(Los Angeles — 22 April 2018) The Franco-American Cultural Fund announced the program for the 22nd Colcoa French Film Festival, which will run April 23-30 at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles.
Showcasing a record 86 films, television series, digital series and VR programs, 75 of which will complete for the Colcoa Awards, the event includes several World, International, North American, and U.S. Premieres.
Colcoa is considered the largest festival dedicated to French films and series worldwide.
“Through its different competitions, we are proud to dedicate this year’s programming of Colcoa to women, both in their role in the making of the films and series, and their central roles in the majority of the stories selected this year,” stated François Truffart, COLCOA Executive Producer and Artistic Director.
Colcoa Cinema
An exclusive lineup of 37 new features and documentaries will compete for the Colcoa Cinema Awards beginning April 23 with the North American Premiere of writer / director Eric Barbier’s Promise at Dawn.
This adaptation of French author Romain Gary’s autobiography and celebration of his mother gathers, in the title roles, Pierre Niney and Charlotte Gainsbourg.
PROMISE AT DAWN
The cinema competition will close on Monday, April 30, with the North American Premiere of Cedric Kahn’s new drama, The Prayer. The film recently had its triumphant world premiere at the Berlin Film festival where newcomer Anthony Bajon won the Best Actor Award.
THE PRAYER
The line-up includes new features from established writer / directors and newcomers. Actors Camélia Jordana (Le Brio), Vanessa Paradis (Dog), Nahuel Perez Biscayart (See You Up There), Melville Poupaud (The Lady in the Portrait), Antony Bajon (The Prayer) and veteran writer / director Francis Veber (20th anniversary of The Dinner Game) will be in attendance at the festival, with additional talent to be announced shortly.
Shorts Program
The Shorts section, presented in association with Unifrance and TV5 Monde, is comprised of an exclusive selection of 23 films, which will be in competition for the Colcoa Short Awards on April 29.
This year, more than half of the selections are by women filmmakers and a quarter of the section are animated films. The COLCOA Shorts Competition will be available in the U.S. after the festival from May 4 to May 31, on the cinema-on-demand program of TV5 Monde, an Official Partner of Colcoa. Garden Party, which was presented in this section last year at Colcoa, received an Oscar nomination in 2018 for Best Animated Short Film.
Television
This year the Television section includes 12 selections competing for the Colcoa 2018 Television Awards given by both audience and a professional jury. The section is comprised of television series and TV movies, including the International Premiere of PROUD, a three-part miniseries that spans three generations with each generation dealing with a crucial gay rights moment in France.
The section is presented in association with TV France International and TITRAFILM, with the support of AMC Networks, Arte Distribution, Endemol Shine International, Film & Picture, France TV Distribution, Gaumont, Lagardère Studios, Leonis, Scarlett Productions, StudioCanal, Tetra Media, TF1 Studio, Walter Presents.
French composer Laurent Perez Del Mar will be honored with the “Focus on a Composer” and he will meet the Colcoa audience on Saturday April 28, for a one-hour discussion about his career. Del Mar is critically acclaimed for his work on the score for the Academy Award nominated feature film La Tortue RougeThe (“The Red Turtle”), which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film.
Documentaries
The Documentary section includes four films competing for the 2018 COLCOA Best Documentary Award. Alain DuCasse gives the audience insight into one of the world’s most acclaimed chefs, Makala highlights the aspirations of a young farmer in Congo hoping for a better future, Nothingwood showcases Salim Shaheen, Afghanistan’s most prolific actor-director-producer, and PLot 35 confronts a mystery from the filmmaker’s childhood.
As Previously Announced writer / director / actress Mélanie Laurent will be honored as the “Focus on a Filmmaker.”
On Thursday, April 26, her film Les Adoptés (“The Adopted”) will screen as part of the Colcoa Classic series and, following the first screening of the film, she will participate in a Happy Hour Talk dedicated to her career. The evening will conclude with the U.S. Premiere of her latest film Plonger (“Diving”).
All programs are presented with English subtitles or in English. Tickets are available for advance purchase online here. The online box office and RSVP will be open until the night before each show at the festival. Tickets will be also available on site at the Directors Guild of America, 7920 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles CA 90046 during the event. Full of a full listing of films, click here.
Stay tuned to Reel Chicago as we bring you the inside stories during this wonderful festival.
