The Unifrance Rendez-Vous in Le Havre kicks off on Monday, September 1 with an evening event at MuMA, the Musée d’Art Moderne André Malraux, at the invitation of the Mairie du Havre. On Wednesday September 3, participants will also be invited by the Région Normandie to an evening event at the Palais Bénédictine in Fécamp.

The video library will open its doors on Tuesday, September 2 at the Carré des Docks, initially to buyers only, from 9am to 12:30pm, for a morning entirely devoted to viewing the most recent French audiovisual programs represented in all their multiplicity of genres: fiction, animation, documentary, live performance, and entertainment. These programs, available on the event's viewing platform, will be accessible on-site in the video library and online.

At the same time, French distributors will be invited to a morning of conferences, running from 10am to 12pm, including the announcement of export figures for French audiovisual programs in 2024, co-presented by the CNC and Unifrance.

The market will open its doors on Tuesday, September 2, from 1:30pm, to host members' meetings until the end of the day on Thursday, September 4. The video library will remain open to buyers for the duration of the market.

This year's gala evening will take place on Tuesday, September 2 at 7pm, and will feature the fiction series Vendetta (6x52’), created by Ange Basterga, written by Ange Basterga, Pierre-Marie Mosconi, and Emmanuelle Michaux, produced by CPB Films, and distributed by France tv distribution. Thierry Neuvic and Vahina Giocante play the main characters in this Corsican family saga, which spans the 1990s to the present day. The artistic teams will be on hand to present an exclusive screening of the first episode of the series at the Pathé Docks Vauban, and to exchange views with foreign professionals at a festive dinner to be held in the Carré des Docks auditorium.

Vendetta

©Marine Danaux - CPB Films - France Télévisions

The closing evening will take place on Thursday, September 4 at 7pm, at Magic Mirrors, and will feature the Barbapapa en famille ! series (104x11’), created, written, and directed by Alice Taylor and Thomas Taylor, and distributed by FESTIVAAL Distribution. On the occasion of the series' 55th anniversary, the most popular of families is back on screen to once again enliven children's daily lives.

Throughout the event, accredited guests will be invited to discover, at dinners and screenings, a number of productions due to hit the screens soon:

• The documentary Nature: The Call for Reconciliation (105’), written and directed by Yann Arthus-Bertrand, and distributed by Federation Studios. This film traces the history of life, from its cosmic origins to its contemporary challenges, and calls for a collective transformation to reconcile humanity with nature. The documentary will be screened at the Pathé Docks Vauban cinema at midday Tuesday.
• The drama series Phoenix (6x45'), created by Louis Aubert and Matthieu Bernard, co-written by Clément Marchand, directed by Franck Brett and distributed by Mediawan Rights. Starring Natacha Lindinger, François Berléand, Marie Colomb and Léo Legrand, it follows the Alpha Group, an underground organisation that decides to fight climate inaction by kidnapping, on the eve of a European forum, the children of corporate leaders, in order to force them to live up to their commitments. The series will be screened at the Pathé Docks Vauban cinema at midday Wednesday.
• Season 2 of the dramatic series Escort Boys (6x45’), written by Marc Syrigas, Ruben Alves and Yael Lebrati Attuil, directed by Ruben Alves, and distributed by Wild Bunch TV. After a successful first season, the series reunites its four protagonists — played by Guillaume Labbé, Thibaut Evrard, Corentin Fila, and Simon Ehrlacher — who are forced to return to escorting just when they were on the brink of saving their family estate. The series will be screened at the Pathé Docks Vauban cinema at midday Thursday.

Unifrance has retained a formula that has proven its effectiveness in promoting and selling French audiovisual programs. Unifrance is delighted to be working with the city of Le Havre and the Région Normandie, and would like to thank them for renewing their confidence in Unifrance for this second edition in Normandy.

Unifrance warmly congratulates all the teams behind the award-winning works, and welcomes this latest demonstration of the unparalleled vitality of French animation and its international reach.
 

