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Press AGENT DANY DE SEILLE Paris : +33 (0)1 45 08 08 53 | Cannes : +33 (0)4 92 99 83 95 [email protected]

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LA SEMAINE IN PARIS : 17, rue des Jeûneurs - 75002 Paris - Tel. +33 (0)1 45 08 14 54 - [email protected] LA SEMAINE IN CANNES : Palais des Festivals - 5th floor, côté port - Tel. +33 (0)4 92 99 83 94 - [email protected]

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INTRODUCTION TO THE 2015 SELECTION BY CHARLES TESSON, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR On the poster of the 54th edition of La Semaine de la Critique, the actress Lou de Laâge embraces the open horizon in front of her. This wonderful energy and the amazing life force it carries embody the strong desire leading us to discover the new breath of fresh air in cinema worldwide.

Key figures We received 1750 short films and 1100 feature films. Among the 11 feature films in the selection, 9 are first films and 2 are second films.

The 10 short films in competition The short film committee, coordinated by Fabien Gaffez, selected ten films, ten stunningly diverse cinema promises. Childhood is at the core of Varicella by the Italian Fulvio Risuleo, Command Action by the Brazilian João Paulo Miranda and Everything Will Be Okay by the German director Patrick Vollrath. Ramona by the Romanian Andrei Crețulescu and Too Cool for School by the American Kevin Phillips are brand new visions of the genre film. Two young women face immigration hardship in Love Comes Later by the American Sonejuhi Sinha, whereas the boys in Boys by the Swedish Isabella Carbonell haven’t got a clue about love. The Fox Exploits the Tiger’s Might by the Indonesian Lucky Kuswandi plays on the association of playful pleasure with lecherous pleasure. The two French shorts maliciously dialogue through their titles: Monsters Turn Into Lovers by Yann Delattre and The Dragon’s Demise by Marina Diaby. The first delicately opposes the fragility of love to the harsh reality, while the latter elegantly mingles family drama with strangeness generated by a fine touch of burlesque. La Semaine de la Critique is a hub for emerging directors and it will continue to accompany these 10 talents by offering them to take part in the new program NEXT STEP, a training and supporting workshop which sets the path to feature film. And talking about feature films, there will be two highlights this year: the opening film of course and a first French film that will be presented as a special screening. Les Anarchistes by Elie Wajeman will be screened at the Opening night of this 54th edition. The film speaks of engaged rebellious youth. With this very contemporary film and following Alyah, the filmmaker takes us back to the times of the anarchists, amongst the descendants of the Paris Commune. It will be the film’s thrilling leads, Adèle Exarchopoulos and Tahar Rahim, first collaboration. Louis Garrel’s first movie, Les Deux Amis, seduced us and charmed us with the elegant direction and its freedom, oscillating between light tones and more serious ones. The pleasure of this funny and delicious film irradiates from the wonderful complicity shared by the three actors: Louis Garrel, Vincent Macaigne and Golshifteh Farahani.

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7 feature films in competition Sleeping Giant, the first film by the Canadian director Andrew Cividino, beautifully unfolds the complicated ties connecting three teenagers on holidays on a lake shore. Surrounded by the magnificent and imposing nature, they defy its laws, just like they defy the ones imposed by the other giants, the adults, who they are very suspicious of. After the highly praised El estudiante, Argentinian director Santiago Mitre comes back with Paulina (La patota), the splendid portrait of an dedicated woman, having to face her own beliefs. By following her frantic journey, the film is also a reflexion, both luminous and intelligent, on politics and justice. The American-Italian filmmaker Jonas Carpignano, last year’s winner of the Sony CineAlta Discovery Prize for his short A Ciambra, comes back with his first feature film, Mediterranea. The film tells the story of two African immigrants who reach the Italian coast. Together, they will attempt to adapt to this new life in which they will have to go different paths in order to achieve their personal goals. The journey of these two friends tackles the exile issue, the hopes and disappointments that come along with it. Krisha is an American indie gem signed by Trey Edward Shults. This first film from a young wonder director plunges us in the middle of a bitter family conflict, mainly embodied by non professionals actors. Krisha is the caustic portrait of a woman under influence, certainly a new exciting and audacious cinema experience. Clément Cogitore’s first film is very unique compared to what French cinema usually offers. The Wakhan Front is the daily account of French soldiers sent in Afghanistan, isolated in the middle of the desert and experiencing mysterious disappearances. In this strange circumstances, they will acknowledge what the power of faith is. Carried by Jérémie Renier, this bewitching film gathers the raising talents of French cinema Kévin Azaïs, Swann Arlaud and Finnegan Oldfield. César Augusto Acevedo’s first film Land and Shade takes place in a sugarcane plantation in Colombia. It is a slice of life, torn between the age-old ties to this land and the urge to leave it behind. The sharp sense of the location and the space, driven by the masterful direction, leads us to a time in which the bodies take root. Dégradé, a black comedy by the two Palestinian brothers Arab and Tarzan Nasser, is taking place in the Gaza Strip, where the directors live. The film’s cheery nerve draws an extremely vivid portrait of women trapped in a beauty salon. Outside, the madness of men is raging. This is an offbeat and raw look on people living in an asphyxiated territory. The film is a great opportunity to admire once again the performance of the magnificent Hiam Abbass.

