04/05/2005

For the second time in a row, the South Korean director Hong Sang-soo is in competition at the Cannes Film Festival. His sixth feature, Conte de cinéma (Keuk Jang Jeon), was just added, as a last minute entry, to the 20 other films running for the Golden Palm 2005. The film was co-coproduced by the French company MK2 and Arte France Cinéma. It is actually the fourth film the director has brought on the Croisette, after The Power of Kangwon Province (Un Certain Regard 1998), Virgin Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors (Un Certain regard 2000), and Woman Is the Future of Man (Competition 2004). MK2 will handle the international sales and the distribution of his latest entry in France.

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The Un Certain Regard section was also added two last-minute contestants: Eli, Eli, Lema Sabachtani by Aoyama Shinji (Japan) and Marock by Laïla Marrakchi. The latter is produced by Lazennec (France) ; its French distributor is Pan Européenne. This €3M first feature for the young Moroccan director (she was born in 1975) was co-produced by France 3 Cinéma (€450,000, including €225,000 for broadcasting) and received a €400,000 advance-on-admissions from the Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC).
It was also decided that Darshan - l'Etreinte by Jan Kounen will be shown at special screenings, out of competition. This €980,000 documentary was produced by Les Productions de La Roche in a partnership with Tawak Pictures and Arte France Cinéma (€300,000, including €100,000 for broadcasting). Like Marock, by Laïla Marrakchi, Darshan - l'Etreinte is sold by Roissy Films. Finally, Morceaux choisis des Histoire(s) du cinéma by Jean-Luc Godard will be shown out of competition at special screenings, both as part of the official selection and at the International Critics’ Week.

(Translated from French)