French animation awarded at the Annecy Festival

• Cristal for a Feature Film: Arco by Ugo Bienvenu
• Gan Foundation Award for Distribution: Olivia and the Invisible Earthquake by Irene Iborra
• Audience Award: Little Amélie or the Character of Rain by Maïlys Vallade, Liane-Cho Han
• Paul Grimault Award: Dandelion's Odyssey by Momoko Seto
• SACEM Award for Best Original Soundtrack in a Feature Film: Arnaud Toulon for Arco by Ugo Bienvenu
• Jury Special Distinction for an Original Soundtrack in a Feature Film: Jean L'appeau for Death Does Not Exist by Félix Dufour-Laperrière
   

Short Films

• Cristal for a Short Film: The Night Boots by Pierre-Luc Granjon
• Audience Award: The Night Boots by Pierre-Luc Granjon
• André-Martin Award for a French Short Film: The Night Boots by Pierre-Luc Granjon
• Cristal for a Graduation Film: Zootrope by Léna Martinez
• Jury Award: Entre les jours by Martin Bonnin
   

TV and Commissioned Films

• Cristal for a Commissioned Film: Naive New Beaters & Star Feminine Band - Ye Kou Si Kuo Watch & Dance by Lola Lefèvre
• Audience Award: Freaked Out: "Major Decision" by Théo Grosjean & Mothy

Unifrance: How did the project to adapt Théo Grosjean's comic strip come about?

Nicolas SchmerkinNicolas Schmerkin: It all began when Kyan Khojandi discovered Théo Grosjean's comic strip, originally published on Instagram. Kyan contacted Théo with a proposal for an animated series adaptation, and then spoke to Canal+, who quickly became interested in the project. Having no experience in animation production, Kyan then approached us to co-produce and create the series. Autour de Minuit agreed, and took charge of finalizing the financing (CNC, Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Département de la Charente) and overseeing putting the series together

The animation was produced at Borderline studio, part of Autour de Minuit in Angoulême. Kyan Khojandi plays the lead voice and, with co-directors Théo Grosjean and Mothy, has assembled a 5-star cast including Garance Marillier, Cyprien Iov, Morgane Cadignan, and Brigitte Lecordier, among others.

What were the main challenges you faced in adapting the series, whether in terms of the short format or the sensitive subject of anxiety, which is still rarely portrayed on screen?

NS: One of the first challenges was to adapt the length and rhythm of some of the comic strips to fit the 2-minute format..

As far as the themes were concerned, Canal+ gave us a lot of freedom, as long as we kept to the light-hearted tone already present in the comic. The series also benefited from Kyan's experience in producing short formats and managing the pace of the story, which helped us strike the right balance between emotion and comedy.

How did you manage to gather such a stellar cast around this project, and what was the collaboration like?

NS: We auditioned several actors to play Theo, but weren't totally convinced. Then Kyan gave it a try, and his voice proved perfectly suited: just right in terms of flow, timbre, and variation. He did, however, have to make his voice a little younger to match the character's age, and so that audiences didn't recognize his voice-over from Bref.

It was also Kyan who suggested Garance Marillier for the role of Auriane, and Morgane Cadignan for the role of Anxiety. For his part, Mothy had already worked with Cyprien on his first animated series, Épopée temporelle, and convinced him to join the project. The whole cast was won over by the sensibility of Grosjean, who is very present on social networks, and whose message is universal.

The directors, steeped in pop culture, wanted the casting of the secondary characters to reflect this heritage, so they included the French voices of Dragon Ball, Batman, and so on. They dreamed of having the French voice of San Goku! At Autour de Minuit, we had already collaborated with Brigitte Lecordier. She then called on her own network as artistic director to bring together the cream of French dubbing.

Season 2, recently broadcast in France on Canal+, plunges Theo into new everyday situations that are a source of immeasurable anxiety for him. How does this new season differ from the first, while remaining true to the series' DNA?

NS: This season introduces new characters representative of Theo's anxiety, such as Toc, a specialist in obsessive-compulsive disorders, and Mort, a specialist in dangerous and risky situations. We also learn more about the father figures in his life.

Another new feature is recurrent incursions into Théo's head, in a command center of his brain where the agents in charge of his emotions struggle, with humor and clumsiness, against everyday situations.

Season 2 also explores Théo and Auriane's relationship as a couple, from the moment they move in to the first questions they ask themselves.

Overall, this season goes further in terms of emotion: it tackles themes that are still universal, but deeper and more difficult, such as death, mourning and separation – always with sensitivity and humor.

