06/04/2006

The 24th edition of the Detective Film Festival, a genre that has experienced noticeable interest from financiers in the film industry, opens this evening.

Eight long features are in official competition to succeed 2005 winner Ferpect Crime by Alex de la Iglesia. This year, the jury is presided over by Jonathan Demme.

Along with Inside Man by Spike Lee there are four European films: the Iceland/US co-production A Little Trip To Heaven [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Baltasar Kormákur (see interview), starring Forest Whitaker; Arriverderci Amore Ciao [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Italy’s Michele Soavi, starring Alessio Boni and Michele Placido (see review, distributed in France by Pan Européenne and sold by Wild Bunch); Mastermind by Sweden’s Peter Flinth (Yellow Bird Productions, sold by Svensk Filmindustri AB); and Silentium [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Austria’s Wolfgang Murnberger (produced by Dor Film and sold by Sola Media GmbH).

The Sang Neuf (lit. “New Blood”) section will give audiences an opportunity to enjoy such films as Ils [+see also:
trailer
film profile] from French duo David Moreau and Xavier Palud (distribution Mars, sales Studio Canal), Balance of Terror [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by fellow countryman Jean-Martial Lefranc (Bac Films), as well as the Spanish feature El Método by Marcelo Piñeyro (distributed in France by CTV International).

Also in the line-up is the premiere of Wolf by Miguel Courtois, featuring Eduardo Noriega (distributor Artedis), and the screening of With Blood on My Hands: Pusher II [+see also:
trailer
film profile], the second film in the trilogy by Denmark’s Nicolas Winding Refn.

Also of note is the festival’s opening film: OSS 117 by Michel Hazanavicius, starring Jean Dujardin (presented as the French Austin Powers). A Perfect Friend [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Francis Girod will close the festival, while novelist Jean-Christophe Grangé (Crimson Rivers 2 :Angels of the Apocalypse, The Stone Council [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]) will hold a conference on April 7 on thrillers and creativity.

(Translated from French)