Closing feature film For the closing ceremony, we fell under the spell of a comedy, enchanted also by the soundness of its vision. Learn by Heart is the first feature film by the French director Mathieu Vadepied, who was previously discovered by La Semaine de la Critique for his short. This mischievous tale set in the suburbs of Paris is the coming-of-age of two children, split between what they are taught in school and their own strange and - to say the least - startling experiences. These two children, personified by staggering actors, will bring their fresh and affectionate breath of air to close the 54th Semaine de la Critique. The ten short films and the seven feature films in competition will be submitted to the attentive eye of the Jury President of La Semaine de la Critique. The actress and director Ronit Elkabetz will award the Nespresso Grand Prize and the France 4 Visionary Award for feature films and the Sony CineAlta Discovery Prize for short films. La Semaine de la Critique will take place in Cannes, between May 14th and May 22nd.

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THE 2015 SÉLECTION 4 Feature films in special screenings, 7 feature films in competition and 10 short and medium-length films in competition

FEATURE FILMS IN SPECIAL SCREENINGS

Opening Film The Anarchists (Les Anarchistes)

Elie Wajeman

2nd

Special Screenings Coin Locker Girl Les Deux Amis

HAN Jun-hee Louis Garrel

1st 1st

Closing Film Learn by Heart (La Vie en grand)

Mathieu Vadepied

1st

FEATURE FILMS IN COMPETITION

Dégradé Krisha Mediterranea The Wakhan Front (Ni le ciel ni la terre) Paulina (La patota) Sleeping Giant La tierra y la sombra (Land and Shade)

Arab et Tarzan Nasser Trey Edward Shults Jonas Carpignano Clément Cogitore Santiago Mitre Andrew Cividino César Augusto Acevedo

1st 1st 1er 1st 2nd 1st 1st

SHORT AND MEDIUM-LENGTH FILMS IN COMPETITION

Alles Wird Gut (Everything Will Be Okay) Boys (Pojkarna) Command Action La Fin du dragon (The Dragon’s Demise) The Fox Exploits the Tiger’s Might Jeunesse des Loups-Garous (Monsters Turn Into Lovers) Love Comes Later Ramona Too Cool for School Varicella (Chickenpox)

Patrick Vollrath Isabella Carbonell João Paulo Miranda Maria Marina Diaby Lucky Kuswandi Yann Delattre Sonejuhi Sinha Andrei Crețulescu Kevin Phillips Fulvio Risuleo

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SPECIAL SCREENINGS

OPENING FILM The Anarchists (Les Anarchistes) by Elie Wajeman 2015 l World Premiere l 1h41 | France | 2nd FILM Paris 1899. Corporal Jean Albertini, an orphan of humble origins, is chosen to infiltrate a band of anarchists. For him, it's a chance to move up the ranks. But forced to compromise without respite, Jean is increasingly divided. On one hand, he delivers incriminating intelligence reports to his superior, Gaspar. On the other, he feels himself developing genuine feelings for the anarchists. With: Tahar Rahim, Adèle Exarchopoulos , Swann Arlaud, Guillaume Gouix, Karim Leklou, Sarah Le Picard, Cédric Kahn, Emilie De Preissac Production: 24 MAI PRODUCTION, Lola Gans Co-production: FRANCE 2, Valérie Boyer; MARS FILMS, Stéphane Célérier Distribution: MARS FILMS, Stéphane Célérier Sales: WILD BUNCH, Esther Devos Press: André-Paul Ricci, Tony Arnoux ([email protected] / [email protected])

