Since 2014, the Cannes Film Festival’s Critics’ Week sidebar has been helping its short film talents make the leap to feature film through its Next Step programme. And since 2019, there’s also been a competition for the selected films, in addition to the workshop which they’ve always been invited to take part in (read our report on this year’s lucky few). This year, a project entitled The Last Tears of the Deceased, by Ethiopian director Beza Hailu Lemma, has been crowned triumphant, courtesy of a jury composed of Priscilla Bertin (Silex Films), Stefano Centini (Volos Films) and Gabor Greiner (Films Boutique). The film is steered by Canadian firm Gobez Media Inc., in co-production with French outfit Les Cigognes Films.

The story revolves around Abba Samuel, a young, freshly ordained Ethiopian orthodox priest who sets about investigating his own death - which supposedly took place in 1980 - and his subsequent resurrection. He embarks on a journey exploring his country’s beliefs and contradictions, seeking answers to his past and the mystery of mortality.

For the record, 96 filmmakers from 39 countries have previously enjoyed support from the Next Step initiative, including Aisha Can’t Fly Away by Morad Mostafa (selected in this year’s Un Certain Regard section) and Universal Language by Matthew Rankin (the winner of last year’s Audience Award in the Directors’ Fortnight).