15/04/2003

The four candidates for the 5th edition of the France Culture Award for Director of the Year were announced: they are Lucas Belvaux (Cavale [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Après la vie [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Un couple épatant [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), Pascal Bonitzer (Petites coupures), Jean-Claude Brisseau (Choses secrètes) and Alain Cavalier (René). Last year’s winner was Jean-François Stévenin for Mischka. The winner will be announced on 24 May at the Cannes Film Festival.

The frontrunners for the international award are Hungary's Bela Tarr for Les Harmonies Werckmeister), Tagikistan’s Djamshed Usmonov for The Angel on my Right, Mauritian Abderrahmane Sissako for En attendant le bonheur, Argentina's Diego Lerman for Tan de repente and Pablo Trapero for El Bonaerense, and America’s Todd Haynes for Far From Heaven. Last year’s winner was Portugal’s Pedro Costa. This year’s president of the jury is Jeanne Moreau and includes Gilles Jacob, the president of the Cannes Film Festival, and film critics Michel Ciment and Serge Toubiana.

(Translated from French)