Freaked Out: "Major Decision"

The Major Decision episode (Season 2) has been awarded at the Annecy Festival, in the category dedicated to television. Why do you think this particular episode was selected?

NS: On the one hand, this episode embodies the spirit of Season 2: Théo wants to take a step forward in his relationship with Auriane by moving in with her, but it's a decision he doesn't take lightly. We then enter his head, where a summit meeting pits the different entities of his pysche against each other. In the end, love wins out.

On the other hand, it's funny, profound, nostalgic, and universal. It touches on a pivotal moment in Theo's life, one that viewers can easily identify with: the transition to adulthood, the commitment to a relationship, and all the anxieties that brings.

After the international success of Season 1, do you think this selection could open up new prospects for Season 2 abroad?

Guillaume AngeGuillaume Ange:Season 1 got off to a quiet start internationally, despite its recognized scriptwriting and graphic qualities, supported by Autour de Minuit's committed distribution work. Financed by Canal+, it also convinced TV5MONDE and TV5 Québec, enabling it to be broadcast in several French-speaking territories. Belgium, co-producer via Panique!, also enabled it to be broadcast on RTBF.
TV5 Québec wished to continue the adventure with Season 2, demonstrating its true loyalty to the project. This confirms the export potential of the series, even if its short format – often perceived as less attractive by traditional broadcasters – is a real obstacle to international distribution.
The first season consisted of just 20 episodes, which limited sales opportunities abroad. Now with a total of 40 episodes, Freaked Out has a much greater volume, enabling it to pursue a more ambitious distribution strategy, particularly in the non-linear market, a very promising sector for this type of series.
The selection of the "Major Decision" episode from Season 2 at Annecy represents a real opportunity to rekindle interest in the series. A presence at the festival not only enables us to reach the major international broadcasters and platforms present, but also to promote the series among animation and youth professionals. We hope that this exposure will boost the visibility of Season 2 and lead to new sales, including outside the French-speaking world: Switzerland, Spain, Germany, United Kingdom…

The series tackles a universal subject that is all too often taboo: mental health among teenagers and young adults. In your opinion, is this universal aspect one of the series' major appeal factors for international audiences?

GA: Freaked Out tackles the issue of mental health among teenagers and young adults with a touch of humor. It's a theme that's still all too often taboo, even though it resonates strongly with our times, well beyond cultural borders. This universal dimension enables the series to reach a wide audience, without lapsing into pathos, and to create a genuine space for identification and reflection.

What do you think Freaked Out's other strengths are in attracting broadcasters and audiences abroad?

GA: In addition to the thematic aspect, Freaked Out stands out for its brilliant writing, which is funny, tender, and hard-hitting, thanks to the combined talents of Théo Grosjean and Mothy. Its distinctive visual identity sets it apart in the animation landscape for teenagers and young adults.
The quality of the production, guaranteed by the involvement of Autour de Minuit, as well as its co-producers FKLG (Kyan Khojandi's production company) and Panique! in Belgium, further strengthens the series' credibility on foreign markets.

A number of awards were announced:

• I'm Glad You're Dead Now by Tawfeek Barhom was crowned with the Short Film Palme d'or at Cannes
• Butterfly by Florence Miailhe received the International Competition Grand Prix at the Internationales Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart
• Amen by Orphée Coutier, Bettina Demarty, Kimie Maingonnat, Laurène Perego, and Avril Zundel received the Prix Tricks for Kids, again at the Internationales Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart
• Autokar by Sylwia Szkiłądź carried off two awards at the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen: the Prize of the Children's Jury and also the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury of the Children’s and Youth Film Competition
• Their Eyes by Nicolas Gourault pursued its fine career and won the International Competition Grand Prix at IndieLisboa
• Bleu Heart by Samuel Suffren, which had its world premiere at Directors' Fortnight in Cannes, received the Jury Prize for Best Cinematography at Vienna Independent Shorts 
• Fenêtres by Elsa Pennachio and Étienne De Villars received a Special Mention of the Jury of the Ministry of Culture and Science of North Rhine-Westphalia at the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen

The following people received travel funding:

• Nicolas Gourault for his film Their Eyes at IndieLisboa
• Tohé Commaret for his film Because of (U) at IndieLisboa
• Bastien Leblanc for his film Lucy at the Brussels Short Film Festival
• Elsa Pennachio and Étienne De Villars for their film Fenêtres at the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen

