COLCOA 2021

 25th COLCOA FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL

EMMANUEL CARRÉRE’S BETWEEN TWO WORLDS

STARRING JULIETTE BINOCHE TO OPEN

THE 25th ANNUAL COLCOA FRENCH FILM AND SERIES FESTIVAL

55 Films and Series to be Screened at the Festival Taking Place Live 
at the DGA Theater Complex November 1-7, 2021

 

The opening film of the 25th Annual COLOCA French Film and Series Festival will be the North American Premiere of writer/director/author Emmanuel Carrère’s BETWEEN TWO WORLDS, starring Academy Award winner Juliette Binoche. The film will screen on November 1, kicking off the Festival as a live week-long event taking place at the DGA Theater Complex in Los Angeles.

The Festival is back in-person to celebrate a silver anniversary with strict COVID rules in place, including proof of vaccination and mandatory wearing of masks. The event takes place from November 1 to November 7, at the Director’s Guild of America, COLCOA’s home for 25 years. Dates continue to offer a unique platform to promote French Films and series in Hollywood at the beginning of Awards Season.

This year’s program will include 55 films and series, as well as 19 shorts, most of which are International, North American, U.S. and Los Angeles premiere presentations. Thirty of these films will be up for COLCOA Cinema Awards, including the following selections:

COLCOA 2021 FILM SELECTION:

            

OPENING FILM, Monday, November 1:  BETWEEN TWO WORLDS. Based on French investigative journalist Florence Aubenas’ best-selling non-fiction book, The NightCleaner, BETWEEN TWO WORLDS recounts the adventures of Marianne Winckler (Academy Award winner Juliette Binoche), a celebrated author who goes undercover as a cleaning lady to write a book on job insecurity in the gig economy. This very touching film, whose authenticity is underscored by an amazing performance from non-professional actors, opened the Director’s Fortnight in Cannes this year and just nabbed the Audience Award at the San Sebastian Film Festival. It will be released in France and in the U.S. in 2022 by Cohen Media Group.

CLOSING FILMS, Sunday, November 7:  LOST ILLUSIONS, which recently premiered at the Venice Film Festival (presented with Music Box Films), is writer/director’s Xavier Giannoli’s Balzac adaptation,and ONODA, 10,000 NIGHTS IN THE JUNGLE, written and directed by Arthur Harari and the opening film of Un Certain Regard Competition in Cannes 2021.        

  

Full Feature film lineup also includes:

• A TALE OF LOVE AND DESIRE (West Coast Premiere) - Drama, romance by Leyla Bouzid

• ANOTHER WORLD (North American Premiere) - Drama by Stéphane Brize

• AUTHENTIK (North American Premiere) - Audrey Estrougo’s biopic about the birth of famous rap group Suprême NTM

• BLACK BOX,(North American Premiere) - Yann Gozlan’s film noir starring Pierre Niney

• BYE BYE MORONS (Los Angeles Premiere) -  Albert Dupontel’s multi-Cesar Award-winning comedy including Best film.

• EIFFEL (North American Premiere) - Martin Bourboulon’s epic romance drama about the famous French engineer and the reason why he created the world famous tower.

• FRENCH TECH (North American Premiere) - Comedy by Bruno Podalydès      

• GAGARINE (West Coast Premiere) - Fanny Liatard and Jérémy Trouilh’s first feature

• IBRAHIM (West Coast Premiere) - First drama by actor Samir Guesmi 

• LOVE SONGS FOR TOUGH GUYS (North American Premiere) - Dark comedy by Samuel Benchetrit

• LOVERS (North American Premiere) - Thriller by veteran writer, director, actor Nicole Garcia

• MAGNETIC BEATS (North American Premiere) - D’Ornano-Valenti Award winner by Vincent Maël Cardona

• NIGHT RIDE (Special Screening) - A first feature, thriller by Frederic Farucci

• OLGA (North American Premiere and Official Entry from Switzerland to Academy Awards 2022     for Best international Feature) - Drama from Elie Grappe

• ROBUST (West Coast Premiere) - Constance Meyer’s 2021 Critic’s Week opening

• THE BIG HIT (West Coast Premiere) - Dramedy Emmanuel Courcol

• THE NIGHT DOCTOR (U.S. Premiere) - Film Noir by Elie Wajeman

• THE RESTLESS (North American Premiere) - Drama w/d Joachim Lafosse

• THE UNSOPHISTICATED LADY (U.S. Premiere) - Comedy by Anthonin Peretjatko

• THE YOUNG LOVERS (North American Premiere) - Drama, Romance  by Carine Tardieu, starring Fanny Ardant

 

In addition to Cohen Media Group’s BETWEEN TWO WORLDS and Music Box Films’ LOST ILLUSIONS, COLCOA is working with several U.S. distributors to present films in Hollywood before their U.S. release, including:

• BLOODY ORANGES (West Coast Premiere) - Dark Star Pictures’ horror/comedy by Jean-Christophe Meurisse. screening will be presented as an After 10 show on Saturday night only for audiences 18+. 

