27/08/2018 - The feature debut by Jean-Bernard Marlin, which was unveiled at Cannes, has won the Best Film Award at the Francophone Film Festival

Jean-Bernard Marlin with his Diamond Valois from the Angoulême Francophone Film Festival (© Christophe Brachet/Angoulême Francophone Film Festival)

First revealed in the Cannes Critics’ Week, the excellent Shéhérazade [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Jean-Bernard Marlin has come out on top at the 11^th Angoulême Francophone Film Festival. Chaired by French actress Karin Viard, the jury handed the Diamond Valois for Best Film to the young French filmmaker’s feature debut. Also singled out in the Best Score category (rewarding the work of Mouss and Hakim) and crowned by the French-speaking student jury, the Geko Films production will be released by Ad Vitam in French theatres on 5 September, while its international sales have been entrusted to Films Boutique.

The Jury Valois went to Whatever Happened to My Revolution [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Judith Davis (set to be released in France on 2 January 2019, courtesy of UFO Distribution), while the Valois for Best Actor was handed to Félix Maritaud for his turn in Sauvage [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Camille Vidal-Naquet
film profile] by Félix Vidal-Naquet (which Pyramide will distribute in France starting this Wednesday), which previously earned him the Rising Star Award in the Cannes Critics’ Week.

Also of note is the Valois for Best Screenplay bestowed upon Sofia [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Meryem Benm'Barek
film profile] by Meryem Benm’Barek (already awarded in the same category on the Croisette, in Un Certain Regard, and set to be released in France on 5 September by Memento), while the Valois for Best Actress was presented to Canada’s Milya Corbeil-Gauvreau for her performance in Cross My Heart by her fellow countryman Luc Picard. Lastly, the audience plumped for L’Amour flou [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Romane Bohringer and Philippe Rebbot (set to be released on 10 October, via Rezo Films).

Here is the full list of winners:

Diamond Valois
Shéhérazade [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Jean-Bernard Marlin (France)

Jury Valois
Whatever Happened to My Revolution [+see also:
trailer
film profile] - Judith Davis (France)

Valois for Best Actor 
Félix Maritaud - Sauvage [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Camille Vidal-Naquet
film profile] (France)

Valois for Best Actress 
Milya Corbeil-Gauvreau – Cross My Heart (Canada)

Valois for Best Screenplay 
Sofia [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Meryem Benm'Barek
film profile] - Meryem Benm’Barek (France/Belgium/Qatar)

Valois for Best Score
Mouss and Hakim - Shéhérazade

Audience Valois
L’Amour flou [+see also:
trailer
film profile] - Romane Bohringer, Philippe Rebbot (France)

French-speaking Students’ Valois 
Shéhérazade - Jean-Bernard Marlin

René Laloux Valois for Best Animated Short Film
Hybrids - Florian Brauch, Kim Tailhades, Matthieu Pujol, Yohan Thireau, Romain Thirion (France)
Travelogue Tel Aviv - Patthey Samuel (France)

Rothschild Martin Maurel Valois
Stéphanie Bermann, Alexis Dulguerian – Domino Films

(Translated from French)