All the selections - All the awards

In Belgium, the Brussels Short Film Festival (BSFF) presented 11 French films or co-productions in International Competition:

 International Competition

• Milk Brothers by Kenza Tazi
• Blueberry Summer by Masha Kondakova
• Chico by Enzo Lorenzo
• The Man Who Couldn't Remain Silent by Nebojša Slijepčević
• Le Bézoard by Laure-Élie Chénier-Moreau
• Lucy by Bastien Leblanc
• Death of an Actor by Ambroise Rateau
• Don’t Wake the Sleeping Child by Kevin Aubert
• Pirateland by Stavros Petropoulos
• The Champ by Ermir Keta
• There Is No Friend's House by Abbas Taheri

18 French films were selected by our German neighbors at the Interntionales Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart (ITFS):

International Competition

• Hurikán by Jan Saska
• Playing God by Matteo Burani
• Percebes by Alexandra Ramires and Laura Gonçalves
• Flatastic by Alice Saey
• Butterfly by Florence Miailhe
• Shadows by Rand Beiruty
• A Very Twisted Tale by Catherine Buffat and Jean-Luc Gréco

Student Competition

• The Shyness of Trees by Bingqing Shu, Maud Le Bras, Simin He, Loïck Du Plessis D'agentré, Sofiia Chuikovska, Lina Han, and Jiaxin Huang
• Wormwood by Matthieu Dupille, Chenhe Liu, Philémon Martin, Ninon Quéméner, Alexander Vanderplank, and Binlin Xie
• Entre les jours by Martin Bonnin
• Hic svnt dracones by Justin Fayard

Tricks for Kids

• Amen by Orphée Coutier, Bettina Demarty, Kimie Maingonnat, Laurène Perego, and Avril Zundel
• The Carp and the Child by Morgane Simon and Arnaud Demuynck
• The Sea Monster by Frits Standaert
• The Night Boots by Pierre-Luc Granjon
• Hello Summer by Martin Smatana and Veronika Zacharová

Trickstar Nature Award

• Hic svnt dracones by Justin Fayard
• Black Tide by Kim Yip Tong

And two films received awards: the Grand Prix of the International Competition went to Butterfly and the Tricks for Kids Award went to Amen.

Amen

Butterfly

At the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen, seven French films were selected in the International Competition and the Children's and Youth Film Competition:

International Competition

• Fenêtres by Elsa Pennachio and Étienne De Villars

Children's and Youth Film Competition

• Adieu Gropius by Bertille Rondard
• Autokar by Sylwia Szkiłądź
• Genealogy of Violence by Mohamed Bourouissa
• J'ai trouvé une boîte by Éric Montchaud
• Fenêtres by Elsa Pennachio and Étienne De Villars
• Tonada de l’hirondelle by Daniela Godel
• Back to the Basswood by Mariam Farota

Autokar not only received the Prize of the Children's Jury, but also the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury of the Children’s and Youth Film Competition.

Fenêtres received a Special Mention of the Jury of the Ministry of Culture and Science of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Autokar

Fenêtres
 

At the Cannes Film Festival, including Critics' Week and Directors' Fortnight, 21 French short films were in the running! 

Official Selection - Competition

• Agapito by Arvin Belarmino and Kyla Danelle Romero
• Dammen by Grégoire Graesslin
• Water Girl by Sandra Desmazières
• I'm Glad You're Dead Now by Tawfeek Barhom
• The Spectacle by Bálint Kenyeres
• Vultures by Dian Weys

Official Selection - Cinef

• The Land of Slumber by Jules Vésigot-Wahl
• Bimo by Oumnia Hanader
• Winter in March by Natalia Mirzoyan
   

Critics' Week - Official Selection

• L'mina by Randa Maroufi
• Bleat! by Ananth Subramaniam
• God is Shy by Jocelyn Charles
• Free Drum Kit by Carmen Leroi
• Samba Infinito by Leonardo Martinelli
• Wonderwall by Róisín Burns

Critics' Week - Special Screenings

• To the Woods by Agnès Patron
• No Skate! by Guil Sela
   

Directors' Fortnight 

• +10K by Gala Hernández López
• Bleu Heart by Samuel Suffren
• Death of the Fish by Éva Lusbaronian
• Loynes by Dorian Jespers

And the French short I'm Glad You're Dead Now garnered the Short Film Palme d'or, while L'mina received the Prix Découverte Leitz Ciné.