• FRANCE (West Coast Premiere) - Kino Lorber’s the new comedy/satire by Bruno Dumont starring James Bond’s actor Lea  Seydoux

• MY BEST PART (West Coast Premiere) - Altered Innocence’s first comedy/drama by actor Nicolas Maury ( CALL MY  AGENT)

• SIMPLE PASSION (West Coast Premiere) - Strand Releasing’s film by Danielle Arbid

• THE ROSE MAKER - Music Box Films’ feel-good comedy by Pierre Pinaud

• THE SUMMIT OF THE GODS -  A special screening of Netflix’s anticipated animated film by Patrick Imbert.

 

For the first time, two films already released in the US will be part of the competition for the COLCOA Cinema Awards and presented as a free special screening:

• TITANE by Julia Ducournau, released in the U.S by Neon Films

• THE MAD WOMEN’S BALL by Melanie Laurent. In association with Amazon Studios, This film will have it theatrical U.S. Premiere at the Festival.

COLCOA CLASSICS:

Presented out of competition, the free COLCOA CLASSICS series will pay tribute to writer/director Bertrand Tavernier with rare theatrical screenings of THE JUDGE AND THE ASSASSIN and CAPTAIN CONAN, writer Jean-Claude Carriere and a special screening of award winner THE DISCREET CHARM OF THE BOURGEOISIE, and actor Jean-Paul Belmondo with the presentation on the big screen of LE MAGNIFIQUE, followed by a discussion with actor Jacqueline Bisset and writer Francis Veber. Finally, a digitally restored version of Jacques Rivette’s GANG OF FOUR will have its International Premiere at  COLCOA.

 

Documentary film lineup:

Climate change, immigration, transgender inclusion, holocaust revelations, centenary celebration …. These and many more contemporary and historical topics are explored in the diverse and exclusive documentary lineup scheduled to premiere at the 25th Annual COLCOA French Film & Series Festival. Six feature documentary films and one TV documentary make up the non-fiction part of the program. These films will also be eligible for the 2021 COLCOA Best Documentary Award. 

Above Water / Marcher sur L’eau (North American Premiere) – Fourteen-year-old Houlaye lives in Tatiste, Niger and travels several kilometers every day to fetch water. The village got together to obtain construction of a well. This is the promise of a new life for these men and women who have literally been walking on water since birth. Written and directed by Aïssa Maïga. Presented in association with Orange Studio.

Birds of America (North American Premiere) – At the beginning of the 19th century, the discovery of the wide-open spaces of the United States and its incredible wildlife was key in the political development of the country. Intent on painting all the birds of America, John-James Audubon became a central figure of America’s national identity. But as these birds started disappearing with the dawn of the industrial age, so did the original American dream. In this “river movie” shot along the banks of the Mississippi, political, environmental and human rights issues are interwoven with the tales, myths and ghosts of these now extinct birds. Written and directed by Jacques Loeuille. Presented in Association with MK2 Films.

From Where They Stood / A Pas Aveugles (North American Premiere) – A handful of prisoners in WWII camps risked their lives to take clandestine photographs and document the hell the Nazis were hiding from the world. In the vestiges of the camps, director Christophe Cognet retraces the footsteps of these courageous men and women in a quest to unearth the circumstances and the stories behind their photographs, composing as such an archeology of images as acts of defiance. Presented in Association with U.S. distributor Greenwich Entertainment.

Gallant Indies / Indes Galantes (North American Premiere) – This film documents a first for 30 break, hip hop, krumping and voguing dancers; a first for director Clément Cogitore and choreographer Bintou Dembélé; and a first for the Opéra de Paris. By creating a dialogue between urban dance and lyrical song, together they reinvent Rameau’s baroque masterpiece, Les Indes Galantes. From rehearsals to public performances, it is a human adventure and a meeting with the political issues we follow. Can a new generation of artists take the Bastille today? Written and directed by Philippe Béziat. Presented in association with Pyramide International.

Jane By Charlotte (West Coast Premiere). The spare, delicate portrait of a fascinating, now-75-year-old mother (singer Jane Birkin) by a daughter (actor/singer Charlotte Gainsbourg), who clearly cherishes her. A very frank portrayal of two very human, insecure, talented women, as they take stock of both the joys and the tragedies they have shared over the years. Presented in association with U.S. distributor Utopia.

Little Girl / Petite Fille (Special Presentation COLCOA Awards) – Seven-year-old Sasha has always known she was a little girl, even though she was born a boy. As society fails to treat her like the other children her age – in her daily life at school, dance lessons or birthday parties – her supportive family lads a constant battle to make her difference understood and accepted. Written and directed by Sebastien Lifshitz. Presented in association with U.S. distributor Music Box Films.

