04/09/2014 - 54 French productions and co-productions on show 21 of which are world premieres including Samba, The New Girlfriend and Eden

French production has a massive turnout at the 39^th Toronto International Film Festival  which kicks off today showcasing 54 feature films produced or co-produced by French companies. And behind the scenes, on the informal market, numerous sharp French international sales companies are working hard in Canada to negotiate their extra-long line-ups.

Three notable world premieres in the Gala Presentations section with Samba [+see also:
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film profile] by Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano, The New Girlfriend [+see also:
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interview: François Ozon
film profile] by François Ozon and the Franco-Belgian co-production The Connection [+see also:
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film profile] by Cédric Jimenez. Also on show are Paradise Lost [+see also:
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making of
film profile] by Andrea di Stefano (co-production by Spain and Belgium) and the Cannes competitor Maps to the Stars [+see also:
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making of
film profile] by David Cronenbeg (presented under the Canadian flag, but with production delegated to SBS Productions).

13 films will be screened in Special Presentations including Eden [+see also:
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interview: Charles Gillibert
interview: Mia Hansen-Løve
film profile] by Mia Hansen-Løve and Gemma Bovery [+see also:
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film profile] by Anne Fontaine as a worldpremiere. They’ll be accompanied by the Franco-Belgian-Cambodian co-production The Gate [+see also:
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interview: Régis Wargnier
film profile] by Régis Wargnier, Cannes competitors Sils Maria [+see also:
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interview: Charles Gillibert
interview: Olivier Assayas
film profile] by Olivier Assayas and The Search [+see also:
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Q&A: Michel Hazanavicius
film profile] from Michel Hazanavivius, Venice competitors 3 Hearts [+see also:
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interview: Benoît Jacquot
film profile]by Benoît Jacquot, Far from Men [+see also:
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film profile] by David Oelhoffen and Pasolini [+see also:
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interview: Abel Ferrara
film profile] by Abel Ferrara, not forgetting Return to Ithaca [+see also:
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interview: Laurent Cantet
film profile] by Laurent Cantet, also unveiled on the Lido. And in minority productions there are two notable world premieres with the animated film Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet (co-produced by Canada, France, Lebanon,  Qatar and the US) and Miss Julie [+see also:
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interview: Liv Ullmann
film profile] by Liv Ullmann (Norway, United Kingdom, Ireland and France), but also the Cannes Turist [+see also:
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interview: Ruben Östlund
film profile] by Swedish Ruben Ostlund and Two days, one night [+see also:
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interview: Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne
film profile] by Belgian Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne.

In the Contemporary World Cinema section landing from the Croisette is Girlhood [+see also:
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interview: Céline Sciamma
interview: Céline Sciamma
film profile] by Céline Sciamma, L'il Quinquin [+see also:
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film profile] by Bruno Dumont, Bird People [+see also:
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interview: Pascale Ferran
film profile] by Pascale Ferran, Breathe [+see also:
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interview: Lou de Laâge
film profile] by Mélanie Laurent, Gett – The trial of Viviane Amsalem [+see also:
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film profile] by Israeli Ronit and Shlomi Elkabetz and the minority co-productions Still the Water [+see also:
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film profile] by Japanese Naomi Kawase and Xenia [+see also:
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interview: Panos H. Koutras
film profile] by Greek Panos H. Koutras. Also selected were High Society [+see also:
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film profile] by Julie Lopes Curval, Not my type [+see also:
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interview: Lucas Belvaux
film profile] from Belgian Lucas Belvaux and Men Who Saved The World [+see also:
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film profile] by Liew Seng Tat (Malaysia, Netherlands, Germany and France). World premieres are on the menu for the Franco-Greek feature film Red Rose by Iranian Sepideh Farsi, for Don't Breathe [+see also:
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film profile] by Nino Kirtadze (Zadig Production) and for minority films Tigers [+see also:
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film profile] by Danis Tanovic (co-produced by India, France and the United Kingdom), The Valley by Ghassan Salhab (Lebanon, France, Germany, Qatar, United Arab Emirates) and Tokyo fiancée [+see also:
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film profile] by Stefan Liberski (Belgium, Canada and France).

Standing out on the Masters programme are Murder in Pacot [+see also:
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film profile] by Raoul Peck (produced by Velvet Film with Haiti and Norway) making its world premiere, Cannes competitors Goodbye to Language [+see also:
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film profile] by Jean-Luc Godard and Timbuktu [+see also:
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film profile] by Abderrahmane Sissako, as well as three minority co-productions: 1001 grams [+see also:
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interview: Bent Hamer
film profile] by Bent Hamer (Norway, Germany and France), Venice competitor A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence [+see also:
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interview: Roy Andersson
film profile] by Roy Andersson (Sweden, Norway, France and Germany) and Palme d'Or Winter Sleep [+see also:
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interview: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
film profile] by Turkish Nuri Bilge Ceylan.

The Discovery section will screen as global premieres May Allah Bless France! [+see also:
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film profile] by Abd Al Malik, The Great Man by Sarah Léonor and minority films The Narrow Frame of Midnight from Tala Hadid (Morocco, United Kingdom, France and Qatar) and Sway by Rooth Tang (United States, France and Thailand). Also on show are Cannes discovery Run [+see also:
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film profile] by Philippe Lacôte and minority co-productions Flapping in the Middle of Nowhere [+see also:
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film profile] by Diep Hoang Nguyen, (Vietnam, France, Norway, Germany) and Los Hongos [+see also:
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film profile] by Oscar Ruiz Navia (Colombia, Argentina, France and Germany).

Wavelengths will offer La Sapienza [+see also:
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film profile] by Eugène Green, the documentary Letters To Max by Eric Baudelaire, Journey to the West [+see also:
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film profile] by Taiwanese Tsai Ming-Liang and minority movies Jauja [+see also:
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film profile] by Argentinian Lisandro Alonso and Heaven Knows What by Americans Benny and Joshua Safdie.

In the TIFF Docs section world premieres are scheduled for the 100 % French production This Is My Land by Israeli Tamara Erde and for The Wanted 18 by duo Amer Shmali - Paul Cowan (Canada, Palestine and France). Also featuring on the menu are the Franco-American title National Gallery [+see also:
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film profile] by Frederick Wiseman, Franco-Congolese National Diploma by Dieudo Hamadi, Italo-French Natural Resistance [+see also:
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film profile] by Jonathan Nossiter, and Silvered Water, Syria self-portrait from Ossama Mohammed and Wiam Simav Bedirxan (Syria, France).

Finally worth mentioning is the world premiere of animated film Song of the Sea by Tomm Moore (Ireland, Luxembourg, Belgium, France and Denmark) in TIFF Kids, screenings of the Franco-Belgian co-production Alleluia [+see also:
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making of
interview: Fabrice Du Welz
film profile] by Fabrice Du Welz in Vanguard, as well as the presence of Juliette Binoche who will chatting on the Maverick Conversations stage.

(Translated from French)