The 10th version of the Next Step program of Cannes Critics’ Week is unfolding this week on the Moulin d’Andé artists residence in Normandy.
The advanced, constructed round a twelfth Century mill overlooking the River Seine, is famend for its French New Wave connections, with François Truffaut reported to have written the screenplay for Jules And Jim throughout a keep there within the early Sixties.
“It’s one of the oldest writing and screenwriting residents in France,” says Cannes Critics’ Week program supervisor and Next Step workshop director Thomas Rosso. “We been coming here since the beginning.”
Aimed at serving to filmmakers who’ve proven shorts at Cannes Critics’ Week get their first characteristic over the road, Next Step has supported 88 initiatives since its launch, 29 of which have come to fruition, with 13 extra in manufacturing or as a consequence of premiere in 2024.
“Next Step is open to all filmmakers who have been invited to Cannes Critics’ Week with a short. They can only come once so we try to make sure that it is the right time for the project to participate,” says Rosso.
This yr’s choice – that includes 10 filmmakers and their first characteristic initiatives – is characteristically numerous and a mirrored image of the Cannes Critics’ Week line-up through the years.
They embody French-Swiss director Anton Bialas with The Last Piña Colada On Earth, revolving across the habitués of a Paris nightclub threatened with closure by conservative forces; Dutch filmmaker Vincent Tilanus Dovetail, about an overtly homosexual teenager coming to phrases with the invention of his father’s previous relationships with males, whereas on a marriage anniversary highway journey together with his dad and mom; and Egyptian director Morad Mostafa’s Aisha Can’t Fly Away Anymore, a up to date tackle Romeo and Juliet exploring the truth of African immigrants residing in Egypt. [scroll down for full selection]
The members spend 5 days on the Moulin d’Ande in one-on-one and collective conferences with screenwriters, administrators, producers and several types of consultants, earlier than heading to Paris on Friday to satisfy producers, gross sales brokers and distributors in a form of speed-dating occasion.
One of the initiatives may even obtain the two,500€ Next Step Award and an invitation to the Cannes Film Festival. Two of the members may even be chosen for a protracted residency on the Moulin d’Andé and the Pop Residency program.
As it marks its 10th version, the legacy and affect of Next Step is snowballing.
A raft of movies making waves on the competition and awards circuit this yr benefitted from its assist together with Molly Manning Walker’s Cannes 2023 Un Certain Regard winner How to Have Sex; Felipe Gálvez’ Cannes Fipresci winner and Chilean Oscar entry The Settlers, which additionally performed in Un Certain Regard; Locarno breakout The Permanent Picture by Laura Ferrés, and Moin Hussain’s Sky Peals, which debuted at Venice Critics’ Week
Manning, who gained the Next Prize for How To Have Sex in 2021, gave a shout out to Cannes Critics’ Week on the pink carpet on the European Film Awards over the weekend, the place the movie gained European Discovery award for finest first movie.
Beyond the event assist on the Moulin D’Ande residency and prize, Manning additionally met with the movie’s eventual French gross sales agent mk2 movies through the speed-dating occasion.
“She made her first connections there and then the deal came together in Berlin,” says Rosso. “The Friday meeting helps the filmmakers to start building a network, it’s a first step to connecting with potential partners.”
Around 80 attendees are anticipated at this yr’s speed-dating occasion in Paris on Friday.
Most are predominantly based mostly in France however there might be a smattering of worldwide professionals, with Rosso noting a development for folks on path to Les Arcs Film Festival, which kicks off within the French Alps this weekend, stopping off in Paris for the assembly.
How To Have Sex world premiered in Cannes Official Selection fairly than Cannes Critics’ Week, however Rosso says retaining the movies it has supported for its personal line-up shouldn’t be the tip recreation.
“We can’t invite all the features we’ve supported on the Next Step program, so it’s important that they are able to find homes elsewhere,” he says.
“Of course, it can sometimes be frustrating when films we’d like to screen go elsewhere. We’re like parents with children and we want to keep them with us but that’s not the objective of Next Step. The aim is to help filmmakers succeed with their first film, so we’re delighted when they achieve success. What’s happened with How To Have Sex is amazing,” he says.
The Full Selection Of Projects & Filmmakers at 10th Edition of Next Step
The Last Piña Colada On Earth
Dir. Anton Bialas (French-Switzerland)
The proprietor and habitués of baroque Paris nightclub refuse to maneuver on when capitalistic forces attempt to shut it down
Anekumen
Dir. Irati Gorostidi Agirretxe (Spain)
Disillusioned younger manufacturing unit staff create the distant, non secular neighborhood of Anekumen within the mountains within the wake of a failed strike.
To Put Out One Fire
Dir. Jela Hasler (Switzerland
An idealistic younger girl, who has lately accomplished her postgraduate diploma, kicks off her profession in Zurich’s Urban Greening Office, the place her educational strategy clashes with that of an older colleague.
Nous Brûlons
Dir. Nans Laborde-Jourdàa (France)
A mad love story composed of eight tales revolving round mania and habit to like.
Aisha Can’t Fly Away Anymore
Dir. Morad Mostafa (Egypt)
A mystical reinterpretation of Romeo and Juliet exploring the experiences of African immigrants in Egypt, by a 26-year-old girl struggling for survival in Cairo’s Ain-Shams neighborhood.
Luna On Two Planets
Andreas Slaviček (Croatia)
Absent-minded younger photographer Luna lives between fantasy and actuality, juggling a number of day jobs within the hope of someday touchdown her dream job.
Under My Skin
Dir. Inès Teixeira (Portugal)
A 17-year-old embarks on a relationship with a person ten years her senior whereas on vacation at her grandmother’s residence in Serra do Açor however discovers on re-meeting him in Lisbon that he has not been sincere together with her.
Dovetail
Dir. Vincent Tilanus (the Netherlands)
An overtly homosexual teenager navigates combined feelings following the revelation his father has been hiding previous relationships with males, whereas on a U.S. wedding ceremony anniversary highway journey with each his dad and mom.
Una Chica Triste
Dir. Fernanda Tovar (Mexico)
The state of affairs spirals uncontrolled when a youngster seeks to avenge her finest buddy after the latter is raped at a celebration.
A Girl Unknown
Dir. Jing Zou (China)
Exploration of the 1980 and 90s phenomenon of deserted women in China, by the lifetime of a lady from six-years-old by to her 30s, residing in three completely different households.
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