All About Yves Montand / Montand est a nous (North American Premiere). Celebrating the centenary of iconic singer-actor-public figure Yves Montand, the film is a touching homage by writer/director Yves Jeuland full of restored and unpublished archives, concerts and film extracts. It plunges us into a 50-year career of probably the most popular after-war French artist in the world. The film was part of the Official Selection of the last Cannes Film Festival. Written and directed by Yves Jeuland. Presented in association with Zelig Films.

 

COLCOA AWARDS:

The COLCOA audience will be invited to vote in the three categories: Cinema, Television and Shorts..

For the 13th year, LAFCA will partner with COLCOA Cinema for the Critics’ Awards.

For the fourth year, a student jury made of high school and college students, will vote for the COLCOA AMERICAN STUDENTS’ AWARD.

A professional jury will vote for the Best Short Film.

The complete recipient list of the 2021 Awards will be announced on Monday, November 8 by the Franco-American Cultural Fund.  Awards will be given to recipients in Paris (France) during a special ceremony on November 16.

The COLCOA AWARDS are presented in association with, TV5 Monde USA, and AIR TAHITI NUI.

COLCOA will also continue its popular COLCOA High School Screenings program with the premiere of OWNING IT (Les Héritières), written by Johanna Goldschmidt and Laure-Elisabeth Bourdaud and directed by Nolwenn Lemesle.

COLCOA 2019

23rd Annual COLCOA French Film Festival in Los Angeles
COLCOA 2019 - CITY OF LIGHTS, CITY OF ANGELS

The Franco-American Cultural Fund, a partnership of DGA, MPA, SACEM and WGA West, announced today the program for the 23^rd COLCOA FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL that includes World, International, North American, U.S. and Los Angeles premieres.  The festival runs September 23-28 at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles, as part of Awards Season in Hollywood. The festival will open with the U.S. premiere of Ladj Ly’s LES MISÉRABLES on Monday, September 23. COLCOA is delighted to be the inaugural festival event at the newly renovated DGA, as it has been COLCOA’s home for 23 years. This year’s new dates for the festival offer us a unique platform to promote French Films and series in Hollywood at the beginning of Awards Season. COLCOA is considered the largest festival dedicated to French films and series worldwide.  

"This high-profile program includes several films from Cannes and Venice programmed for the first time in the U.S., as well as films presented before their release in France,” stated François Truffart, COLCOA Executive Producer and Artistic Director.  “It shows the faithfulness of distributors, producers and sponsors, who strongly believe that COLCOA has become an established event in Hollywood.”

COLCOA CINEMA

Over 25 films will premiere and compete for the COLCOA Cinema Awards, beginning on Opening Night (Monday, September 23) with Amazon Studios’ LES MISÉRABLES, which won the Jury Prize at the last Cannes Film Festival and the 2019 D’Ornano-Valenti Prize. Victor Hugo’s magnum opus is both lionized and shaken up in Ladj Ly’s sprawling fresco of his native Montfermeil - a collection of housing projects crawling with sleazy cops, small-time hoods, the Muslim Brotherhood, and a ragtag group of kids left to fend for themselves... all jockeying for turf and struggling to forestall the inevitable. Majestic, stirring, gripping and compassionate, with a musical score that is, at once, moving and thrilling, the film follows an upright cop on his first day on the job, as he learns the ropes and struggles to hold onto his principles. It opens with a rousing rendition of La Marseillaise and a joyous eruption of fraternité and concludes with a resounding eleventh-hour alarm and powerful plea to diffuse the tinderbox and somehow resolve all this anger and violence.

The festival showcases both established and exciting new directors. Veteran filmmakers include Academy Award® winner writer/director Costa Gavras’ political thriller, ADULTS IN THE ROOM (North American Premiere); w/d Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne’s drama YOUNG AHMED (North American Premiere); w/d Cédric Klapisch’s new pursuit of love, SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE (North American Premiere); w/d Cédric Kahn’s dysfunctional family portrait, HAPPY BIRTHDAY (North American Premiere), starring Catherine Deneuve; and w/d Nicolas Boukhrief’s thriller based on Pierre Lemaitre’s novel, THREE DAYS AND A LIFE (International Premiere).

Newcomers include w/d Antoine Raimbault’s courtroom drama, CONVICTION (Los Angeles Premiere) and w/d Mikhaël Hers post-traumatic stress disorder drama, AMANDA (Los Angeles Premiere), as well as several films written and directed by women including Andréa Bescond’s autobiographical feature (made with w/d Eric Métayer) about her sexual abuse as a child, LITTLE TICKLES (Los Angeles Premiere); w/d Mounia Meddour’s Algerian civil war drama, PAPICHA (North American Premiere and Algeria’s official entry for the Oscars); w/d Claire Burger’s family drama, REAL LOVE (Los Angeles Premiere), director Fabienne Godet’s powerful drama about recovery, OUR WONDERFUL LIVES (U.S. Premiere); w/d Marie-Sophie Chambon’s debut feature film on  how it feels to be an outsider, STARS BY THE POUND (North American Premiere); and w/d Sarah Suco’s autobiographical film, THE DAZZLED (International Premiere).

