03/02/2005

Despite its absence from the official competition, French cinema is very well represented at this 34th edition of the Rotterdam International Film Festival which will end on Sunday. For the Festival has many different sections besides the competition in which many young French directors as well as confirmed ones have been able to present their works. Not to mention the huge amount of professionals of the French film industry who came to attend the Dutch festival.

In the Cinema of the Future section, several young French directors have shown great potential: Isild Le Besco's Demi-Tarif as well as the French, Belgian, and British coproduction Wild Side by Sébastien Lifshitz, Illuminations by Pascale Breton (international sales: Gémini Films), and the multiple prize-winner Innocence by Lucile Hadzihalilovic (sold by Wild Bunch) are the works of talented young people. Eight French productions and coproductions were included in the Cinema of the world section. One of them is the film distinguished as best first film at the Mostra 2004: Le Grand Voyage by Ismaël Ferroukhi (sold by Pyramide International). The others are Arafat, mon frère(Arafat, my Brother), Basse Normandie by Patricia Mazuy and Simon Reggiani (sales: Les Films du Losange), Le dernier jour(The Last Day) by Rodolphe Marconi (Gémini Films), L'Oeil de l'autre (The Other's Eye) by John Lvoff (a Pierre Grise Production), Les revenants by Robin Campillo (Films Distribution), and two coproductions, the French and Moroccan filmTarfaya (Wide Management) and the French, Algerian, and Belgian Viva Laldjérie by Nadir Mokneche (Les Films du Losange).

If young film-makers were numerous, famous directors weren't neglected either: a Benoît Jacquot cycle was organised; Agnès Varda's Cinévardaphoto was selected in the Maestros section, and so was Arnaud Desplechin'sRois et reines (sales: Wild Bunch). Also on the screen: Clean by Olivier Assayas (The Works), L'intrus (The Intruder) by Claire Denis (Pyramide International), and Le Pont des arts by Eugène Green (Mact Productions). Besides, the Cinemart has accepted several French projects in need of financial support. Thus, Sunday Morning Productions met the needs of L'été indien by Alain Raoust (winner of the prize Fipresci 2002 in Locarno with La Cage), while Agat Films-Ex Nihilo chose Le dernier des fous by Laurent Achard (Tiger Award 1999 in Rotterdam with Plus qu'hier moins que demain) and Les Films du Poisson distinguished Tu es Dieu by the experimental film-maker Delphine Kreuter.
On the whole, over thirty French companies (producers, distributors, sales companies) traveled to Rotterdam. Amongst them: StudioCanal, Diaphana, TF1 International, Funny Balloons, Elzevir Films, Rezo Films, Océan Films, UGC International, Gaumont, ARP, Pathé, TS Productions, Arte France Cinéma, MK2, Arcapix et Orly Films.

(Translated from French)