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FESTIVALS France

Hallam Foe picks up Golden Hitchcock at Dinard

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David Mackenzie was one of the winners this weekend at the 18th Dinard British Film Festival (see news), with his fourth feature, Hallam Foe [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
, grabbing the festival’s top prize, the Golden Hitchcock.

Acclaimed in official competition at the Berlinale this year (see article), the film attracted the attention of the competition jury, presided over by Josiane Balasko and comprising actresses Imelda Stauton, Sylvie Testud, Kerry Fox and Linh Dan Pham.

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Produced by Sigma Films and Lunar Films, Hallam Foe was backed by FilmFour, Scottish Screen, the Glasgow Film Fund and Ingenious Film Partners.

Sold to a host of international territories by Independent Film Sales (news), it is to be hoped that the title’s win at Dinard will help it attract a French buyer.

Sarah Gavron’s Brick Lane [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
(see news, Diaphana Distribution) struck lucky twice, winning both the Audience Award and Best Screenplay, while John Carney’s Once [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
(distribution: SND) received a Special Mention for “its youth and passion".

Lastly, Garage [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ed Guiney
interview: Jean-François Deveau
interview: Lenny Abrahamson
film profile
]
by Irish director Lenny Abrahamson – which proved a revelation at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight (see article, distribution MK2) – took home the Coup de Cœur award, which is also open to films screening out-of-competition.

The awards are in line with the pioneering work of Dinard Festival Artistic Director Hussam Hindi, who spoke to Cineuropa about UK films in France.

“About 30 British films are released each year in France, making them the third most popular films behind local titles and US productions. Loach, Leigh and Frears, for example, are almost better known in France than in England. And exchanges are increasing, as can be seen by the recent French adaptations Angel [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
, Lady Chatterley [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
and Tell No One [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
, an unexpected hit at the UK box office (see news) and StudioCanal’s takeover of Optimum Releasing last year," Hindi said.

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(Translated from French)

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