In addition to Amazon Studios’ LES MISÉRABLES, COLCOA is working with several U.S. distributors to present films in Hollywood before their U.S. release including Netflix’s anticipated animated film, I LOST MY BODY, by w/d Jérémy Clapin (presented in association with Animation is Film); Strand Releasing’s  ON A MAGICAL NIGHT (North American Premiere) by w/d Christophe Honoré; Roadside Attraction’s CYRANO, MY LOVE (U.S. Premiere), a comedy by w/d Alexis Michalik, based on his hit play, Distrib Films US’s adoption drama IN SAFE HANDS (Los Angeles Premiere) by w/d Jeanne Herry; and Kino Lorber’s THE TROUBLE WITH YOU (Los Angeles Premiere), the new comedy by w/d Pierre Salvadori.

In addition to I LOST MY BODY and five animation shorts, the festival will offer the audience an opportunity to experience the new technology in the DGA’s renovated theater with the Los Angeles Premiere of w/d Hélène Giraud and Thomas Szabo’s animated 3D delight MINUSCULE: MANDIBLES FROM FAR AWAY.

The COLCOA CLASSICS will include an homage to late writer/director Agnès Varda and French composer Michel Legrand with a special presentation of the1962 breakout film, CLEO FROM 5 TO 7 (in association with Rialto Pictures); w/d Jean Renoir’s 1932 digitally-restored drama, TONI (International Premiere), about a real life love triangle that went awry; as well as w/d Jacques Becker’s 1954 digitally-restored mobster film, TOUCHEZ PAS AU GRISBI (Los Angeles Premiere). TONI and TOUCHEZ PAS AU GRISBI are presented in association with Janus Films.

The popular COLCOA High School screening program will run for five days during the festival with the Los Angeles Premiere of the musical coming-of-age tale IN YOUR HANDS w/d by Ludovic Bernard.  More than 3,000 Southern California students and teachers are expected to attend free screenings and conversations, as well as participate in a student film critic contest. This program, celebrating its 12th year, is produced in partnership with ELMA (European Languages and Movies in America), with the support of AATF-SC (American Association of Teachers of French – Southern California). Additionally, master classes will take place at several film schools across the city with the support of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the US and ELMA. 

Other exciting programs offered throughout the festival include: After 10 series (September 24 - 28); COLCOA Classics (September 24-27), COLCOA Documentaries (September 24-28); World Cinema Produced by France, French NeWave 2.0, exploring a new generation of filmmakers, and the Happy Hour Talks, a series of panels presented in association with Variety (September 24-28) that are free to the general public.

COLCOA AWARDS

The complete recipient list of the 2019 Awards for the three competitions (Cinema, Television, and Shorts) will be announced on Sunday, September 29 by the Franco-American Cultural Fund. For the twelfth year, LAFCA will partner with COLCOA Cinema for the Critics’ Awards.

For the third year, a student jury made of high school and college students, will vote for the COLCOA AMERICAN STUDENTS’ AWARD.

The COLCOA AWARDS are presented in association with KPCC-89.3, TITRAFILM, TV5 Monde USA, and AIR TAHITI NUI.

The Shorts section is presented with the support of Unifrance. 16 Shorts will be in competition for the COLCOA Short Awards and to be presented every afternoon September 24-27.

ADAM’S SKIRT, BARKING DOGS, BRAZIL, BY A HAIR, DON’T ASK FOR YOUR WAY, FIRE ME IF YOU CAN, I’M GOING OUT FOR CIGARETTES, INVISIBLE HERO, MEMORABLE, MODERN JAZZ, MY BRANCH SO THIN, MY GENERATION, MY LADY OF THE CAMELLIA, ONE AFTER THE OTHER, SPEECHLESS, and WILD LOVE.

The COLCOA Shorts Competition will be available in the U.S. after the festival on the cinema-on-demand program of TV5 Monde, an Official Partner of COLCOA.

COLCOA FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL is presented by the Franco-American Cultural Fund, a unique collaboration between 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 France’s Society of Authors, Directors and Producers (L’ARP) the Film and TV Office of the French Embassy in Los Angeles, TV France International, and Unifrance.

