09/06/2003

There’s an exceptional programme for the first edition of the Paris Cinéma Festival, which is taking place from July 2 to 15. The programme of films being shown in 37 cinemas throughout the capital, was announced by the Mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoë. The event was the idea of Marie-Pierre Macia and Constantin Costa-Gavras, and the first Paris-Cinéma festival will be showing films open to the public in cinemas right across Paris, for four hours a day. The showcase of 27 premieres includes: Uzak by Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Les égarés by André Téchiné, The Brown Bunny by Vincent Gallo, Qui a tué Bambi by Gilles Marchand, Depuis qu'Otar est parti by Julie Bertuccelli, La felicità non costa niente by Mimmo Calopresti, Noi Albinoi by Dagur Kari and Son frère by Patrice Chéreau ".

There are 23 feature length films in competition, 14 of which are European productions: including Good bye Lenin! [+see also:
trailer
interview: Wolfgang Becker
film profile] by the German director Wolfgang Becker, the Italian La finestra di fronte [+see also:
trailer
interview: Ferzan Ozpetek
film profile] by Ferzan Ozpetek and the Danish film Wilbur wants to kill himself [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Lone Scherfig.

There will be tributes to Terry Gilliam and Solveig Anspach, the actors Fabrice Lucchini and Bulle Ogier, Maurice Pialat, Daniel Toscan du Plantier and the composer Antoine Duhamel. In addition there’s a retrospective on 50 years of Italian popular comedy (23 feature length films, covering directors like Vittorio De Sica and Gabriele Muccino) and the complete works of Michelangelo Antonioni, with restored versions of his films, work which has been done by Cinecitta Holding. There are also events for professionals working in the sector: l'Atelier du Cinéma Européen (ACE) will be presenting an overview of 15 films and a forum to discuss distribution. The Paris Project is open to French producers and aims to highlight 6 foreign film projects.

(Translated from French)