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FESTIVALS Greece

Francophone Film Festival of Greece kicks off with Potiche

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Catherine Deneuve starrer Potiche [+see also:
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, Francois Ozon’s latest film, opened the 12th Francophone Film Festival of Greece (March 31-April 8) last night. The iconic French actress is visiting Athens to attend the opening gala, along with Anna Mouglalis, who is this year’s festival godmother.

Mouglalis was also given carte blanche to compile and present a selective retrospective of Claude Chabrol’s film, which includes the first Greek screening of the grand master’s Gerard Depardieu starrer, Inspector Bellamy.

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Dubbed as “a gathering of great personalities” by the French Institute of Athens chairwoman Catherine Suard, this year’s edition will also be handing out a lifetime achievement award to Claudia Cardinale.

Diane Kruger and Ludivine Sagnier will be presenting Lily Sometimes [+see also:
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along with director Fabienne Berthaud. The guest list also includes Elodie Bouchez and Anthony Cordier, presenting Happy Few [+see also:
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; Nicole Garcia and Marie-Josee Croze; presenting A View of Love [+see also:
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; and Michaël Cohen presenting his controversial Ça commence par la fin [+see also:
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film profile
]
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New festival director Εlise Jalladeau set “making the festival’s sections clear and discernible” as this year’s goal, and to that end she presents a competition section comprised solely by films that have secured distribution in Greece. The French Panorama section will host the rest of the best of this year’s French production.

A jury “of well-known film personalities from France and Greece”, led by Palm d‘Or winner Theo Angelopoulos, is also a novelty for the fest, which will this year be handing out monetary prizes by both the jury and the audience. The prizes will be used for the promotional needs of the winning titles.

The festival will be signing off with the world premiere of Greek/Belgian/French co-production of Eric Boisset’s novel Nicostratos, titled Un Été Grec, directed by Olivier Horlait and starring Emir Kusturica. The film’s cast and crew are scheduled to attend the screening.

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