COLCOA FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL is sponsored by Air Tahiti Nui, Bank Of The West/ BNP Paribas, Sling & TV5MONDE, Variety (Official Sponsors); Barnes, Barnstormer, France Télévisions, Los Angeles Times, 89.3 KPCC, Los Angeles Times, The Hollywood Reporter (Premier Sponsors); Brumont, Champagne Didier Chopin, ELMA, Sunset Marquis, Titra Film, West Coast Event Productions, Wine Wine Situation (Major Sponsors); Alliance Française de Los Angeles, Cinando, D’Alessio Law Group, French American Chamber of Commerce, Gaumont, Karine & Jeff, Laemmle, LA Philharmonic, Marché du Film/Festival de Cannes, Miraval/Vineyard Brands/La Vielille Ferme, Paul M. Young Fine Wines, Saint Germain, Vital Proteins (Platinum Sponsors); Avène, Cinelife, France-Amérique, French Morning, Gayot, Gaumont, Klorane, La Chouquette, Lycée International Los Angeles, Le Pain Quotidien, MAC, René Furterer, Rosenthal, RS Eyeshop, Snowdonia, Vizo (Supporting Sponsors), Alan Rosenbach, Black Flour, Brûlée Château de Berne, Holy Quiche, International Services For Artists, La Boulisterie, Mulholland Distilling  (Community Sponsors).

COLCOA 2019 - DOC SERIES

COLCOA 2019 - DOCUMENTARY SECTION ANNOUNCED

The Documentary Section includes five films competing for the 2019 COLCOA Best Documentary Award.  FORWARD introduces the audience to children from around the globe who will change the world, HOLY TOUR takes us to the Tour de France to meet the fans, OH LES FILLES! showcases France, a land where women rock, and WINE CALLING showcases some of France’s most exciting winemakers and WOMAN, which will have its North American Premiere following its World Premiere at Venice, is a worldwide project giving voice to 2000 women in 50 different countries.

FORWARD

Documentary Competition:

Five documentary films will compete for the Best Documentary Award.

FORWARD (DEMAIN EST À NOUS)

Their names are Micah, Chris, Heena, José Adolfo, Arthur, Khloe, Kevin, Aissatou. They are the voices of their generation in their countries. From Peru to India, from France to Guinea, they fight locally against extreme poverty, social inequalities and climate change. They are the children who will change the world.  Written and directed by Gilles de Maistre (ALAIN DUCASSE, MIA AND THE LION), the film will be presented at COLCOA the same week as its French release. North American Premiere in association with Charades.

HOLY TOUR (LA GRAND-MESSE)

A film about the fans who come to cheer the Tour de France race. A film about modern-day pilgrims. A film about the hairpin bends of the legendary Izoard pass. A film about RVs that stake their spots two weeks ahead of time. A film about the passing of time perched between the road and the cliff. A film about summertime and a new daily routine. A film about our need to belong. Written and directed by Méryl Fortunat-Rossi and Valéry Rosier. Los Angeles Premiere in association with Be for Films.

HOLY TOUR

OH LES FILLES! (HAUT LES FILLES)

What if French Rock were born with Edith Piaf? From sweet sixties pop to today's gender-indifferent anthems, from feminist rebels of the seventies to fashion icons of the social media age, from Françoise Hardy to Christine & The Queens, via Vanessa Paradis, Catherine Ringer, Charlotte Gainsbourg and many more, the film tells the untold story of French female rock stars. Narrated by Elisabeth Quin, this groundbreaking documentary combines interviews and iconic footage to radically reverse perspectives and give the patriarchy a kick. Welcome to France, the land where women rock!  Written and directed by Francois Armanet. North American Premiere in association with Les Films du Losange.

WINE CALLING

Recently the world of wine has been in full effervescence, shaken by a counterculture as strong as the rock scene was in its time. All around the world, joyousrebels have invaded the vineyards to create the wine they love: a natural wine free of codes and norms. While there are more than 3,000 wine growers in France, less than three percent of them are working in bio, biodynamic or natural methods of wine production. For ethical reasons, this relatively small community of wine growers has chosen environmentally friendly farming practices aimed at finding the natural expression of “terroir” – the full breadth of land, geography and climate – and the living character of the wine.  It’s in the south of France, in the heart of Catalonia, that WINE CALLING has followed over a year, from the harvest to the bottling, some of the most exciting of these new wine growers, springboard of a rising global movement for taste and sustainability. Directed by Bruno Sauvard. Los Angeles Premiere in association with WTFilms.

WOMAN 

Woman was born of a desire to see the world through a woman’s eyes. Then the questions started to flow. What are the stages marking a woman’s passage from little girl to 80-year-old grandma? What are her dreams and hopes as well as her greatest fears and scars? What does she expect of life, society and men? What is a woman’s relationship to her body and to seduction? What part do appearances and beauty play in her life? How does motherhood change her life? What do we know of female desire, and why do certain cultures find it so frightening?  2000 interviews, 50 countries. Written and directed by Anastasia Mikova, Yann Arthus-Bertrand.  North American Premiere in association with Elle Driver.

In addition, the television documentary HOSTAGE(S) will also compete in the Documentary Competition.