SPECIAL SCREENINGS Coin Locker Girl by HAN Jun-hee 2015 l World Premiere l 1h54 | South Korea | 1st FILM Only after her birth, Il-young gets abandoned in a coin-locker box #10 of a subway station. Eight years later, she is sold off to Chinatown, to a woman named as Mom. Mom rules over Chinatown and has taken in useful children like Il-young as family. Mom is ready to do anything that is profitable but Il-young thinks Mom the only home for her and grows up to become Mom’s most useful child. One day, when Il-young is sent to collect interest from those who made loan from Mom’s money, she encounters with Suk-hyun who treats her like no other person she’d met before. Suk-hyun who is the son of a heavy debt owner, introduces Il-young to a warm and hospitable world, different from what her Mom has shown her. For the first time, Il-young becomes curious about the outside life of Chinatown. Avec : KIM Hye-soo, KIM Ko-eun Production : Pollux Pictures, KIM So-young Ventes : CJ Entertainment, Hawon KIM French and International press : THE PR FACTORY, Barbara Van Lombeek, Marie-France Dupagne, Gudrun Burie ([email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected]

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Les Deux Amis by Louis Garrel 2015 l World Premiere l 1h40 | France | 1st FILM Clément, a cynical and sweet melancholic film extra, is madly in love with Mona, a salesgirl in a sandwich bar. Mona has a secret that makes her mysterious and intangible. When Clément is desperate to win her heart, Abel, his best and only friend, comes to the rescue. The two friends set off in the adventure of conquering her. But 3 is a restless number. With: Golshifteh Farahani, Vincent Macaigne, Louis Garrel Production: LES FILMS DES TOURNELLES, Anne-Dominique Toussaint Co-production : ARTE FRANCE CINEMA, Olivier Père Distribution: AD VITAM, Alexandra Henochsberg Sales: INDIE SALES, Nicolas Eschbach Press: Monica Donati assistée de Cilia Gonzalez-Maurin ([email protected] / [email protected])

CLOSING FILM Learn by Heart (La Vie en grand) by Mathieu Vadepied 2014 l World Premiere l 1h33 | France | 1st FILM Adama is a 14-year-old boy who lives with his mother in a small two-room flat in Bondy, in the suburbs of Paris. He fails in school, although he is a bright pupil. Because of an unexpected event, he will reverse the situation with Mamadou, who is younger than him. With: Balamine Touré, Ali Bidanessy, Guillaume Gouix, Joséphine De Meaux Léontina Fall, Adama Camara, Bass Dhem, Aristide Tarnagda, Bakary Dramé, Kévin Wamo Production: UNITE DE PRODUCTION, Bruno Nahon, Caroline Nataf Co-production: TEN FILMS, Eric Toledano, Olivier Nakache Distribution: GAUMONT, Françoise Dauvergne Sales: GAUMONT, Céline Gazet Press: André-Paul Ricci, Tony Arnoux ([email protected] / [email protected]) International press: GAUMONT, Sophie Bollotte ([email protected])

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FEATURE FILMS IN COMPETITION 7 films selected out of 1100 screened

Dégradé by Tarzan and Arab Nasser 2015 l World Premiere l 1h25 | Palestine - France - Qatar | 1st FILM Gaza Strip, nowadays. Christine’s beauty salon is heaving with female clients: a bitter divorcée, a religious woman, a lunatic addicted to prescription drugs and a young bride-to-be among others. But their day of leisure is disrupted when gunfire breaks out across the street. A gangland family has stolen the lion from Gaza’s zoo, and Hamas has decided it’s time to settle old scores. Stuck in the salon, the women start to unravel... With: Hiam Abbass, Maisa Abd Elhadi, Manal Awad, Mirna Sakhla, Dina Shuhaiber, Victoria Balitska Production: LES FILMS DU TAMBOUR, Marie Legrand, Rani Massalha; MADE IN PALESTINE PROJECT, Rashid Abdelhamid Co-production: FULL HOUSE, Laurent Baudens; MILLE ET UNE FILMS, Gilles Padovani; ABBOUT PRODUCTIONS, Georges Schoucair Distribution: LE PACTE, Xavier Hirigoyen Sales: ELLE DRIVER, Eva Diederix, Adeline Fontan Tessaur French press : Vanessa Jerrom ([email protected]) International press: Martin Marquet ([email protected])

