05/11/2019 - Directors shining bright in the spotlight include Jonas Alexander Arnby, Agnieszka Smoczyńska, Juris Kursietis, Ágnes Kocsis, Marian Crisan and Rainer Sarnet

Director Jonas Alexander Arnby, whose new project In The Eyes of God is one of those selected

Whilst unveiling the programme (read our article) for its 11th edition, running 14 – 21 December), Les Arcs Film Festival also revealed one particular segment of its highly dynamic Industry Village sidebar, announcing a list of 22 projects in development which have been selected for the Co-Productions Village, as well as the eight individuals who have won themselves a place on the Talent Village scheme. The Work in Progress selection, meanwhile, is set to be announced soon.

Standing out among the projects selected for the Co-Productions Village (where a prize worth €4,000 will be awarded by the ArteKino Festival) is In The Eyes of God, which will be the 3rd feature film by Denmark’s Jonas Alexander Arnby following on from When Animals Dream [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jonas Alexander Arnby
film profile] (Cannes’ Critics’ Week 2014) and Suicide Tourist [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jonas Alexander Arnby
film profile] (recently screened in Zurich and Sitges).

Likewise stealing the spotlight are Poland’s Agnieszka Smoczyńska (who prevailed at Sundance 2016 with her work The Lure [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Agnieszka Smoczyńska
film profile] and who was showcased in Cannes’ Critics’ Week in 2018 by way of Fugue [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Agnieszka Smoczyńska
film profile]), Latvian director Juris Kursietis (very well received in the Directors’ Fortnight in May as a result of Oleg [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Juris Kursietis
film profile], having already spent time in Toronto in 2014 courtesy of Modris [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]) and Hungary’s Ágnes Kocsis (revealed in Cannes’ Critics’ Week 2006 via Fresh Air [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] and the winner of the 2010 Un Certain Regard FIPRESCI Prize on the Croisette, thanks to Adrienn Pál [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Agnes Kocsis, director of P…
film profile]).

Equally noteworthy is the selection of new projects by Romania’s Marian Crisan (awarded the Special Jury Prize in Locarno 2010 for Morgen [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), by Estonian director Rainer Sarnet (rewarded for November [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Rea Lest
film profile] at Tribeca 2017) and by French animation filmmakers Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli (Oscar-nominated in their category for A Cat in Paris [+see also:
trailer
film profile] in 2012, and who subsequently put their names to Phantom Boy [+see also:
trailer
film profile]).

In terms of the Talent Village initiative, which will be blessed with an exceptional ambassador in the form of Isabelle Huppert, the eight young filmmakers selected (see the list hereunder) will take part in a workshop at the CinéFabrique Film School in Lyon (with a masterclass led by László Nemes) before travelling on to Les Arcs to present their first feature film projects to the professionals gathered together in the Alpine resort.

List of Co-Production Village projects:

The Exalted [+see also:
film review
interview: Juris Kursietis
film profile] - Juris Kursietis (Latvia)
Production: White Picture

Before We Collapse [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Alice Zeniter & Benoit Seguin (France)
Production: Elzévir Films

Dark Paradise - Triin Ruumet (Estonia)
Production: Three Brothers

Empire of the Rabbits - Seyfettin Tokamak (Turkey)
Production: Yaman Film, Zkf

Entreprenör - Vahlne Simon (Sweden/France)
Production: Plattform Produktion Ab, Deuxième Ligne

Ghostdance - Nicolas Blies, Stephane Hueber-Blies & Kim O’bomsawin (Luxembourg/Canada)
Production: A_Bahn, Mélusine Productions, Terre Innue

I Am Here But You Can’t See Mee - Feyrouz Serhal (Spain/Lebanon)
Production: Zeitun Films, Roummana

In The Eyes of God - Jonas Alexander Arnby (Denmark)
Production: Profile Pictures

Iron Song - Ágnes Kocsis (Latvia)
Production: Juris Podnieks Studio

Josefina [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Javier Marco (Spain/Germany)
Production: White Leaf Producciones, Achtung Panda !

Kaspervizija - Karolis Kaupinis (Lithuania)
Production: M-Films

La edad desnuda - Valentina Maurel (France/Belgium)
Production: Geko Films, Wrong Men

Laissez-moi [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Maxime Rappaz (Switzerland)
Production: Goldeneggproduction

Man Accidentally Kills - Sean Robert Dunn (UK)
Production: Ossian Pictures

Rabia [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Mareike Engelhardt
film profile] - Mareike Engelhardt (France)
Production: Films Grand Huit

Feu de paille - Loïc Barché (France)
Production: Punchline Cinéma

Silent Twins - Agnieszka Smoczyńska (Poland)
Production: Madants Sp. Z O.o.

Sluga – Marian Crisan (Romania)
Production: Rova Film

Les Contes du hérisson - Alain Gagnol & Jean-Loup Felicioli (France)
Production: Parmi Les Lucioles Films

The Grand Piano Room - Laura Tamošiūnaitė Šakalienė (Lithuania)
Production: Ketvirta Versija

The Invisible Fight - Rainer Sarnet (Estonia)
Production: Homeless Bob Production

Windless [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Pavel G Vesnakov
film profile] - Pavel G. Vesnakov (Bulgaria)
Production: Red Carpet

Talent Village Participants:

Sven Bresser (The Netherlands)
Dana Lerer (Israel)
Lauri-Matti Parppei (Finland)
Thessa Meijer (The Netherlands)
Anthony Nti (Belgium)
Anna Roller (Germany)
Süheyla Schwenk (Turkey)
Erlendur Sveinsson (Iceland)

(Translated from French)