May 6, 2018
“One is not born a Woman, but becomes one”- Simone de Beauvoir
Los Angeles- The 22nd Annual COLCOA French Film Festival is a tour de force in showcasing the very best of French Cinema in Los Angeles. Founded in 1997 by The Franco-American Cultural Fund and sphere-headed by executive producer Francois Truffart, COLCOA is a distinguished must-see French cinema cultural experience that is unrivaled as the largest French Film Festival worldwide.
This year’s focus was on women and their contribution to film. A new initiative called Women Make History, as part of the “Focus on a Filmmaker” event series, showcased first films made by many female writers and directors. This year, COLCOA shined its honour of recognition to spotlight writer-director-actor Mélanie Laurent.
“Through its different competitions, we are proud to dedicate this year’s programming 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 COLCOA Executive Producer and Artistic Director François Truffart.
Opening night celebrated a triumphant savoir-faire kick-off with the North American Premiere of writer/director Eric Barbier’s PROMISE AT DAWN and closed with the North American premiere of Cedric Kahn’s new drama THE PRAYER on Monday, April 30.
Happy Hour talks included France’s Female New Wave with panelists w/d Sou Abadi (SOME LIKE IT VEILED, w/d Elisa Diringer (LUNA), actor Camélia Jordana (LE BRIO and SOME LIKE IT VEILED), w/d Nawell Madani (STAND UP GIRL) and w/d Marie-Garel Weiss (THE PARTY’S OVER) and a panel with several of the festival filmmakers including w/d Eric Barbier (PROMISE AT DAWN), w/d Samuel Benchetrit (DOG), w/d Hubert Charuel (BLOODY MILK), w/d/p Charles de Meaux (THE LADY IN THE PORTRAIT), w/d Xavier Legrand (CUSTODY) and w/d Marie-Garel Weiss (PARTY’S OVER). Other attendees included director Jon Amiel, writer, director, producer Lucia Aniello, composer Jean-Michel Bernard, Anthony Bajon (THE PRAYER), director Modi Barry (CHATEAU), w/d Dany Boon (FAMILY IS FAMILY), director James Bort (RISE OF A STAR), actor Isabelle Candelier (BLOODY MILK), w/d Christian Carion (MY SON), author Erri De Luca, Prima Ballerina at Paris Opera Ballet Dorothée Gilbert (RISE OF A STAR), actor Vanessa Guide (LET THE GIRLS PLAY), w/d Taylor Hackford, musician Jean-Michel Jarre, w/d Philippe Le Guay (NAKED NORMANDY), writer, director, producer and education Jeremy Kagan, actor Xavier Lemaître (INFIDELITY), actor Gong Li, w/d Michael Mann, w/d Mike Mills, actor Vanessa Paradis (DOG), composer Lalo Schifrin (Honoree), singer Hélène Ségara. w/d Francis Veber (THE DINNER GAME), and w/d Marie-Garrel Weiss (PARTY’S OVER).
COLCOA also proudly supports a new generation of foreign film viewers by offering two educational programs in association with ELMA (European Languages and Movies in America): COLCOA HIGH SCHOOL SCREENINGS and COLCOA MASTER CLASS PROGRAM.
To date, over 100 high schools in Southern California have attended the festival- most of the students had no foreign film experience before. There were 5 high school screenings during the festival offering 3,000 seats.
This year’s Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) film jury was comprised of Lael Lowenstein (KPCC’s FilmWeek), Wade Major (KPCC’s FilmWeek, DigiGods, CineGods.com) and Chuck Wilson (LA Weekly and Village Voice). LE BRIO, written and directed by Yvan Attal, was awarded the COLCOA LAFCA Critics Award/Prix de la Critique.
“At a time of heightened racial and religious tensions on both sides of the Atlantic, writer/director Yvan Attal’s superb LE BRIO shines a hopeful light on a subject too often relegated to dark prognostications. In blending elements from such classics as PYGMALION and THE PAPER CHASE with serious issues of contemporary concern, Attal’s smart, elegantly-crafted and superbly entertaining film is both socially relevant and artistically proficient, making it the perfect choice for our COLCOA jury. In the hands of veteran Daniel Auteuil and dazzling newcomer Camélia Jordana, Attal’s crackling dialogue becomes the spark that sets off one of the most incendiary screen pairings in recent years” -. LAFCA jury statement
For a full list of Awards, click HERE
This year’s COLCOA FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL sponsors were: Air Tahiti Nui, TV5MONDE, Variety (Official Sponsors); Admirable Malibu Wines, Airstar America, Barnstormer, France Télévisions, KPCC 89.3, Los Angeles Times, Champagne Trésor de France, The Hollywood Reporter (Premier Sponsors); Club Culinaire of Southern California, ELMA, LA Confidential, Sunset Marquis, Titra Film (Major Sponsors); Alliance Française de Los Angeles, Cinando, D’Alessio Law Group, Discover Hollywood, Duverger, Laemmle, Marché du Film/Festival de Cannes, Miraval/Vineyard Brands/La Vielille Ferme, Office de Tourisme Epernay, Paul M. Young Fine Wines, (Platinum Sponsors); Cinelife, Delair Labs, France-Amérique, French Morning, Gayot, Hénaff Gonidec, La Chouquette, Le Grenouille Selections/The Source Imports, Locations Wines, Lycée International Los Angeles, Mademoiselle M, MAC, Petit Pot, Rosenthal, Samsung, Sharingbox, Tealeaves (Supporting Sponsors).
ABOUT COLCOA
COLCOA FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL was founded in 1997 by The Franco-American Cultural Fund, a unique collaborative effort of the Directors Guild of America, the Motion Picture Association, the Writers Guild of America West, and France’s Society of Authors Composers and Publishers of Music (SACEM). COLCOA is also supported by l’Association des Auteurs-Réalisateurs-Producteurs (ARP), the Film and TV Office of the French Embassy in Los Angeles (French Consulate), the CNC, TVFI, and UNIFRANCE.
COLCOA is the acronym of “City of Light, City of Angels,” the original name of an event celebrating relationships between filmmakers from two capital cities of cinema. Since 2015, the festival’s name has officially become COLCOA FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL.
For additional information click HERE
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