07/09/2005

The Festival of Namur unveiled its programme this morning. And while this 20th edition, from 23rd au 30th September, is definitely a celebration, the festival has turned resolutely to new projects.

As well as the second French language Co-production Forum, a new section sees the light of day : "Literary Adaptation" which will highlight, in seminars and the films, writers and directors. And this new section under the aegis of the president of the Jury, Canadian writer Nancy Huston. For his part, French actor Eric Caravaca goes behind the camera with Le Passager [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], Greek DoP Yorgos Arvanitis, Italian actors Stefano Cassetti and Marcello Mazzarella, Rumanian actress Elina Löwenshon, and the Belgian composer Michel Her. As well as a "Coup de Cœur" tribute to French actress Sandrine Bonnaire, numerous expositions, lots of educational workshops, conferences and seminars, notably the preparation of an official document in view of the large Unesco gathering on cultural diversity during the month of October, some 200 films (features, shorts and documentaries) will be screened : therefore the festival will be gigantic.

Of the 14 features in official competition, two are Belgian : L'Iceberg [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Dominique Abel and Fiona Gordon and Friday or an other day by Yvan Le Moine. The Swiss-Belgian-Polish co-production Tout un hivers sans feu by Greg Zglinski as well as Delwende Swiss-Burkina Faso co-production, by Pierre Yaméogo, at Cannes in Un Certain Regard this year, two French films Le Parfum de la Dame en Noire and Itinéraires, French-Lebanese co-production A perfect Day by Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige and finally The dead of M.Lazarescu [+see also:
trailer
film profile] completing the French and European panorama in the official competition - which also includes three other films, two from Quebec, one from Vietnam.

But the Belgian interest does not end there : a three-film tribute to Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne, and many previews Belhorizon, Miss Montigny [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Parabola currently showing in Venice Days, the first feature by Guillaume Malandrin (Ca m'est égal si demain n'arrive pas) and the film by novelist and scriptwriter Philippe Blasband, La Couleur des mots) in the section "Panorama" (with five French films and one from Quebec), a retrospective of Belgian co-productions from last year offers another chance to see some little gems on the big screen (Quand la mer monte, Ultranova [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Bouli Lanners
film profile], Dans les champs de bataille [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Va, vis et deviens [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Denis Carot
interview: Didar Domehri
interview: Radu Mihaileanu
film profile]...)Finally Un regard en arrière to celebrate this 20th edition will revisit some first films from the past which set their creators on the path to fame (Ozon, Cantet, Guédigian, Klapish, Kéchiche...). Only damper on this French fiesta : few features or shorts from Africa apart from in the documentary section which has 6.

(Translated from French)