22/04/2014 - Four French, one Belgian and three English filmmakers are set to be showcased, with Sciamma, Dumont, Boorman and du Welz leading the charge

“Things are not going so well with the world, and cinema tells that story a lot, especially with film noir.” In Paris this lunch time, General Delegate Edouard Waintrop laid his cards on the table as he unveiled the selection for the 46th Directors’ Fortnight, which will take place from 15-25 May as part of the 67th Cannes International Film Festival. The programme, which includes 19 feature films (including 12 produced or co-produced by Europe), will be opened by Bande de filles [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Céline Sciamma
interview: Céline Sciamma
film profile] by French director Céline Sciamma (read the article).

Three other French filmmakers have been picked: the well-known Bruno Dumont with his P'tit Quinquin (a TV mini-series whose four episodes will be shown in a single block), Thomas Cailley with the romantic comedy Les combattants [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Thomas Cailley
film profile] (read the article) and Jean-Charles Hue with the crime film/road movie Mange tes morts [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (see the news).

English directors also feature particularly prominently, with Queen and Country [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: John Boorman
film profile] by seasoned filmmaker John Boorman (production headed by Ireland with the UK), the hard-hitting social thriller Catch Me Daddy [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Daniel Wolfe
film profile] by Daniel Wolfe and the political comedy Pride [+see also:
film review
trailer
making of
film profile] by Matthew Warchus, which will be closing the Fortnight.

Also involved is Belgium’s Fabrice du Welz with his horror-tinged thriller Alleluia [+see also:
film review
trailer
making of
interview: Fabrice Du Welz
film profile] (co-produced by France). 

Three other European co-productions feature on the list: Gett, the Trial of Viviane Amsallem [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Israeli directors Ronit and Shlomi Elkabetz (co-produced by Germany and France), the documentary National Gallery [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by American filmmaker Fréderick Wiseman (executive-produced by France) and Refugiado [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Argentina’s Diego Lerman (co-produced by France and Germany). In addition to this trio, we can add Cold in July [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by American director Jim Mickle, 100% funded by France (via BSM Studio, which is operated by Backup Media, and with the La Cinefacture Label).

Although it is well represented in the line-up, European cinema is nevertheless reduced to three countries from the Old World this year (France, the UK and Belgium, and even Germany if we take into account co-productions). Scandinavia, Italy, Spain, and Central and Eastern European countries have no presence in the event whatsoever.

Asia will also be represented by a Japanese animated title (The Tale of Princess Kaguya by Isao Takahata) and a South Korean crime film (A Hard Day). English-language cinema will also be in competition, with the Sundance winner (Whiplash), an Australian post-apocalyptic feature film (These Final Hours) and an anniversary screening featuring the remastered version of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, making for a 2014 Directors’ Fortnight that promises to be absolutely electric and which has decided to trim down its selection in order to focus on the films more effectively. Lastly, the Carrosse d'Or Prize will be awarded posthumously to Alain Resnais, to whom the Fortnight will be paying tribute on 15 May.

Opening film: Bande de fille (Girlhood) - Céline Sciamma

Feature films:
Alleluia - Fabrice du Welz
At Li Layla (Next to Her) - Asaf Korman
Catch Me Daddy - Daniel Wolfe
Cold in July - Jim Mickle
Les combattants (Fighters) - Thomas Cailley
Gett - Le procès de Viviane Amsalem - Ronit & Shlomi Elkabetz
Kaguya-hime no monogatari (Le conte de la Princesse Kaguya) - Isao Takahata
Mange tes morts (Eat Your Bones) - Jean-Charles Hue
Moo-deom-kka-ji gan-da (A Hard Day) - Seong-Hun Kim
National Gallery - Frederick Wiseman
Queen and Country - John Boorman
Refugiado - Diego Lerman
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre - Tobe Hooper
These Final Hours - Zach Hilditch
Tu dors Nicole - Stéphane Lafleur
Whiplash - Damien Chazelle

Closing film: Pride - Matthew Warchus

Special screening: P'tit Quinquin - Bruno Dumont

Short films:
8 balles - Frank Ternier
A caça revoluçoes - Margarida Rego
Cambodia 2099 - Davy Chou
En août - Jenna Hasse
Fragmenty (Fragments) - Aga Woszczynska
Guy Moquet - Demis Herenger
Jutra - Marie-Josée Saint-Pierre
Man on the Chair - Dahee Jeong
Sem coraçao - Nara Normande & Tiao Tiao
Torn - Elmar Imanov & Engin Kundag
Trece si prin perete (It Can Pass Through the Wall) - Radu Jude

(Translated from French)