I'm Glad You're Dead Now

Two key events for independent cinema were also held in May.

IndieLisboa had a rich selection of French shorts spread across several strands: 

International Competition

• Quisiera no sentir todo este ruido by Lucila Mariani
• S The Wolf by Sameh Alaa
• Their Eyes by Nicolas Gourault
• Sixty-Seven Milliseconds by Galdric Fleury and fleuryfontaine
• Ashen Sun by Camille Monnier
• Because of (U) by Tohé Commaret
• Hurikán by Jan Saska

Silvestre

• Green Grey Black Brown by Yuyan Wang
• The Roe Deer by Delphine Priet-Mahéo
• How Are You? by Caroline Poggi, Jonathan Vinel

IndieJúnior

• Mealitancy by Marie Royer and Zinia Scorier
• Autokar by Sylwia Szkiłądź
• Yuck! by Loïc Espuche
• Once Upon a Time in Dragonville by Marika Herz
• J'ai trouvé une boîte de Éric Montchaud
• The Carp and the Child by Morgane Simon and Arnaud Demuynck
• The Night Boots by Pierre-Luc Granjon
• Lola and the Sound Piano by Augusto Zanovello
• Maya, donne-moi un titre by Michel Gondry
• Pompon Ours - The Dream of the Totem Tree by Matthieu Gaillard
• Votre attention s'il-vous-plaît by Colette Natrella

Rhizome

• The Exploding Girl by Caroline Poggi and Jonathan Vinel

And the Grand Prix of the International Competition was awarded to Their Eyes!

Their Eyes

Last but not least, in Austria, five French films were presented at Vienna Independent Shorts. The 22e edition of the festival marked the departure of its director and founder Daniel Hadenius-Ebner, who made this cinephile event a must for short film professionals and audiences alike. We congratulate him on his work and wish him all the very best for the future. 

Fido Fiction and Documentary - International Competition

• Le Grand Calao by Zoé Cauwet
• Bleu Heart by Samuel Suffren
• How Are You? by Caroline Poggi and Jonathan Vinel

AA Animation Avantgarde - International Competition

• The Exploding Girl by Caroline Poggi and Jonathan Vinel
• Glass House by Boris Labbé
   

The Jury Prize for Best Cinematography went to Bleu Heart! 

Bleu Heart

On the audiovisual front:

The Hollywood Reporter reported on Season 4 of Lupin, currently in production in Paris.
➡️ Read the article online
 

C21 published an interview with Chloé Horgues about Federation Studios's strategy around content for children.
➡️ Read the article online
 

What are the best French thrillers available to watch in Italy? Il Corriere presented its selection.
➡️ Read the article online
 

World Screen published an interview with Véronique Encrenaz about the challenges of the Marché international du film d'animation (MIFA), which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.
➡️ Read the article online
 

VideoAge International announced that Season 7 of Totally Spies will be broadcast in the United Kingdom, on ITVX and POP.
➡️ Read the article online
 

Sam & Julia, an animated series for children, will be presented at the Kecskemet Film Festival in Hungary, alongside the best animated productions from Europe. 
➡️ Read the article online 
 

And in foreign movie theaters…

In the Americas

In Peru, daily newspaper El Comercio commented on the release of The Most Precious of Cargoes: "A little tale to illustrate horror."
➡️ Read the article online
 

In Brazil, Cine Pop reported on The Story of Souleymane, which released in the country in May.
➡️ Read the article online
 

In the USA, The New York Times wrote about Jane Austen Wrecked My Life: "A love letter to writing and reading."
➡️ Read the article online
 

In Europe

In Portugal, Louise Courvoisier, the director of Holy Cow, declared in an interview on C7nema: "French cinema is very Parisian."
➡️ Read the article online
 

"Highly recommended": such is the opinion of Cinemagazine, which encouraged its readers to go and see Niki, out on theatrical release in The Netherlands at the beginning of June!
➡️ Read the article online
 

"The break-up as human experience," we could read in Cinecitta News about A Missing Part, which has already appealed to more than 23,000 moviegoers in Italy!
➡️ Read the article online