Krisha by Trey Edward Shults 2015 l International Premiere l 1h23 | USA | 1st FILM After years of absence, Krisha reunites with her family for a holiday gathering. She sees it as an opportunity to fix her past mistakes, cook the family turkey, and prove to her loved ones that she has changed for the better. Only, Krisha’s delirium takes her family on a dizzying holiday that no one will forget. With: Krisha Fairchild, Robyn Fairchild, Bill Wise, Chris Doubek, Olivia Grace Applegate, Alex Dobrenko, Bryan Casserly, Chase Joliet, Augustine Frizzell Production: HOODY BOY PRODUCTIONS,Trey Edward Shults, Justin R. Chan, Wilson Smith, Chase Joliet, Jonathan R. Chan, JP Castel Sales: George Rush International press: BRIGADE, Adam Kersh ([email protected])

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Mediterranea by Jonas Carpignano 2015 l World Premiere l 1h47 | Italy - France - USA - Germany | 1st FILM Ayiva recently left his home in Burkina Faso in search of a way to provide for his sister and his daughter. He takes advantage of his position in an illegal smuggling operation to get himself and his best friend Abas off of the continent. Ayiva adapts to life in Italy, but when tensions with the local community rise, things become increasingly dangerous. Determined to make his new situation work he attempts to weather the storm, but it has its costs. With: Koudous Seihon, Alassane Sy Production: MEDITERRANEA FILM, Jonas Carpignano, Jon Coplon, Gwyn Sannia, Jason Michael Berman, Chris Columbus, Christoph Daniel, Andrew Kortschak, John Lesher, Ryan Lough, Justin Nappi, Alain Peyrollaz, Marc Schmidheiny, Victor Shapiro, Ryan Zacarias French press : Matthieu Rey, Mounia Wissinger ([email protected] / [email protected]) US press: Ryan Werner, Charlie Olsky ([email protected] / [email protected]) International press: INTERNATIONAL RESCUE, Manlin Sterner, ([email protected])

The Wakhan Front (Ni le ciel ni la terre) by Clément Cogitore 2015 l World Premiere l 1h40 | France - Belgium | 1st FILM Afghanistan 2014. While troops are on the verge of withdrawal, Captain Antarès Bonassieu and his section are assigned a control and surveillance mission in a remote valley of the Wakhan, on the Pakistan border. Despite their determination, Antarès and his men gradually lose control of what is supposedly a calm sector. Then one September night, soldiers in the valley mysteriously disappear. With: Jérémie Renier, Swann Arlaud, Kévin Azaïs, Marc Robert, Finnegan Oldfield, Clément Bresson, Sâm Mirhosseini Production: KAZAK PRODUCTIONS, Jean-Christophe Reymond, Amaury Ovise Co-production: TARANTULA, Joseph Rouschop, Valérie Bournonville Distribution: DIAPHANA, Alicia Hernanz Sales: INDIE SALES, Nicolas Eschbach Press: Marie Queysanne assitée de Charly Destombes ([email protected]/ [email protected])

Paulina (La patota) by Santiago Mitre 2015 l World Premiere l 1h43 | Argentina - Brazil - France | 2nd FILM Paulina, who is 28, gives up a brilliant lawyer career, in order to dedicate herself to teaching in a depressed region in Argentina. In a rough environment, she sticks to her teaching mission and to her political engagement, accepting to sacrifice her private life. Upon her arrival, she is violently attacked by a gang of young people, some of them being her own students. Despite the trauma, Paulina will strive to stand for her convictions. With: Dolores Fonzi, Oscar Martinez, Esteban Lamothe, Cristian Salguero Production: LA UNION DE LOS RIOS, Agustina Llambi Campbell, Fernando Brom, Santiago Mitre, Lita Stantic, Laurent Baudens, Gaël Nouaille, Walter Salles, Ignacio Viale Co-production: FULL HOUSE, Didar Domehri Distribution: AD VITAM, Grégory Gajos Sales: VERSATILE, Violaine Pichon French press: Marie Queysanne assitée de Charly Destombes ([email protected]/ [email protected]) International press : Rupert Goodwin, Jonathan Rutter ([email protected] / [email protected])

