They’ve been chomping at the bit for months behind their screens and this 77^th  Venice International Film Festival (running 2 – 12 September) - the first major, international festival to unfold in person since February’s Berlinale - will allow these numerous and ever-dynamic French vendors to set foot on the Lido so as to engage, at long last, in face-to-face (socially distanced) negotiations, and close deals which would otherwise take virtual form.

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And these agents have no shortage of trump cards up their sleeves as six of the eighteen films taking part in the official competition are the shining stars of French line-ups: two come courtesy of Charades (The Macaluso Sisters [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Italy’s Emma Dante and American production The World to Come by Norway’s Mona Fastvold), two hail from Celluloid Dreams (the Italian-Belgian production Miss Marx [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Susanna Nicchiarelli
scheda film] by Susanna Nicchiarelli and Sun Children by Iran’s Majid Majidi), Lovers [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Nicole Garcia
scheda film] by French director Nicole Garcia is offered up by FTD (France TV Distribution) and Quo Vadis, Aida ? [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Jasmila Žbanić
scheda film] by Bosnia’s Jasmila Zbanic is part of the Indie Sales line-up. Also worth a mention are the two Golden Lion contenders put forward by the German outfit Films Boutique, a subsidiary of the French group Playtime: And Tomorrow the Entire World [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Julia von Heinz
scheda film] by Germany’s Julia Von Heinz and Dear Comrades [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Russian veteran Andreï Konchalovsky.

Standing tall among the French sales agents in the running for the Golden Lion is Charades, who are wielding a third ace on the Lido: Shorta [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Anders Ølholm e Frederik L…
scheda film] by Danish duo Anders Ølholm and Frederik Louis Hviid, which will enjoy its world premiere at Venice’s International Film Critics’ Week.

Seventeen other French international sales agents are likewise brandishing weapons in the various Venetian selections. Wild Bunch will mainly be wagering on three films, with Mandibles [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Quentin Dupieux
scheda film] by the iconoclastic French filmmaker Quentin Dupieux showcasing out of competition (sales managed jointly by WTFilms), and French production The Third War [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Giovanni Aloi
scheda film] by Italy’s Giovanni Aloi jostling in the Orizzonti line-up alongside American Gia Coppola’s Mainstream.

On the topic of Out of Competition offerings, mk2 Films will negotiate on behalf of The Ties [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Daniele Luchetti
scheda film] by Italian filmmaker Daniele Luchetti, which is opening the Festival today, while Pathé International is selling British production The Duke [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Roger Michell. In terms of documentaries, The Party Film Sales can hope to seal some good deals thanks to City Hall by America’s Frederick Wiseman, while Sophie Dulac Distribution are helming sales for Camille Lotteau’s French title Princesse Europe [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] (to be shown in a Special Screening).

As for the competitive Orizzonti section, Alpha Violet intends to do good business via Apples [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Christos Nikou
scheda film] by Greek director Christos Nikou and Memento Films International will be pinning its hopes on Night of the Kings [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Philippe Lacôte
scheda film] by the French-Ivory Coast filmmaker Philippe Lacôte. The same goes for Bac Films International with The Man Who Sold His Skin [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Kaouther Ben Hania
scheda film] by Tunisia’s Kaouther Ben Hania, Versatile with Gaza Mon Amour [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by the Palestinian brothers Tarzan and Arab Nasser, DreamLab Films with Careless Crime by Iran’s Shahram Mokri, and Arizona with its co-production Yellow Cat [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Kazakh director Adilkhan Yerzhanov.

Elsewhere, Venice Days will see Shellac snap into action, selling – having co-produced – The Stonebreaker [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Gianluca e Massimiliano De…
scheda film] by the Italian brothers Gianluca and Massimiliano De Serio. Loco Films will join them, negotiating on behalf of The Whaler Boy [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Philipp Yuryev
scheda film] by Russia’s Philipp Yuryev, as will Parisian firm Yilisoo Films with the Chinese-French co-production Mama [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Li Dongmei
scheda film] by Li Dongmei. Also worth a mention are two titles featuring in the line-up of Indie Sales’ Belgian subsidiary Best Friend Forever: the French-Algerian co-production Honey Cigar [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Kamir Aïnouz
scheda film] by Kamir Aïnouz, which will be opening Venice Days in competition, and Saint-Narcisse by Canada’s Bruce LaBruce.

Last but not least, International Critics’ Week will see Reel Suspects selling the Lithuanian production The Flood Won’t Come [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Marat Sargsyan
scheda film] by Armenian director Marat Sargsyan, while MPM Premium will be negotiating on behalf of Ghosts [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Turkey’s Azra Deniz Okyay, thus rounding off a very strong contingent of French vendors wielding a host of Venetian aces and ready and raring to take full advantage of their exhibition on the Lido, where the physical presence of the global film industry is (cautiously) reasserting itself.