Diamonds of European cinema make their way to Les Arcs Film Festival

by Fabien Lemercier

09/11/2023 - The Alps-set festival has unveiled the programme of its 15th edition, which will take place from 16 to 23 December

Diamonds of European cinema make their way to Les Arcs Film Festival

Holly by Fien Troch

An unmissable appointment appreciated for its high quality programme, its professional impact and its atmosphere, Les Arcs Film Festival has unveiled the very rich menu of more than a hundred films set to play at its 15th edition, taking place at the Savoyard resort from 16 to 23 December.

The 9 feature films vying for the 2023 Crystal Arrow will be judged by a jury presided by director Asghar Farhadi who will be accompanied with actress Rebecca Marder, actor Vincent Lacoste, composer Irène Drésel and novelist (soon-to-be director) Christine Angot.

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The competition assembled by artistic director Frédéric Boyer includes three feature films discovered in Venice: Holly [+see also:
film review
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interview: Fien Troch
film profile] by Belgium’s Fien Troch (in competition on the Lido), Explanation for Everything [+see also:
film review
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interview: Gábor Reisz
film profile] by Hungary’s Gábor Reisz (Best Film in Orizzonti) and Through the Night [+see also:
film review
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interview: Delphine Girard
film profile] by Belgium’s Delphine Girard (Audience Award winner in Giornate degli Autori). Also competing for the 2023 Crystal Arrow are two titles awarded in the acting categories in Locarno (Animal [+see also:
film review
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interview: Sofia Exarchou
film profile] by Greece’s Sofia Exarchou and Sweet Dreams [+see also:
film review
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interview: Ena Sendijarević
film profile] by Bosnian director Ena Sendijarević), Slow [+see also:
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interview: Marija Kavtaradze
film profile] by Lithuania’s Marija Kavtaradze (Best Director at Sundance), The Teachers' Lounge [+see also:
film review
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interview: İlker Çatak
interview: Leonie Benesch
film profile] by Germany’s Ilker Çatak (winner of the Label Europa Cinemas in Panorama at the Berlinale and nominated for the LUX Audience Award), The Hypnosis by Sweden's Ernst De Geer (Best Actor Award and Europa Cinemas Label in Karlovy Vary) and The Successor [+see also:
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interview: Xavier Legrand
film profile] by France’s Xavier Legrand (in competition in San Sebastián).

The Hauteurs section will feature Agnieszka Holland’s Green Border [+see also:
film review
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film profile] as well as Małgorzata Szumowska and Michal Englert’s Woman of… [+see also:
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interview: Małgorzata Szumowska, Micha…
film profile] from Poland, the documentary Apolonia, Apolonia [+see also:
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interview: Lea Glob
film profile] by Danish director Lea Glob, Solitude [+see also:
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interview: Ninna Pálmadóttir
film profile] by Iceland’s Ninna Pálmadóttir, and Milk [+see also:
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interview: Stefanie Kolk
film profile] by Dutch filmmaker Stefanie Kolk

Also on the menu is a Focus dedicated to the Netherlands with eight feature films (including Kiddo [+see also:
film review
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interview: Zara Dwinger
film profile] by Zara Dwinger), special screenings of La Chimera [+see also:
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film profile] by Italian director Alice Rohrwacher (who will receive the 10th Sisley – Les Arcs Femme de Cinéma award) amonf other films, and the series Grace of Heaven by Vincent Maël Cardona.

The "Oscars on skis" section will showcase seven European candidates for the prestigious Best International Feature Film award, including the winner of the Crystal Globe in Karlovy Vary Blaga’s Lessons [+see also:
film review
interview: Stephan Komandarev
film profile] by Bulgarian director Stephan Komandarev, the winner of the Europa Cinemas Label in Gironate degli Autori Photophobia [+see also:
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interview: Ivan Ostrochovský, Pavol Pe…
film profile] by Slovakia’s Ivan Ostrochovsky and Pavol Pekarčik, and the LUX Audience Award nominee Smoke Sauna Sisterhood [+see also:
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interview: Anna Hints
film profile] by Estonia’s Anna Hints, while the school programme will also present plenty of titles.

Finally, tributes will be paid to French-Argentine actress Bérénice Bejo and Swedish director Ruben Östlund who will deliver masterclasses. The short film jury will be presided by Mona Achache (accompanied by Lucie Debay and Mees Peijnenburg), while the 2023 Prix Révélation Compositrice de Musique de Film (Upcoming Female Composer Award) will go to Delphine Malaussena. The Industry Village will welcome professionals from 16 to 19 December (with the Co-Production Village, the Work in Progress and the Talent Village – read the article) before making way for the Distributors / Exhibitors Summit from 20 to 23 December. The latter will present 11 films for professionals only, including Eternal [+see also:
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interview: Ulaa Salim
film profile] by Denmark’s Ulaa Salim, All of Us Strangers [+see also:
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film profile] by British director Andrew Haigh, the Polish animated film The Peasants [+see also:
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film profile] by DK and Hugh Welchman, Le Molière imaginaire by Olivier Py as well as The Falling Star [+see also:
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interview: Dominique Abel & Fiona Gordon
film profile] by Dominique Abel and Fiona Gordon. Also worth mentioning are the Music Village, the Lab Femmes de Cinéma, conferences, workshops, and the awareness programme Déplacer les montagnes (Moving Mountains) centred this year on mental health.