24/11/2009

The line-up for the 12th Czech Republic French Film Festival, which opened last Thursday in Prague and eight provincial cities, includes 50 films.

The event, backed by Unifrance, closes tomorrow, having presented five features in avant-premiere. These are Micmacs [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Jean-Pierre Jeunet (who attended the screening); Little Nicolas [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Laurent Tirard (also in attendance); Jacques Audiard’s A Prophet [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jacques Audiard
interview: Jacques Audiard and Tahar R…
film profile] (whose screening was attended by lead actor Tahar Rahim); and two co-productions: A Town Called Panic [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Stéphane Aubier and Vincen…
interview: Stéphane Aubier & Vincent P…
film profile] and Antichrist [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Lars von Trier
film profile].

The line-up also includes a competition of ten unreleased films chosen by Czech journalists. These are Xavier Giannoli’s In the Beginning [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], Philippe Lioret’s Welcome [+see also:
film review
trailer
making of
interview: Philippe Lioret
film profile], Maïwenn’s The Actress’ Ball [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Danièle Thompson’s Change of Plans [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Joachim Lafosse’s Private Lessons [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jacques-Henri Bronckart
interview: Joachim Lafosse
film profile], Caroline Bottaro’s Queen to Play [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Philippe Fernandez’s A Faint Trembling of the Landscape, Rémi Bezançon’s The First Day of the Rest of Your Life [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Sylvie Verheyde’s Stella [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] and Martin Provost’s Seraphine [+see also:
trailer
film profile].

The Hits of French Cinema section is also screening ten titles, including Claire Denis’ 35 Shots of Rum [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Anne Fontaine’s Coco Before Chanel [+see also:
trailer
film profile], François Ozon’s Ricky [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], Yann Arthus-Bertrand’s Home [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and Louise-Michel [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Benoît Delépine and Gustav…
interview: Benoît Jaubert
film profile] by Benoît Delépine and Gustave Kervern.

The Czech Republic is Central and Eastern Europe’s leading country in terms of audience figures and domestic market share (39.5%). French cinema is in second position among foreign productions (4.3% market share in 2008), ahead of the United Kingdom (1.7%) and Germany (0.7%).

Last year, 18 French productions and co-productions garnered a total of 494,978 admissions in the Czech Republic and 17 new titles have been launched by ten distributors during the first three quarters of 2009.

(Translated from French)