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Sleeping Giant by Andrew Cividino 2015 l World Premiere l 1h29 | Canada | 1st FILM Teenager Adam is spending his summer vacation with his parents on rugged Lake Superior. His dull routine shatters when he befriends Riley and Nate, smart aleck cousins who pass their ample free time with debauchery and reckless cliff jumping. The revelation of a hurtful secret triggers Adam to set in motion irreversible events that test the bonds of friendship and change the boys forever. With: Jackson Martin, Reece Moffett, Nick Serino, David Disher, Erika Brodzky, Rita Serino, Katelyn McKerracher, Kyle Bertrand, Lorraine Philp Production: FILM FORGE PRODUCTION INC., Karen Harnisch Co-production: HAWKEYE PICTURES, Aeschylus Poulos Sales : SEVILLE INTERNATIONAL, Anick Poirier, Natalie Kampelmacher French and International press: Vanessa Jerrom ([email protected]), Claire Vorger

La tierra y la sombra (Land and Shade) by César Augusto Acevedo 2015 l World Premiere l 1h37 | Colombia - France - Netherlands - Chile - Brazil | 1st FILM Alfonso is an old farmer who has returned home to tend to his son, who is gravely ill. He rediscovers his old house, where the woman who was once his wife still lives, with his daughter-in-law and grandson. The landscape that awaits him resembles a wasteland. Vast sugar cane plantations surround the house, producing perpetual clouds of ash. 17 years after abandoning them, Alfonso tries to fit back in and save his family. With: Haimer Leal (ALFONSO), Hilda Ruiz (ALICIA), Edison Raigosa (GERARDO), Marleyda Soto (ESPERANZA), José Felipe Cárdenas (MANUEL) Production: BURNING BLUE, Jorge Forero Co-production: CINE SUD PROMOTION, Thierry Lenouvel; TOPKAPI FILMS, Frans Van Gasel; RAMPANTE CINE, Giancarlo Nazi; PRETA PORTÊ FILMES, Juliana Vicente Distribution : PYRAMIDE DISTRIBUTION, Roxane Arnold Sales: PYRAMIDE INTERNATIONAL, Elisabeth Perlié, Agathe Mauruc French press: CINE SUD PROMOTION, Claire Viroulaud ([email protected])

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SHORT AND MEDIUM-LENGTH FILMS IN COMPETITION 10 films selected out of 1750 screened Alles Wird Gut (Everything Will Be Okay) by Patrick Vollrath 2015 l International Premiere l 30’ | Germany - Austria Everything Will Be Okay begins qui harmless. A weekend-father picks up his eight-years-old daughter Lea. It pretty much seems like every second weekend. But after a while Lea can‘t help but feeling that something is just not right. So begins a fatal journey, leading to an inevitable catastrophe. With: Simon Schwarz, Julia Pointner, Marion Rottenhofer, Daniel Keberle Production: Patrick Vollrath Sales: Patrick Vollrath

Boys (Pojkarna) by Isabella Carbonell 2015 l International Premiere l 19’ | Sweden Markus is a boy in an institution for young sex offenders. There is no physical intimacy to be found there so the inmates violently grab and punch one another instead. Markus's only friend inside is the unpredictable Tobias. Markus's trial approaches and he won't be able to keep his actions secret much longer. With: Sebastian Hiort af Ornäs, Markus Lindgren, Rainer Gerdes, Kristoffer Trigell Production: DOPPELGANGER AB, Jörgen Andersson, Kjell Åhlund Co-production: FILM I VÄST, Am Ekström; PONYTAILSOUND, Calle Budde Roos Distribution: SWEDISH FILM INSTITUTE, Theo Tsappos

Command Action by João Paulo Miranda Maria 2015 l World Premiere l 14’ | Brazil A boy is buying vegetables for his family in a street market but suddenly something changes in the way. With: David Martins, Cláudio Lopes, João de Lima Neto, Luana Menezes Production: GRUPO KINO-OLHO, Fernanda Tosini, Claudia do Canto

