27/02/2006

The biggest ever festival of French film in the UK, the Renault French Film Festival, will take place March 1-30 in both independent and multiplex cinemas in nine key cities across the country.

Organised by the French Film Festival UK, the Institut Français du Royaume-Uni and Unifrance ,with the support of title sponsor Renault and a dozen other partners, the event will replace the Renault Film Festival UK, which began 14 years ago, and the three year-old Renault French Film Season. “Audiences did not understand there were two events and mixed them up”, said Richard Mowe, director of the French Film Festival UK. “It makes sense to make an even bigger splash together, and we’re looking forward to unveiling this reinvigorated programme”.

Presided over by the Oscar-nominated creator of Belleville Rendez-vous [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Sylvain Chomet, the festival is kicking off this week with seven gala screenings attended by the films’ directors and main cast. Under Artificial Eye’s banner are Dominique Moll’s thriller Lemming [+see also:
trailer
film profile], to be released in the UK on April 14, and François Ozon’s Time To Leave [+see also:
trailer
film profile], set to open on May 5.

Momentum Pictures is handling the release of Valerie Lemercier’s comedy Palais Royal on April 7 and of Danis Tanovic’s Hell on April 21. Olivier Ducastel and Jacques Martineau’s Cockles & Muscles will be released by Parasol Peccadillo on April 14, Cedric Klapisch’s Russian Dolls [+see also:
trailer
film profile], with rising UK star Kelly Reilly, will be released by CinéFile sometime in May, and so will Olivier Marshall’s 36 Quai des Orfèvres [+see also:
trailer
film profile], which is being handled by Tartan Films.

A Panorama section dedicated to established French filmmakers will screen 13 films, (including Philippe Garrel’s Regular Lovers [+see also:
trailer
interview: Philippe Garrel
film profile] to be released by Artificial Eye on July 21), while Discovery, focusing on cutting edge films, will screen seven titles. Lastly, Bertrand Tavernier will give a Masterclass and as many as eleven of his films will screen at public events in London, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee.