02/01/2007

French distributors are releasing approximately 50 European productions (not including French films, see news) in the first half of 2007.

The programme promises to be one of quality and diversity with nine Spanish productions lined up. First in line is Marc Recha’s August Days [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (January 3, Pierre Grise Distribution).

Next in line are animated title Ahmed, el principe de la Alhambra by Juan Bautista Berasategi (February 7, CQFD), Venice hit DarkBlueAlmostBlack [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Daniel Sanchez Arévalo (February 28, MK2 Distribution, see interview), Honour of the Knights (Quixotic) [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Albert Serrat (March 14, Capricci Films, see article), Remake [+see also:
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film profile] by Roger Gual (March 28, Colifilms Distribution) and Iciar Bollain’s Mataharis (April 18, Haut et Court; see news).

Films whose release dates are eagerly awaited include Milos Forman’s Goya’s Ghosts [+see also:
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film profile] (Mars Distribution ), Spanish/German production The Great Match [+see also:
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film profile] by Gerardo Olivares (Océan Films) and Angosto [+see also:
film review
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interview: Alina Sigaro
interview: Belén Bernuy
interview: Jorge Sánchez-Cabezudo
film profile] (see Focus) by Jorge Sanchez Cabezudo (ID Memento).

Eight Italian films are also lined up: Francesco Munzi’s promising Saimir [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (January 10, Les Films du Paradoxe), Venice title The Missing Star [+see also:
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film profile] by Gianni Amelio (January 24, Magrytte Films), Alessandro d’Alatri’s The Fever [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (February 28, Acadra), Italy’s Academy Awards entry Golden Door [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alexandre Mallet-Guy
interview: Charlotte Gainsbourg
interview: Emanuele Crialese
interview: Emanuele Crialese
interview: Fabrizio Mosca
film profile] by Emanuele Crialese (March 21, ID Memento; see interview), The Wedding Director by Marco Bellocchio (April 18, Les Films sans Frontières), Francesca Comencini’s A casa nostra [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (April 18, MK2), Fire at My Heart by Lamberto Lambertini (April, Acadra) and Paolo Sorrentino’s The Family Friend (May 2, Pyramide Distribution).

Other releases in the first six months of 2007 include seven UK features. Cashback [+see also:
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film profile] by Sean Ellis will open the show on January 17 (Gaumont/Columbia TriStar Films), followed by Canadian co-production Snow Cake [+see also:
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film profile] by Marc Evans (January 24, MK2), Chris Noonan’s Miss Potter [+see also:
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film profile] (March 28, Bac Films), Mr. Bean’s Holiday [+see also:
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film profile] by Steve Bendelack (April 11, Mars Distribution) and Anton Corbijn’s Control [+see also:
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film profile] (June 20, La Fabrique de Films).

Other titles due for release but still undated are Shane Meadows’ multi award-winning This is England [+see also:
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film profile] (Ad Vitam), London to Brighton [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Paul Andrew Williams (MK2) and Irish title The Tiger’s Tail by well-known director John Boorman (Diaphana Distribution).

Six German films will go on release on French screens in early 2007: Matthias Luthardt’s subtle Pingpong [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Matthias Luthardt
interview: Sebastian Urzendowsky
film profile] (January 24, Les Acacias), Best European Film of 2006 The Lives of Others [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Florian Henckel von Donners…
interview: Ulrich Muehe
film profile] by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (January 31, Océan Films; see Focus), Angelina Maccarone’s German/Austrian co-production Unveiled [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (February 7, Artedis), Netto [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Robert Thalheim (March 7, NOD), Germany. Pale Mother. by Helma Sanders-Brahms (April 4, Carlotta) and Fatih Akin’s much awaited Yasamin kiyisinda [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Fatih Akin
interview: Klaus Maeck
film profile] (undated, Pyramide).

Austrian releases include Silentium [+see also:
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film profile] by Wolfgang Murnberger (February 28, Films sans frontières).

Seven Scandinavian productions are also in the starting blocks for 2007: The Boss of it All [+see also:
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film profile] by Denmark’s Lars von Trier (February 14, Les Films du Losange ), the impressive The Bothersome Man [+see also:
film review
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interview: Jens Lien
interview: Jørgen Storm Rosenberg
film profile] by Norway’s Jens Lien (February 14, CTV International), the bitter After the Wedding [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Sisse Graum Jørgensen
interview: Susanne Bier
film profile] by Danish helmer Susanne Bier (March 7, Equation; see Focus), Dark Horse [+see also:
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film profile] by Iceland’s Dagur Kari (March 14, Epicentre Films), Uro [+see also:
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film profile] by Norway’s Stefan Faldbakken (undated, Rezo Films) and A Soap [+see also:
film review
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interview: Lars Bredo Rahbek
interview: Pernille Fischer Christensen
film profile] by Pernilla Fischer Christensen (April, Equation, see Focus).

Four Belgian features are lined up: Philippe Blasband’s The Colour of Words [+see also:
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film profile] (January 17, CQFD), animated film Snow White: The Sequel [+see also:
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film profile] by Picha (January 31, Rezo Films), Venice title Private Property [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Joachim Lafosse (February 21, Haut et Court; see interview) and Martine Doyen’s Komma [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] slated for a May release through Pierre Grise (see article).

Bac Films have yet to set a date for Waiter [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Dutch helmer Alex Van Warmerdam.

Lastly, other releases include Romanian director Corneliu Porumboiu’s 12:08 East of Bucharest [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Corneliu Porumboiu
interview: Daniel Burlac
film profile] (January 10, Bac Films), Swiss/French co-production My Brother is Getting Married [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jean-Stéphane Bron
interview: Thierry Spicher
film profile] by Jean-Stéphane Bron (January 31, Haut et Court), Portuguese filmmaker Pedro Costa’s Cannes title Colossal Youth [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (January 24, Equation, see article), French/UK/Italian co-production The Last Legion [+see also:
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film profile] by Doug Lefler (March 21/28, Quinta Communications) and Estonian animated film Lotte [+see also:
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film profile] by Janno Pöldma and Heiki Ernits (scheduled for an April release through CQFD).

(Translated from French)