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La Fin du dragon (The Dragon’s Demise) by Marina Diaby 2015 l World Premiere l 26’ | France In ten days, the treatments that keep the mother of Marianne, Mike and Angèle artificially alive will be over. Ten days? Marianne never grasped the fact that it would take so long. Luckily, Angèle works hard to wrap everything up and Mike is trying especially hard not to rub anyone the wrong way. Even the dog has never been so affectionate. With: Émilie Caen, Noémie Rosset, Alban Guyon, Lamine Diaby Production / Distribution / Sales: 10:15!PRODUCTIONS, Sebastien Haguenauer

The Fox Exploits the Tiger’s Might by Lucky Kuswandi 2015 l World Premiere l 25’ | Indonesia Two preteen boys discover their sexuality and the relation between power and sex, in the awkward social setting of a sleepy small town with a military base. David is the big-shot boastful son of a highranking officer, while Aseng's family is an ethnic minority tobacco merchant who sells bootleg liquor. With: Atreyu Artax Moniaga, Kemas Fauzan, Stefanny Marcelina Sugiharto, Surya Saputra, Christine Harsojo, Haris Zuhri Production: BABIBUTAFILM, Meiske Taurisia, Edwin, Tunggal Pawestri

Jeunesse des Loups-Garous (Monsters Turn Into Lovers) by Yann Delattre 2015 l World Premiere l 22’ | France Between her work, boyfriend and Japanese flatmate, Julie’s life just runs its course. Without her noticing Sébastien even though he puts all his timidity and awkwardness into charming her. They may get together one night without knowing what tomorrow morning will bring. With: Nina Meurisse, Benoit Hamon, Mathieu Barbet, Akihiro Hata Production: STROMBOLI FILMS, Juliette Sol, Alice Bégon Sales: AGENCE DU COURT MÉTRAGE, Florence Keller

Love Comes Later by Sonejuhi Sinha 2015 l World Premiere l 10’ | USA America, the land of opportunity, attracts immigrants from every corner of the world. An ambitious immigrant, Riz, works at a small motel in pursuit of her American dream. When an unexpected discovery confronts Riz with the consequences of being undocumented, she is forced to make a life changing decision. With: Vega Tamotia, Diane Guerrero, Sarita Choudhury, Samrat Chakrabarti Production: Sonejuhi Sinha, Charlotte Rabate Co-production: FINAL CUT USA INC., Stephanie Apt

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Ramona by Andrei Crețulescu 2015 l World Premiere l 20’ | Romania One girl. One car. One night. No coincidence. With: Rodica Lazăr, Dorian Bogută, Andi Vasluianu, Serban Pavlu, Ana Ularu Production: KINOSSEUR PRODUCTIONS, Andrei Crețulescu; DEFILM, Radu Stancu ; WE ARE BASCA, Claudiu Mitcu Distribution: KINOSSEUR PRODUCTIONS, Codruța Crețulescu Sales: KINOSSEUR PRODUCTIONS, Codruța Crețulescu

Too Cool for School by Kevin Phillips 2014 l World Premiere l 11’ | USA An apathetic teenager with sex on his brain decides to ditch school. The decisions he makes culminate into something of a waking nightmare, tearing apart any facade he has put on and revealing his true youth. With: Tristan Leabu, Ester Zyskind Production: NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH FILMS, Richard Peete Co-production: WAYS & MEANS, Jett Steiger

Varicella (Chickenpox) by Fulvio Risuleo 2014 l World Premiere l 14’ | Italy Chickenpox is a very small thing if you’re young. But if you’re a grown-up it can be very dangerous. When Mommy finds out, she starts worrying about Carlo, her son, who still isn’t sick. He’s growing fast, something must soon be done. She needs to find a way to ‘make him’ sick. But does Daddy agree? With: Giordana Morandini, Edoardo Pesce, Enea De Angelis Production: REVOK S.r.l., Donatello Della Pepa, Loretta Isotton, Fulvio Risuleo

INVITATION TO THE MORELIA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL Selection of 4 short films selected to the 12th edition of the Morelia International Film Festival

Nuanca regreses (Never Come Back) by Leonardo Díaz (Mexico) El palacio (The Palace) by Nicolás Pereda (Mexico - Canada) Por qué el recuerdo? (The Solitude of Memory) by Juan Pablo González (Mexico - USA) Ramona by Giovanna Zacarías (Mexico)

