Bouchareb, Haroun and Kiarostami under French banner

16/04/2010

Three majority French co-productions by directors from Algeria, Chad and Iran are among the 16 titles selected in competition at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival (May 12-23).

After Days of Glory [+see also:
film review
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interview: Jean Bréhat
interview: Rachid Bouchareb
film profile], which won Best Actor in 2006, Rachid Bouchareb will return to the Croisette with Outside the Law [+see also:
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film profile] (see news), a cinematic fresco tracing the life of three Algerian brothers from 1945 to 1962. The cast reunites Djamel Debbouze, Sami Bouajila, Roschdy Zem and Bernard Blancan.

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Produced by France (59%), Algeria (21%), Tunisia (10%) and Belgium (10%), the film was initiated by Tessalit Productions. The €20.5m budget included co-production support from France 2 Cinéma and France 3 Cinéma, an advance on receipts from the National Film and Moving Image Centre (CNC), pre-acquisitions from Canal + and Ciné Cinéma, and co-production backing from Algeria and Belgium (Novak Productions). StudioCanal will handle French theatrical distribution and international sales.

After winning the Special Jury Prize at Venice in 2006 for Dry Season [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], Mahamat-Saleh Haroun will compete for the Palme d’Or with A Screaming Man (see news). Starring Youssouf Djaoro and Diouc Koma, the film centres on a father and son in Chad, a country in the grip of civil war.

A Screaming Man was produced by Paris-based Pili Films and 25% co-produced by Belgium’s Entre Chien et Loup. Its €2m budget included an advance on receipts from the CNC, backing from the Belgian French Community Film and Audiovisual Centre, and pre-acquisitions from Canal + and Ciné Cinéma. It will be released theatrically in Belgium by Cinéart and in France by Pyramide, who are also managing international sales.

Finally, also vying for the top prize is The Certified Copy [+see also:
film review
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film profile] by Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami, a Cannes competition regular (Palme d’Or in 1997, selected in 1994 and 2002). The €3.8m film starring Juliette Binoche was 70% produced by France via MK2, 20% by Italy (Bi Bi Films) and 10% by Belgium. Backed by the CNC with an advance on receipts, co-produced by France 3 Cinéma and pre-bought by Canal +, the title will be distributed in France and sold internationally by MK2.