HOSTAGE(S) - OTAGE(S)

Tourists, relief workers, corporate employees, journalists… All these men and women were taken hostage at one point or another by infamous groups such as FARC, AQMI, AlQaeda, Al-Nusra and the Taliban. They all suffered through the living hell of captivity then experienced the rebirth of being released and taking up their lives again back home. For the very first time, they open up and share things they’ve never been able to say before. Written and directed by Michel Peyrard and Damien Vercaemer. North American Premiere in association with Newen Distribution.

COLCOA 2018 - NEW WAVE 2.0

2018 COLCOA NEW WAVE 2.0 SERIES - at DGA on Sunset Blvd.

On Saturday, April 28^th starting 11:00 AM, save your day for an exclusive program of four features putting the new French New Wave under the spotlight. This day in Truffaut Theater is dedicated to first films directed by women. This much anticipated Series will start on Tuesday night with the Premiere of the highly acclaimed Bloody Milk (Petit paysan), starring Swann Arlaud, winner of Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Debut Feature César Awards.

Tuesday, April 24 – 8:00 pm – Truffaut Theater

BLOODY MILK (Petit Paysan)
Drama | Los Angeles Premiere
Followed by a discussion with writer/director Hubert Charuel and actor Isabelle Candelier

First-time helmer Hubert Charuel weaves a compelling, unconventional rural thriller out of the tale of a taciturn farmer and his cows. Swann Arlaud delivers a riveting performance as Pierre, whose quiet, repetitive life revolves around meticulously caring for the dairy farm he’s taken over from his parents. He calls each cow by name, lovingly delivers their calves with his own hands and even invites one of them to share his home. They occupy every inch of his psyche and his life… Until a deadly bovine epidemic rears its ugly head and strikes one of his own. Seething with suspense and heart-felt tragedy, Bloody Milk is an astute, understated tale told simply and with great eloquence. It premiered as part of the International Critics’ Week at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival. It was nominated for eight Cesars and won three of them: Best Actor (Swann Arlaud), Best Supporting Actress (Sara Giraudeau) and Best First Feature.

Saturday April 28 – 11:00 am – Truffaut Theater

LUNA 
Drama | North American Premiere
(Followed by a discussion with writer/director Elsa Diringer)

Sixteen-year-old Luna just earned her vocational training certificate in horticulture. She works on a farm near Montpellier and hangs out with Ruben. She’s head-over-heels in love with him. One night, at a drunken party with their friends, they participate in a brutal assault on Alex, a young graffiti artist and trumpeter who’s a stranger to them all. A few weeks later, Alex reappears in Luna’s life… and fate takes another turn. Elsa Diringer’s sensitive first feature delves into the question of violence in our culture and individual responsibility in the face of heinous collective behavior.

Saturday April 28 – 1:45 pm – Truffaut Theater

THE PARTY’S OVER (La Fête est finie)
Drama | North American Premiere
(Followed by a discussion with writer/director Marie Garel-Weiss)

 Celeste and Silhem are admitted to a rehab facility on the same day. Addicted to drugs, the otherwise-normal teenage girls form an indelible bond. That friendship becomes as much their salvation as an obstacle, when they’re thrown out of the facility for breaking the rules and are on their own, desperately struggling to stay clean and sober. That’s when the real battle begins — their struggle for freedom and rebirth. The semi-autobiographical film marks Marie Garel-Weiss’ feature directorial debut and was honored with the Golden Salamander at the 2017 Sarlat Film Festival and the Audience Award at the Saint-Jean-de-Luz Film Festival, where the film’s two radiant leads, Zita Hanrot and Clemence Boisnard, deservedly shared the festival’s Best Actress Award.

Saturday April 28 – 5:25 pm – Truffaut Theater

MONTPARNASSE BIENVENÜE (Jeune Femme)
Drama, Comedy | Los Angeles Premiere
Followed by a discussion with composer Julie Roué

Laetitia Dosch is a freewheeling dynamo as Paula, the impulsive, maddening, headstrong, endearing heroine of Montparnasse Bienvenüe, writer/director Léonor Serraille’s unflinching, picaresque character study of a “young woman” of our times. Paula no sooner arrives in Paris, when she’s immediately dumped by her long-term, off-screen lover — a state she is loath to accept. Now virtually homeless, she wanders the streets of the city, crashing with friends, aimlessly adrift, furiously improvising from one moment to the next… and utterly determined to survive.

