24/04/2009

Young European directors dominate the selection of the 48th International Critics’ Week (SIC), which will run from May 14-22 as part of the 62nd Cannes Film Festival.

Unveiled today in an online press conference (which can be viewed on the SIC website) by delegate general Jean-Christophe Berjon, the 2009 programme includes eight European productions and co-productions out of a total nine features (a tenth title, screening out of competition, will be announced shortly).

Like last year, Asia and the US are absent from the line-up, which gives pride of place to Europe and South America. Belgium confirms the dynamism of its young filmmakers with a Flemish title in competition (Caroline Strubbe’s debut film Lost Persons Area) and Peter Brossens and Jessica Woodworth’s Belgian/German/Dutch co-production Altiplano, which is the second feature by the duo discovered at Venice in 2006 with Khadak [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jessica Woodworth
interview: Jessica Woodworth
film profile].

Among the five other titles vying for the Grand Prize are French director Nassim Amaouche’s Adieu Gary Cooper (see news); Ordinary People by Serbia’s Vladimir Perisic; and two debut features by South American filmmakers, co-produced by European countries: Alejandro Fernandez Almendras’ Huacho (France/Germany/Chile) and Alvaro Brechner’s Bad Day to Go Fishing (Spain/Uruguay).

France and Spain will also be in the spotlight in the special screenings section: Mathias Gokalp’s Rien de Personnel (“Nothing Personal”) will open Critics’ Week; and Gabe Ibanez’s Hierro (“Iron”) will be presented in the programme entitled Exceptional Spanish Genre Filmmakers. Meanwhile, Juan Antonio Bayona and Juan Carlos Fresnadillo will strut the Croisette in their role as Godfathers of the 48th Critics’ Week.

Competition - Features
Nassim Amaouche - Adieu Gary Cooper (France) debut feature
Vladimir Perisic - Ordinary People (Serbia/France) debut feature
Caroline Strubbe - Lost Persons Area (Belgium) debut feature
Peter Brossens & Jessica Woodworth - Altiplano (Belgium/Germany/Netherlands)
Alejandro Fernandez Almendras - Huacho (Chile/France/Germany) debut feature
Alvaro Brechner - Bad Day to Go Fishing (Uruguay/Spain) debut feature
Sharham Alidi - Whisper with the Wind (Iraq) debut feature

Special Screenings - Features
Opening film: Mathias Gokalp - Rien de personnel (France) debut feature
Godfathers’ Film: Gabe Ibanez - Hierro (Spain) debut feature

Shorts
Eicke Bettinga - Together (Germany/UK)
Pablo Lamar - Noche adentro (Paraguay)
Cordell Barker - Runaway (Canada)
Marie Amachoukeli & Claire Burger - C’est gratuit pour les filles (France)
Dalibor Matanic - Tulum (Croatia)
H5 - Logorama (France)
Patrick Eklund -Seeds of the Fall (Sweden)

Special Screenings – Short and medium-length films
Closing night:
Grégoire Colin - La Baie du Renard (France)
Camilo Matiz - 1989 (Colombia)
Nicolas Giraud – Faiblesses (France)
Moon Seong-hyeok - 6 Hours (Korea)
Pierre Pinaud - Les Miettes (France)
Vera Egito - Elo (Brazil)
Vera Egito - Spread Through the Air (Brazil)

(Translated from French)