14/04/2011

A total of 1,715 features viewed by selectors for an official selection that so far comprises 49 features (from 33 countries), including 44 world premieres and seven debut films. These are the main figures revealed today in Paris by Artistic Director and General Delegate Thierry Frémaux, at the press conference unveiling the Official Selection for the 64th Cannes Film Festival (May 11-22, 2011).

Emphasising that the Cannes Festival had been relatively unscathed by a crisis that has hit professionals and artists hard, Frémaux announced a 2011 edition that is "rich, fruitful" and full of hope. "It’s a selection with great geographical, generational and stylistic diversity, which alternates between auteur films and blockbusters with the idea that the big films protect the small ones," commented the delegate general. "The Cannes Festival must defend its role as a discoverer and promoter of auteur cinema, a cinema that is always breaking new ground and often gains wings through technology."

With regard to the competition, Frémaux highlighted that this year there are two distinct groups: regulars ("great directors make great films and the Cannes Festival welcomes them with open arms") and young filmmakers ("you have to take risks").

Meanwhile, president Gilles Jacob repeated that the Cannes Festival would strive to help Iranian director Jafar Panahi regain total freedom. Evoking a world in which the circulation of images on all media has exploded, he also underlined the paradox of the painful marginalisation of auteur films at a time when more countries than ever are producing them. He added: "Fortunately, independent cinema acts as a Trojan horse in all cultures".

Quoting Martin Scorsese, who said "great directors are smugglers", Jacob also reminded people that "talent can’t be measured by the number of tickets sold" and the Cannes Festival should remain "at the forefront of research and exploration, enable non-formatted works to find a showcase" and give them "the means and the time to find the widest audience”.

Finally, the other members of the 2011 competition jury, headed by US actor-director Robert De Niro (see news), won’t be announced until next week.

As a reminder, the Un Certain Regard jury will be presided by Bosnian-born director Emir Kusturica, while the short and student films competition (organised by the Cinéfondation) will have a jury presided by France’s Michel Gondry. Finally, Korean director Bong Joon-ho (see news) will head the Caméra d’Or jury, which picks the best debut feature of the festival.

(Translated from French)