Saturday April 28 – 8:00 pm – Truffaut Theater

SOME LIKE IT VEILED (Cherchez la femme)
Comedy | West Coast Premiere
(followed by a discussion with writer, director Sou Abadi and actor Camélia Jordana)

 Armand and Leila are in love. Both students at the prestigious Science Po University, they’re about to go to New York together to do an internship at the United Nations. But Leila’s older brother, Mahmoud, puts the kibosh on those plans the moment he returns from Yemen – complete with beard and prayer beads. He condemns his sister’s Western ways and, above all, forbids any contact with her boyfriend. So to get into the family apartment, Armand has a make-over, dons a burqa and pretends to be Leila’s female Islamic Studies tutor. Plenty of hijinks ensue. But the ruse works… a little too well! Some Like It Veiled takes the cross-dressing conceit of the Billy Wilder classic and brings it to the age of Islamic fundamentalism. The result: an extremely funny, politically-incorrect French farce.

COLCOA 2018

22nd Annual COLCOA French Film Festival in Los Angeles

COLCOA 2018 - CITY OF LIGHTS, CITY OF ANGELS

The Franco-American Cultural Fund announced today the program for the 22nd COLCOA FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL, which will run April 23-30 at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles. The event will showcase a record 86 films, television series, digital series and VR programs. 75 of these will be in competition for the COLCOA Awards, including 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. “Concretely, we will also introduce a new series called Women Make History.  We will dedicate a day to first films made by female writers and directors; our Focus on a Filmmaker day will be offered to writer, director, actor Mélanie Laurent; and one of our panels will address the role of women in the French film industry.”

COLCOA CINEMA

An exclusive lineup of 37 new features and documentaries will compete for the COLCOA CINEMA AWARDS, beginning on Opening Night (Monday, 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

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 line-up includes new features from established writers/directors, including w/d Mathieu Amalric (BARBARA), w/d Yvan Attal (LE BRIO), w/d Daniel Auteuil (THE OTHER WOMAN), w/d Xavier Beauvois (THE GUARDIANS), w/d Samuel Benchetrit (DOG), w/d Christian Carion (MY SON), w/d Alain Chabat (CHRISTMAS AND CO), w/d Dany Boon (FAMILY IS FAMILY), w/d Albert Dupontel (SEE YOU UP THERE), w/d Emmanuel Finkiel (MEMOIR OF WAR), w/d David and Stephane Foenkinos (JEALOUS) w/d Yann Gozlan (BURN OUT), w/d Naomi Kawase (RADIANCE), w/d Mélanie Laurent (DIVING, THE ADOPTED), w/d Philippe Le Guay (NAKED NORMANDY), w/d Eric Toledano & Olivier Nakache (C’EST LA VIE!), w/d Laurent Tirard (RETURN OF THE HERO) and w/d Nicolas Vannier (SCHOOL OF LIFE).

The festival will also present the work of newcomers such as w/d Fillipe Barboza (GABRIEL AND THE MOUNTAIN), w/d Modi Barry & Cédric Ido (CHÂTEAU), w/d Hubert Charuel (BLOODY MILK), w/d Charles de Meaux (THE LADY IN THE PORTRAIT with Chinese star Fan Bing Bing), w/d Elsa Deringer (LUNA), w/d Marie Garel-Weiss (THE PARTY IS OVER), w/d Julien Hallard (LET THE GIRLS PLAY), w/d Xavier Legrand (CUSTODY), w/d Nawell Madani (STAND UP GIRL!) w/d Dominique Rocher (THE NIGHT EATS THE WORLD) and w/d Léonor Seraille (MONTPARNASSE BIENVENÜE).  

Actors Camélia Jordana (LE BRIO), Vanessa Paradis (DOG), Nahuel Perez Biscayart (SEE YOU UP THERE), Melville Poupaud (THE LADY IN THE PORTRAIT, BEYOND SUSPICION), Antony Bajon (THE PRAYER) and veteran w/d Francis Veber (20th anniversary of THE DINNER GAME) will be in attendance at the festival, with additional talent to be announced shortly.

The popular COLCOA High School screening program will run for five days during the festival.  More than 3,000 Southern California students and teachers are invited to attend free screenings and conversations, as well as participate in a student film critic contest. Celebrating its 11^th year, this program is produced in partnership with ELMA (European Languages and Movies in America), with the support of AATF-SC (American Association of Teachers of French – Southern California). In addition, master classes will take place at several film schools across the city with the support of the Cultural services of the French Embassy in the US and ELMA. 

 

Other exciting programs offered throughout the festival include: After 10 series (April 24~28); COLCOA Classics (April 24~28); COLCOA Documentaries (April 24~29); World Cinema Produced by France, including Chinese, Brazilian, and Japanese co-productions (April 25); Focus on a Filmmaker, dedicated to writer/director Mélanie Laurent (April 26); Films Noir Series (April 28); French NeWave 2.0, exploring first films directed by women (April 28); and the Happy Hour Talks, a series of panels presented in association with Variety (April 24-28) that is free to the general public. Panel will include a discussion about distribution and promotion revolution in the digital area on April 25, Place of Women in the Industry in France on April 27 and a focus on composer Laurent Perez Del Mar on April 28.

