16 features to fly Arte flag

by Fabien Lemercier

28/04/2009 - It’s an impressive feat for Franco-German TV network Arte, which backed 16 features selected in the different sections of the 62nd Cannes Film Festival (May 13-24).

In the Official Selection, Arte is represented by nine features, including two co-productions by Arte France Cinéma in competition: Danish director Lars von Trier’s Antichrist [trailer, film focus] (also supported by Arte/ZDF) and Taiwanese filmmaker Tsaï Ming-Liang’s Face [trailer].

The Un Certain Regard section includes three films backed by Arte France Cinéma (Father of My Children [trailer, film focus] by France’s Mia Hansen-Love, Irène [trailer] by fellow French director Alain Cavalier and Independencia by Philippine filmmaker Raya Martin) and two by Arte/ZDF (Eyes Wide Open by Israel’s Haim Tabakman and The Wind Journeys by Colombia’s Ciro Guerra).

In the Official Selection, there will be Special Screenings of Chinese director Zhao Liang’s Petition (co-produced by Arte France) and Israeli filmmaker Keren Yedaya’s Jaffa [trailer] (Arte France Cinéma).

In the 48th International Critics’ Week, the Franco-German network has four strong titles. Chilean director Alejandro Fernandez Almendras’ Huacho [trailer] and Serbian filmmaker Vladimir Perisic’s Ordinary People were co-produced by Arte France Cinéma, while Belgian films Lost Person Area [trailer] by Caroline Strubbe and Altiplano [trailer] by Peter Brosens and Jessica Woodworth were backed by d’Arte/ZDF.

Finally, the 41st Directors’ Fortnight programme includes three features supported by Arte: Hippolyte Girardot and Nobuhiro Suwa’s French/Japanese title Yuki & Nina (co-produced by Arte France Cinéma); Alain Guiraudie’s French production Le Roi de l’évasion [trailer] (“The King of Escapism”, backed by Arte Cofinova); and Ajami by Israel’s Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani (Arte/ZDF).

(Translated from French)