kiev International Documentary Film Festival-Contact (Short films)
Eût-elle été criminelle... by Jean-Gabriel Périot – Jury Special Mention.
Aspen ShortsFest (Short films)
Deweneti by Dyana Gaye – Napapijri Cultural Discovery Awar.
Dresden FilmFest – International Short Film Festival (Short films)
Dérives by Bill Barluet – Youth Jury Prize.
Unifrance support for commercial release
François Ozon for the release of Angel in German-speaking Switzerland, Michel Ocelot for the release of Azur et Asmar (Azur and Asmar) in Toronto and in Sweden, Julien Boisselier for the release of J’veux pas que tu t’en ailles (Please Don't Go) in Belgium, Philippe Lioret for Je vais bien, ne t’en fais pas (Don’t Worry, I’m Fine) in Switzerland, Marion Cotillard for the release of La Môme (La Vie en Rose) in Spain, Kristin Scott Thomas for the release of Ne le dis à personne (Tell No One) in the UK, Jean-Pierre Darroussin for the release of Le Pressentiment (The Premonition) in Quebec, Alexandra Leclère and Gérard Lanvin for the release of Le Prix à payer (The Price to Pay) in Switzerland, Philippe Leclerc for the release of La Reine soleil (Princess of the Sun) in Switzerland, and Denis Dercourt and Catherine Frot for the release of La Tourneuse de pages (The Page Turner) in Germany.
Unifrance will also be present at the 60th Cannes International Film Festival on the Pantiero Esplanade from May 15 through 27.