COLCOA DIGITAL SERIES & VIRTUAL REALITY

As a symbol of the globalization of production and the venue of a new generation of producers and filmmakers, digital series has become a format in its own right for the industry, involving both independent and studio creators. For the second year, COLCOA is proud to introduce, in association with TITRAFILM, its competition of four programs presented as North American Premieres before being released by Studio+ in the U.S.:  RED CREEK, TANK 2, BIARRITZ SURF GANG and CABEZA MADRE. Similar to the Short Film Competition, audience members will have access to free screenings of the competing digital series and will vote for the COLCOA Digital Series Awards. (See attached detailed program.)

Also, for the second year at COLCOA, audience members will have the opportunity to explore the VR Corner at the festival during the weekend of April 28, supported by FRENCH IMMERSION, a new program launched by The Cultural Services of the French Embassy.  As the market for VR continues to expand, five films representing a cross-section of the medium will be featured: BATTLESCAR examines the punk rock scene of New York narrated by Rosario Dawson, I SAW THE FUTURE showcases the futuristic (and accurate) predication of the digital age by Arthur C. Clarke, who co-wrote 2001:  A SPACE ODYSSEY, THE LITTLE PRINCE brings one of the most beloved and bestselling novels to life, PLANET ∞ takes viewers on a journey from a decayed planet to one that is overtaken by rain forming an ecosystem populated by giant carnivorous tadpoles and U-TURN examines the gender gap from both sides with interwoven stories that allow the viewer to embody either a female or male character. 

COLCOA AWARDS

The complete recipient list of the 2018 Awards for the four competitions (Cinema, Television, Shorts, and Web series) will be announced on May 1st, 2018 by the Franco-American Cultural Fund. For the Eleventh year, LAFCA will partner with COLCOA Cinema for the Critics’ Awards.

For the second year, a student jury made of high school and college students, will vote for the COLCOA AMERICAN STUDENTS’ AWARD.

The COLCOA AWARDS are presented in association with KPCC-89.3, TITRAFILM, TV5 Monde USA, and AIR TAHITI NUI.

FOCUS ON A FILMMAKER

Writer, director and actress Mélanie Laurent will be honored as the “Focus on a Filmmaker.”  On Thursday, April 26, her film THE ADOPTED/LES ADOPTÉS will screen as part of the COLCOA Classic series and, following the first screening of the film, she will participate in a Happy Talk dedicated to her career. The evening will conclude with the U.S. Premiere of her latest film DIVING/PLONGER. 

COLCOA SHORTS

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. 

ACIDE, CREATURE FROM THE LAKE / La Créature du lac, FIST / Prends mon poing, GRANDPA WALRUS / Pépé le morse, HYBRIDS, HITCHIKER (THE) / L’Autostoppeuse, I HAVE ARRIVED / Je suis venu, I AM A WOUND / Je suis une blessure, INDES GALANTES (LES), INTERFERENCES,  JUNE 19 / 19 juin, LITTLE GIRLS / Petites Filles, MARLON, ORDEAL, OUR CHILDREN / Nos Enfants, OVERRUN, PIONEERS / Les Pionniers de l’Univers, NOTHIN’ SPECIAL / Rien d’spécial, RISE OF A STAR, UNDER MOM’S SKIRT / Les Trompes de maY (THE) / La Doublure, VOYAGERS, WINKLES (THE) / Les Bigorneaux make up th mère, UNDERSTUDe Shorts section.

COLCOA TELEVISON

This year the Television section includes 12 selections competing for the COLCOA 2018 Television Awards given by both audience and a professional jury.  This year’s Television 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.

 

BEYOND SUSPICION / Insoupçonnable, THE AGE OF STATELESS / Le Temps des Egarés, THE ART OF CRIME / L’Art Du Crime, BARON NOIR, BEAUTIFUL LOSER / Irresponsable, THE CONSOLATION / La Consolation, I LOVE YOU 2 / J’ai Deux Amours, ISKLANDER / Maroni Les Fantômes du Fleuve, INFIDELITY / Un Adultère, PROUD / Fiertés, SPECIAL HONORS / Mention Particulière, and THROUGH THE MILL / La Mélancolie Ouvrière make up the Television section.

 

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 THE RED TURTLE / La Tortue Rouge, which was nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature Film.  The Sony Pictures Classics film was produced by the world-renowned Studio Ghibli. 

 

Focus on a Composer and part of the COLCOA Television Competition are free to the public, as are the previously announced COLCOA Classic series and COLCOA Short Competition.

 

COLCOA FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL is presented by the Franco-American Cultural Fund, a unique collaboration between 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 France’s Society of Authors, Directors and Producers (L’ARP), the Film and TV Office of the French Embassy in Los Angeles, the CNC, TV France International, and Unifrance.

 

COLCOA FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL is sponsored by 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).

For tickets and more information please visit: COLCOA2018