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LA SEMAINE DE LA CRITIQUE’S JURY AND AWARDS THE 54th SEMAINE DE LA CRITIQUE’S JURY RONIT ELKABETZ Director, actress, scriptwriter PRESIDENT OF LA SEMAINE DE LA CRITIQUE’S JURY KATELL QUILLÉVÉRÉ Director PETER SUSCHITZKY Cinematographer ANDRÉA PICARD Film programmer for the Toronto International Film Festival, writer BOYD VAN HOEIJ Journalist, film critic

PRIZES AWARDED BY LA SEMAINE DE LA CRITIQUE’S JURY NESPRESSO GRAND PRIZE The Nespresso Grand Prize is awarded by the Semaine de la Critique’s Jury to one of the seven feature films in competition. Nespresso are awarding €10,000 to the winning director. For the fifth consecutive year, Nespresso supports emerging talent by collaborating with the Semaine de la Critique Grand Prize which has previously revealed such filmmakers as Guillermo del Toro, Gaspar Noé, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Emanuele Crialese, Keren Yedaya, Jeff Nichols and more recently Miroslav Slaboshpitsky. This underlines Nespresso's commitment to creativity through their longstanding support for new talent. FRANCE 4 VISIONARY AWARD The France 4 Visionary Award is given by the Semaine de la Critique’s Jury to one of the seven feature films in competition. The selected first or second feature film will be rewarded for its outstanding creativity and innovation. France 4 supports the Visionary Award for the fourth year in a row, confirming its support to independent cinema. With this award, France 4 grants €4,000 to the winning film director. SONY CINEALTA DISCOVERY PRIZE FOR SHORT FILM The Sony CineAlta Discovery Prize is awarded by the Semaine de la Critique’s Jury to one of the ten short and mid-length films in competition. Since its creation in 2003, the Discovery Prize has revealed many innovative filmmakers, among them Juliana Rojas and Marco Dutra, Jérémy Clapin, the H5 Collective, Guillaume Gouix, Damien Manivel, Daria Belova and more recently Jonas Carpignano. Sony CineAlta is keen to discover new talent, support the new generation of filmmakers and highlight exceptional work from directors around the world. That is the reason Sony supports the Discovery Prize once again and will award €4,000 to the director of the winning entry.

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AWARDS GIVEN BY PARTNERS

SACD AWARD The SACD (Authors Society) supports festivals that promote new authors like La Semaine de la Critique through the funds generated by private copy. The SACD Award is given to one of the seven feature films in competition. The winning author will be awarded €4,000. The jury is made up of filmmakers that are members of the board of directors of the SACD. CANAL+ AWARD FOR SHORT FILM The Canal+ Award is given to one of the ten short and mid-length films in competition by the Short and Creative Programmes at Canal+. They buy the rights for the winning film to screen it on TV. Since its creation in 1992, the Canal+ Award has led to the screening of short films by Chris Landreth, Bill Plympton, Denis Villeneuve, Daniel Joseph Borgman and Gaëlle Denis. GAN FOUNDATION SUPPORT FOR DISTRIBUTION The Gan Foundation for Cinema has put together a support scheme for La Semaine de la Critique to help distribute a first or second feature film in France in the hope of promoting new filmmakers. This support scheme for distribution is awarded by the Gan Foundation to the French distributor of one of the seven feature films in competition. They would receive €20,000 all tax included and in return they would have to come up with marketing strategies for the film. The film will have to be released in France within the two years following the award. For 25 years, the Gan Foundation for Cinema has been one of the main private partners of French cinema and has contributed enormously to the discovery of new talent. It aims to support original, innovative, and daring work.

The Awards will be announced during the Closing Ceremony on May 21st, Thursday 2015

