French cinema will once again be out in force at the 35th edition of the International Film Festival Rotterdam. This year’s rich and varied selection lines up both entirely French made films by either confirmed or new generation directors as well as numerous co-productions with worldwide countries.

Internationally renewed French film makers will be topping the bill in this year’s main programme, with Patrice Chéreau’s GABRIELLE, Alain Cavalier’s THE FILMMAN (LE FILMEUR) and Michael Haneke’s HIDDEN (CACHÉ), their latest features, all screening in the “Maestros: Kings and Aces” section.

The French selection is invigorated by a strong line-up of young directors representing the new trends of French cinéma with remarkable films such as FRANKIE, by Fabienne Berthaud, LILI AND THE BAOBAB (LILI ET LE BAOBAB) by Chantal Richard, I SAW BEN BARKA GET KILLED (J’AI VUE TUÉ BEN BARKA) by Serge le Péron, 13 (TZAMETI), by Gela Babluani, the Agnes B. produced BY THE WAYS, A JOURNEY WITH WILLIAM EGGLESTON, by Cédric Laty and Vincent Gérard, as well as co-productions like WAITING (INTIZAR), by Rashid Masharawi, EAST OF PARADISE, by Lech Kowalski, or A PERFECT DAY (NAOUSSÉ) by Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige.

Three films will line up for France in the 2006 VPRO Tiger Awards
competition: A SUMMER DAY (UN JOUR D’ÉTÉ), first promising feature by Franck Guérin, depicting the torments of adolescence, as well as one co-production, the French/Guinea EARLY IN THE MORNING (UN MATIN BONNE
HEURE) by Gahité Fofana, supported by the Hubert Bals Fund and the French/Iran co-production THE GAZE (NEGAH), by Sepideh Farsi whose first feature, DREAMS OF DUST, was already presented in the 2004 Rotterdam Festival. All three directors will be attending Rotterdam to stand up for their picture.

The Rotterdam Festival also honours the work of French filmmaker Philippe Garrel, programming three of his major films in the “White Light” section: J’ENTENDS PLUS LA GUITARE, SAUVAGE INNOCENCE, as well as his critic’s praised last opus, REGULAR LOVERS (LES AMANTS RÉGULIERS). Garrel’s son, Louis, will be in Rotterdam to present this last picture, in which he plays one of the main characters.

The Algerian issue is at the core of the 2005 French selection in Rotterdam with several productions such as Alain Tasma’s OCTOBER 17, 1961 (NUIT NOIRE, OCTOBRE 17, 1961), Philippe Faucon’s THE BETRAYAL (LA
TRAHISON) and Michael Haneke’s HIDDEN (CACHÉ), all dealing in their own way with this murky period of French history.



French guests at the 35th International Film Festival Rotterdam, subject to change

Louis Garrel 27 – 29 January
Actor, « LES AMANTS REGULIERS »

Philippe Faucon 28 – 30 January
Director, « LA TRAHISON »

Serge Le Peron 28 – 31 January
Director, « J’AI VU TUER BEN BARKA

Said Smihi 28 – 31 January
Scénariste, « J’AI VU TUER BEN BARKA

Alain Tasma 28 – 31 January
Director, « 17 OCTOBRE 1961 »

Gela Babluani 29 January – 1 February
Director, « 13 (TZAMETI) »

Fabienne Berthaud 31 January – 1 February
Director, « FRANKIE »

Cédric Laty 31 January – 3 February
Director , « BY THE WAYS, A JOURNEY WITH WILLIAM EGGLESTON »

Vincent Gérard. 31 January – 3 February
Director, « BY THE WAYS, A JOURNEY WITH WILLIAM EGGLESTON »

Franck Guérin
Director, « UN JOUR D’ETE » 29 January – 3 February

Baptiste Bertin 29 January – 1 February
Actor, « UN JOUR D’ETE »

Khalil Joreig 26 January – 29 January
Director, « PERFECT DAY »

Joana Hadjithomas 26 January – 29 January
Director, « PERFECT DAY »

Rashid Masharawi 26 – 30 January
Director, « THE WAITING »

Lech Kowalski 26 – 29 January
Director, EAST OF PARADISE »

Sepideh Farsi 28 January – 5 February
Director, « THE GAZE »