02/09/2015 - A wave of French productions and co-productions rolls over the Lido, whilst French sellers hone their line-ups

With 12 (co)productions competing for the Golden Lion (see news article), the French film industry is extremely well-represented at the 72^nd Venice Film Festival, which kicks off today. Here is a run-down of them all.

In the official selection, in the competitive Orizzonti section are the outstanding Taj Mahal [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Nicolas Saada
film profile] by Nicolas Saada (see news article – a Ex Nihilo production with France 3 Cinéma and Belgian production company Artémis with sales by Bac Films) and Tempête [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Samuel Collardey (produced by Geko Films with France 3 Cinéma with sales by Stray Dogs). Also included in the selection are French majority production Madame Courage [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Algerian director Merzak Allouache (see news article – produced by Neon Productions, which is also handling sales) and three French minority productions: The Childhood of a Leader [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by American filmmaker Brady Corbet (co-produced by Mact Productions with the United Kingdom, Hungary and Sweden – an adaptation of short story by Jean-Paul Sartre starring Bérénice Bejo alongside Robert Pattinson, Stacy Martin and Liam Cunningham) and two films co-produced and sold by Parisian production company EZ Films with Interruption [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Daphné Patakia
interview: Yorgos Zois
film profile] by Greek director Yorgos Zois and Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me? [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Hadar Morag
film profile] by Israeli filmmaker Hadar Morag.

Also worth mentioning are the following films in competition in the Orizzonti section and from the line-ups of French production companies handling international sales: A War [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Tobias Lindholm
film profile] by Danish director Tobias Lindholm (being sold by StudioCanal), Israeli-Danish co-production Mountain [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Yaelle Kayam
film profile] by Yaelle Kayam for Films Distribution, Free in Deed by American filmmaker Jake Mahaffy for Stray Dogs, Mate-me por favor by Brazilian director Anita Rocha da Silveira for MPM Film, Wednesday, May 9 by Iranian director Vahid Jalilvand (sales: Noori Pictures) and two Latino-American feature films for Memento Films International: A Thousand-Headed Monster by Mexican director Rodrigo Plá and Neon Bull [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Brazilian filmmaker Gabriel Mascaro (co-produced by the Netherlands and sold by Artscope). 

Still in the official selection, but being shown out of competition, the Festival will be screening French documentary Human [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Yann Arthus-Bertrand (Humankind Production - sales: MyPlanet) whilst Doc & Film International will be selling In Jackson Heights by American director Frederik Wiseman.

Turning to Venice Days, French productions will be centre stage with French majority productions Lolo [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Julie Delpy, Dany Boon
film profile] by Julie Delpy (produced by The Film with France 2 Cinéma, Mars Films, Tempête sous un crâne and Wild Bunch which is handling sales), As I Open My Eyes [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Leyla Bouzid
film profile] by Leyla Bouzid (produced by Blue Monday Productions with Tunisia, Belgium and the United Arab Emirates - sales: Doc & Film) and Underground Fragrance [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Pengfei
film profile] by Chinese director Song Pengfei (produced by House on Fire and sold by UDI). Then there are French minority productions Long Live the Bride [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ascanio Celestini
film profile] by Italian director Ascanio Celestini (co-produced by Aeternam Films) and Argentina by Spanish filmmaker Carlos Saura (a documentary co-produced by Mondex et Cie and being sold by MK2). Stray Dogs is selling Ma by American director Celia Rowlson-Hall whilst Australian-Canadian co-production Early Winter by Michael Rowe is a promising feature of Pyramide International’s line-up.

Finally, Critics’ Week will showcase French minority productions Mountain [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: João Salaviza
film profile] by Portuguese director João Salaviza (see news article – co-produced by Les Films de l'après-midi – being sold by Pyramide) and The Black Hen [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Min Bahadur Bham (co-produced by CDP with Nepal, Germany and Switzerland).

(Translated from French)