64th Festival de Cannes Cinéfondation, Short Films Competition and More News

Cinéfondation

Also announced today is the selection of short and medium-length films from schools all over the world with a total of sixteen (16) works selected this year from countries like Czech Republic, Singapore, USA, Israel, Belgium, Brazil, France, Argentina, Italy and South Korea. To learn the films please go here and scroll down to the Cinéfondation section.

The jury headed by Michel Gondry will announce the three Cinéfondation Prizes on May20th.

Both sessions of the Résidence 2011 (21 and 22) will be represented at the Festival and the films will be screened by Cannes Short Films. The residents will present their scripts during a session organized in the CNC pavilion and debates will be organized with professional filmmakers who have shown interest in their projects. To check participants in sessions 21 and 22 go here.

This year, the Atelier has selected 15 projects from 15 different countries. Directors will take part in the Festival along with their producers and individual meetings will be organised to help them complete funding for their films.

Escafandra by Pablo Reyero (Argentina)
Now is the Future of the Past by Huang Weikai (China)
Augustine by Alice Winocour (France)
Khibula by George Ovashvili (Georgia)
Luton by Michalis Konstantatos (Greece)
Hier by Bálint Kenyeres (Hungary)
The Train Station by Mohamed Al Daradji (Iraq)
Of Our Economical Situation by Elad Keidan (Israel)
Il Sud è Niente by Fabio Mollo (Italy)
La delgada línea amarilla by Celso García (Mexico)
Full Contact by David Verbeek (Netherlands)
El Mudo by Daniel & Diego Vega (Peru
Wolf by Bogdan Mustata (Romania)
Kings by Deniz Ergüven (Turkey)
Mr Kaplan by Alvaro Brechner (Uruguay)

Cannes Short Films

This year the Short Film Competition and the Short Film Corner will be linked to become Cannes Short Films in order to foster the promotion of short movies.

The list of the short films in competition will be announced on Monday, April 18. Michel Gondry is also the Jury's president of the Cannes Short Films.

Cannes Classics

Most interesting is the film that will open this section as is none other than Jerry Schatzberg’s 1970 Puzzle of a Downfall Child starring Faye Dunaway. Film has a new copy restored by Universal Studios and both director and leading lady will be on attendance. Remember that Dunaway’s Cannes 2011 poster has a photo taken by Schatzberg.

Another interesting event is the screening of a new restored copy of a film that shocked and marveled me when I saw it a long time ago Stanley Kubrick’s 1971 A Clockwork Orange. I don’t doubt that this event is related to the current extraordinary exhibition at la Cinematheque Francaise as also will screen Il était une fois Orange Mécanique, the documentary by Antoine de Gaudemar.

The full Cannes Classics program will be announced on Friday April 22nd.

Other Activities

There will be an unusual exhibition at Grands Foyers Lumière and Debussy. Palais des Festivals where Cannes will welcome the Kobal Collection that celebrates the glossy world of the Pin-Up; an exhibition with cinema-related photographs of the likes of Ava Gardner, Elizabeth Taylor and Sennett Girls among many more.

Not long ago was announced that Melanie Laurent will be the Mistress of Ceremonies at the 2011 festival and that the most unusual event will happen at the Opening Ceremony where an Honorary Palme d’Or will be given to Bernardo Bertolucci. In previous years Honorary Palms have been given before the festival, but is the first time during the festival; still recall that in 2009 Clint Eastwood was honored. The good news is that from now on will be an annual event and always will be presented during the Opening Ceremony.

Last, this year the festival will honor the great Jean-Paul Belmondo with a gala evening in celebration of his talent and career that will take place on Tuesday, May 17 where Vincent Perrot and Jeff Domenech’s documentary Belmondo, The Career will be premiered.