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CANNES 2016 France

Paul Verhoeven, a Frenchman by adoption

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- The Dutch filmmaker is in the running for the Palme d’Or with Elle, a French majority production, in a competition also featuring six French minority productions

Paul Verhoeven, a Frenchman by adoption
Isabelle Huppert in Elle by Paul Verhoeven

In addition to the four French filmmakers (see news article) selected in competition for the 69th Cannes Film Festival (which will be held from 11 to 22 May 2016), France has another majority production in the running for the Palme d’Or: Elle [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
by Dutch filmmaker Paul Verhoeven. The famous 77-year-old director, who makes his return to the most prestigious section of the Festival for the first time since 1992 and Basic Instinct, will present a feature film in French starring Isabelle Huppert, Laurent Lafitte, Virginie Efira, Anne Consigny and Vimala Pons. Adapted by David Birke from the book Oh... by Philippe Djian, the film centres around a woman who manages the business she runs and her private life with an iron fist until the day she is assaulted at home by a mysterious stranger who she then hunts down. Produced by Saïd Ben Saïd for SBS Films (which will release the film in France on 25 May and handle international sales), the feature was made on a budget of €8.21 million, with co-producers including France 2 Cinéma and German company Twenty Twenty Vision. The film has been pre-purchased by Canal+ and OCS, and received an advance on receipts from the CNC and the support of the mini co-production treaty between France and Germany.

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France also has six minority co-productions battling it out for the Palme d’Or 2016. The Unknown Girl [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne
film profile
]
by Belgian filmmakers Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne was produced 51% by Belgium and 49% by France via Archipel 35 (Denis Freyd), with France 2 Cinéma on board as co-producer and pre-purchases from Canal+ and Ciné+. The film, which features a cast led by Adèle Haenel, will be released in France on 12 October by Diaphana, and is being sold internationally by Wild Bunch

I, Daniel Blake [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
by British director Ken Loach was produced 25% by France with the United Kingdom (65%) and Belgium (10%) via Why Not Productions. Co-produced by France 2 Cinéma and pre-purchased by Canal+ and Ciné+, the film will be distributed in France by Le Pacte and is being sold by Wild Bunch.

The two Romanian contenders for the Palme d’Or 2016 were also co-produced by France: Bacalaureat [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: Cristian Mungiu
interview: Cristian Mungiu
film profile
]
by Cristian Mungiu (produced 25% by France, 65% by Romania and 10% by Belgium - via Why Not Productions and France 3 Cinéma with pre-purchases from Canal+ and Ciné+ - the film will be distributed in France by Le Pacte, and sales will be handled by Wild Bunch) and Sierra-Nevada [+see also:
film review
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Q&A: Cristi Puiu
film profile
]
by Cristi Puiu (produced 12% by France, 56% by Romania, 11% by Croatia, 10% by Bosnia and Macedonia apiece - via Alcatraz Films – distribution in France: Wild Bunch - sales: Elle Driver).

It’s Only the End of the World [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
by Canadian filmmaker Xavier Dolan, starring Marion Cotillard, Léa Seydoux, Vincent Cassel, Nathalie Baye and Gaspard Ulliel, was co-produced 36% by France via MK2 (which will distribute the film in France) and France 2 Cinéma, with pre-purchases from Canal+ and Ciné+.

Last but not least, Gaumont and Wild Bunch contributed to funding The Neon Demon [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: Nicolas Winding Refn
film profile
]
by Danish filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn and the film will be released in France on 8 June by The Jokers and Le Pacte.

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(Translated from French)

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