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RELEASES Spain

A Christmas with a French accent

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Emilio Martínez Lázaro's The Other Side Of The Bed (see the Film Focus) may be the most awaited domestic title to open on Christmas time, but when it comes to the nationality of films to be released in the two upcoming weeks, French cinema will be the one getting the honours with a total of 7 films delivering a great choice of styles and genres, from animation to thrillers, from documentary to social tales.

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Disney and Pixel productions usually invade big screens on Christmas holidays, but this year Spanish families will have the occasion to discover three animation films issued from French studios. The cartoon menu opens with Alta Films distributing Kirikou et les bêtes sauvages [+see also:
trailer
film profile
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. Co-directed by Michel Ocelot and Bénédicte Galup, the film was produced by Les Armateurs, Gebeka Films, France 3 Cinéma and Studio O. Also opening today is La prophétie des grenouilles by Jacques-Rémy Girerd, distributed by Baditri while the French-British title The Magic Roundabout, codirected by Jean Duval, Frank Passingham and Dave Borthwick opens on the 30th of December, distributed by Aurum. The three titles will compete in the box office against the Spanish animation film Olentzero y el tronco mágico by Juanjo Elordi. The film was produced by Baleuko and Barton Films, which also assures the domestic distribution.

But for those who are not particularly fond of fairy tales, the option is large. Distributed by Golem, Live and Become [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Denis Carot
interview: Didar Domehri
interview: Radu Mihaileanu
film profile
]
(see the Film Focus) gives a more serious tone to Christmas, while L'Empire des Loups gets together Jean Reno and Laura Morante in a thriller directed by Chris Nahon and distributed by On Pictures. Still space for the French-Canadian-German-Italian Le dernier trappeur, a documentary directed by Nicolas Vanier and distributed by Araba Films. The French contingent finishes with New France (Nouvelle France), a historic drama set on the 18th century as the French colonies of the American continent were attacked by the by English armies. Starring Gérard Depardieu, Irène Jacob, Vincent Perez and Tim Roth, the film is a French-Canadian-British co-production, distributed by DeAPlaneta.

Finally, the last week of the 2006 will also bring to the big screens Handbook of Love, where Italian director Giovani Veronesi builds four stories based on the four phases of love: passion, crisis, betrayal and abandonment. The film, which received 12 nominations for the David de Donatello awards, is distributed by Notro Films.

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