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LA SEMAINE DE LA CRITIQUE ALL OVER THE WORLD Every year, La Semaine de la Critique organises reruns of its selection in France and all over the world in order to promote new talents discovered in Cannes and help them find their audience and international distribution. In 2015, La Semaine de la Critique will travel through 9 countries. FRANCE- La Collectivité territoriale de Corse (Cinémathèque régionale Corse) - Porto Vecchio The Association la Corse et le Cinéma, Founding Member from May 26th to 30th, 2015 Short and feature films from the 2015 selection FRANCE - La Cinémathèque française - Paris from June 3rd to 8th, 2015 Short and feature films from the 2015 selection FRANCE - Les rencontres Cinéma de Martinique - Fort de France From June 13th to 21st, 2015 Short films from the 2014 selection and Talents Cannes Adami 2014 LEBANON - Cinéma Metroplis with the French Institute in Beirut from June 30th to July 11th, 2015 Short and feature films from the 2015 selection SOUTH AFRICA - In collaboration with Urucumedia, the Durban Film Festival and the French Institute in South Africa - Durban, Cape town and Johanesburg July 2015 Feature films from the 2012-2015 selections PERU - Festival de Lima, Encuentro Latinoamericano de Cine from August 9th to 16th, 2015 Feature films from the 2014 and 2015 selections BRAZIL - São Paulo International - Short Film Festival from August 19th to 30th, 2015 Short films from the 2015 selection CZECH REPUBLIC - Czech Cinematheque - Prague September 2015 Short films from the 2015 selection EGYPT- Cairo Cinematheque, French Institute & Cinema Zawya from September 16th to 22nd, 2015 Short and feature films from the 2010-2014 selections MEXICO- Morelia International Film Festival from October 23rd to November 1st, 2015 Feature films from the 2015 selection ROMANIA - Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest - In collaboration with the Festival Next from October 24th to 30th, 2015 Feature films from the 2014 and 2015 selections & short films from the 2015 selection

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THE TEAM SELECTION COMMITTEES MEMBERS All the journalists of the selection committee of La Semaine de la Critique are members of the French Union of Film Critics.

FEATURE FILMS Charles Tesson Artistic Director of La Semaine de la Critique Ariane Allard (Positif) Thomas Baurez (Studio Ciné Live, France 24) Xavier Leherpeur (Itélé, France Musique) Annick Peigné-Giuly (Images documentaires) Olivier Pelisson (Bande à part) Léo Soesanto (Les Inrockuptibles) SHORT FILMS Fabien Gaffez (Positif) - Short film Committee Coordinator Iris Brey (Cinéma Teaser,Tess Magazine) Pierre-Simon Gutman (L'Avant-Scène Cinéma)

STAFF Program Manager Head of Administration Head of the Film Department Film Department – Short films Communications Officer Managing assistant Press Agent Head of Operations Sponsoring Website design

Rémi Bonhomme Marion Dubois-Daras assisted by Alissa Aubenque Hélène Auclaire assisted by Clotilde Ligeard Julie Marnay Mélanie Lemaire assisted by Madeline Thomas Marion Grobois Dany de Seille assisted by Nora El Bekri George Ikdais Bernadette Icovic Ali Cherri

The 2015 poster and catalogue have been designed by the agency Les bons faiseurs

FOREIGN DELEGATES Africa Olivier Barlet South East Asia, Hong Kong & Taiwan Raymond Phathanavirangoon India Premendra Mazumder

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THE PARTNERS OF THE 54TH SEMAINE DE LA CRITIQUE La Semaine de la Critique wishes to thank all the institutional and private partners who support the 54th edition.

INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS CNC (Centre National du Cinéma et de l’image animée) Région Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Région Île-de-France Ville de Cannes Conseil Général des Alpes-Maritimes Direction Régionale des Affaires Culturelles de la Région Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur ADAMI (Société civile pour l'Administration des Droits des Artistes et Musiciens Avec) SACEM (Société des Auteurs, Compositeurs et Éditeurs de Musique) SACD (Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatique) OFFICIAL PARTNERS Nespresso Fondation Gan pour le Cinéma Sony CineAlta France 4 CCAS (Caisse Centrale d’Activités Sociales du Personnel des Industries Electrique et Gazière) Festival Internacional de Cine de Morelia Audiens Canal + La Cinémathèque française RFI (Radio France Internationale) OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS Panavision Champagne Piper-Heidsieck Vins de Pays de Méditerranée WITH THE SUPPORT OF Ficam (Fédération des industries du cinéma, de l'audiovisuel et du multimédia) Le Mont Saint Michel

For the fourth year in a row, Nespresso, already sponsor of the Grand Prize, will host La Semaine de la Critique's guests on its Plage from May 14 to 24. Meet the film's crew during the Morning After of La Semaine, every morning from 9:30 am to 11:00 am on the Plage Nespresso.

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