24/04/2009

Argentinean/Spanish/Italian co-production Tetro by Francis Ford Coppola – who refused an invitation to screen out of competition in the Official Selection – will open the 41st Directors’ Fortnight, to be held from May 14-24 as part of the 62nd Cannes Film Festival.

The US director heads a rich selection of 24 features, which was unveiled at midday today in Paris by the delegate general Olivier Père. The latter will bid farewell to the Director’s Fortnight at the end of this edition to take over as head of the Locarno Film Festival.

With nine films, European cinema takes pole position among the continents in the line-up, thanks to five French productions by Alain Guiraudie, Axelle Roppert, Luc Moullet, Riad Sattouf and Hippolyte Girardot (who co-directed his project with Japan’s Nobuhiro Suwa).

Moreover, Portugal will put in an appearance with Pedro Costa, Belgium with Félix von Groeningen, Bulgaria with Kamen Kalev and Austria with directorial duo Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel.

Absent from this year’s line-up, however, are Italy, the UK, Germany and Spain (which is well represented in the Official Selection and Critics’ Week).

North American films are also out in force with three Canadian features and four US productions, including I Love You Philip Morris, starring Jim Carrey and Ewan Mc Gregor. Asia is represented by four films, including Hong Sangsoo’s latest, while South America takes a back seat with just two titles. The programme is completed by an Israeli feature.

Programme:

Opening film: Francis Ford Coppola - Tetro [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (US/Argentina/Spain/Italy)
Alain Guiraudie - Le Roi de l'évasion [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (France)
Axelle Roppert - La famille Wolberg (France) *
Luc Moullet - Land of Madness documentary (France)
Riad Sattouf - Les beaux gosses [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (France) *
Hippolyte Girardot & Nobuhiro Suwa - Yuki & Nina (France/Japan)
Tizza Covi & Rainer Frimmel - La Pivellina (Austria)
Félix von Groeningen - De Helaasheid der dingen (Belgium)
Kamen Kalev - Eastern Plays (Bulgaria) *
Pedro Costa - Ne change rien (Portugal)
Glenn Ficarra & John Requa - I Love You Philip Morris (US/France) *
Lynn Shelton - Humpday (US)
Benny & Josh Sadie- Go Get Some Rosemary (US)
Cherien Dabis - Amreeka (US) *
Denis Villeneuve - Polytechnique (Canada)
Denis Côté - Carcasses (Canada)
Xavier Dolan - J’ai tué ma mère (Canada) *
Michel Franco - Daniel & Ana (Mexico) *
Sebastian Lelio - Navidad (Chile)
Hong Sangsoo - Like You Know It All (Korea)
Tzu-Nyen Ho - Here (Singapore) *
Chan Fui (Chris) Chong - Karaoke (Malaysia) *
Liu Jia Yin - Oxide II (Switzerland)
Closing film: Scandar Copti & Yaron Shani- Ajami (Israel) *

Special Screening
Mikhaël Hers - Montparnasse (France)

Shorts
Balint Kenyeres - The History of Aviation (Hungary)
Charlie White - American Minor (US)
Rúnar Runarsson - Anna (Denmark)
Chema Garcia Ibarra - The Attack of the Robots from Nebula-5 (Spain)
João Nicolau - Song Of Love And Health (Portugal/France)
Amiel Courtin-Wilson - Cicada (Australia)
Johannes Nyholm - Drömmar Från Skogen (Sweden)
Yumi Jung - Dust Kid (Korea)
Guillaume Leiter - The Fugitives (France)
Alessandro Comodin - Jagdfieber (Belgium)
Andrew Betzer - John Wayne Hated Horses (US)
Maud Alpi - Nice (France)
Renata Pinheiro - Superbarroco (Brazil)
Virgil Vernier - Thermidor (France)

* Vying for the Camera d’Or

(Translated from French)