Soon to celebrate its 30th anniversary, the "Tous Courts" Short Film Festival has stamped itself as a must-attend event on the short film industry calendar.
This year's 13th Aix-en-Provence Film Market attracted an impressive 11 foreign film buyers and distributors: RTP (Portugal), TSR (Switzerland), TV3 Catalunya (Spain), TV Man Union (Japan), Egoist TV (Russia), Canal+ Poland, TV5 Monde, SOTA Group (Ukraine), Ouat Media (distribution, Canada), Some Like It Short (distribution, Spain), Elypse (distribution, Spain).
The major French distributors (Premium Films, La Luna Productions and the Agence du Court Métrage) and buyers (Arte, France Télévisions, TPS) were also present at the event.
The Film Market offered an opportunity for uniFrance Films to hold discussions with the various players in the short film sector as part of an annual study conducted on French short film distribution abroad, in order to supplement information contained in our database and to take stock of the latest market developments.
It was thus observed that, despite the presence of one Japanese buyer, the Asian market appears to be somewhat dispirited, marked by the restructuring of the production house TV Man Union and a decline in funds available for the acquisition of short films. Other markets, on the other hand, appear particularly dynamic, such as Spain (represented by three companies), and Russia, with acquisition deals already in the pipeline following the festival.
Awards:
Fujifilm/uniFrance Films Prize
• The Shady Sailor by Sophie Letourneur
Fujifilm offers the winning film's director a stock of 16mm or 35mm film valued at €4,000 (inclusive of all taxes), with uniFrance Films offering the winner subtitling aid valued at €1,500.
Cinémas du Sud Prize
• Crossing the Playground by Annarita Zambrano
Distribution of the winning short film in the Cinémas du Sud theater network.
Francophone Television Networks Prize
• God's the One to Tell by Elsa Diringer
Acquisition and distribution by France Télévisions, TV5 Monde, and TPS Star.
Youth Jury Special Mention
• Paris Shanghai by Thomas Cailley
Audience Prize
• Child of Yak by Christophe Boula
