PARIS, Jan 9 (ZIZ): In a significant announcement today, Daniela Elstner, Executive Director of UniFrance, alongside Gilles Pélisson, President of UniFrance, unveiled the comprehensive selection of films and esteemed jury members for the 14th edition of MyFrenchFilmFestival. This globally acclaimed online festival stands as the foremost celebration dedicated entirely to Francophone cinema. Pioneering in its approach, this festival seeks to democratize the joy of cinema, particularly reaching out to audiences with limited access to traditional movie theaters.
Scheduled to run from January 19th to February 19th, 2024, MyFrenchFilmFestival will extend its reach across the globe through MyFrenchFilmFestival.com and more than 80 VOD partner platforms, marking a record distribution.
Short films will be universally accessible at no cost, while feature films will be freely available in select regions, including Spanish-speaking Latin America, Africa, the Near & Middle East, Russia/CIS, Southeast Asia, Ukraine, and Baltic countries (excluding Latvia). In other areas, these films can be accessed via partner platforms or MyFrenchFilmFestival.com for €1.99 per film or €7.99 for comprehensive access packs, subject to potential geo-blocking in specific territories.
The festival’s program encompasses 26 films, showcasing a diverse spectrum of forms, genres, and durations, vividly portraying the richness and diversity inherent in French-language cinema. Within this eclectic lineup, 9 feature films and 9 short films will compete. Subtitles in 11 languages—German, English, Arabic, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, and Ukrainian—will accompany all films on MyFrenchFilmFestival.com.
Structured around thematic sections interweaving short and feature films, MyFrenchFilmFestival provides “internet festivalgoers” an opportunity to explore the finest offerings of French and Francophone cinema, intriguingly grouped into themes designed to captivate viewers’ interests.
The themed collections highlighted in the 2024 edition include:
- All Eyes on Docs!
- Families in Motion
- Heartbeats
- Mad World
- Tales of the Night
- Smells Like Teen Spirit
- Women Supporting Women
- Enjoy the Silence
Moreover, the festival will feature exclusive interviews with directors from the selection, prominently showcased across social networks. Over the years, MyFrenchFilmFestival has cultivated a vast community of global cinephiles eager to embrace fresh cinematic creations.
The competition includes feature films such as “My Sole Desire” by Lucie Borleteau, “The Beast in the Jungle” by Patric Chiha, “Junkyard Dog” by Jean-Baptiste Durand, “Fifi” by Jeanne Aslan & Paul Saintillan, “No Dogs or Italians Allowed” by Alain Ughetto, “The Lost Boys” by Zeno Graton (in partnership with Wallonie Bruxelles Images), “The Green Perfume” by Nicolas Pariser, “Polaris” by Ainara Vera, and “Super Bourrés” by Bastien Milheau.
Out-of-competition feature films encompass “Jane B. for Agnès V.” by Agnès Varda and “Rodeo” by Joëlle Desjardins Paquette (in partnership with Téléfilm Canada).
The short film competition includes remarkable entries such as “Cuddle” by Margot Reumont, “Underdog” by David Arslanian, “Fairplay” by Zoel Aeschbacher, “The Great Arc” by Camille Authouart, “The Summer Holidays” by Valentine Cadic, “Jeanne Dinde” by Pauline Ouvrard, “The Struggle is the End” by Arthur Thomas-Pavlowsky, “Fast” by Paul Rigoux, and “Life in Canada” by Frédéric Rosset.
Short films out of competition feature standout pieces like “Atomic Kitchen” by Thibault Ermeneux, Lucie Lyfoung, Solène Polet, Capucine Prat, Morgane Sirieix & Anna Uglova, “In the Dance” by Ekatarina Mikheeva, “Des Filles et des Chiens” by Sophie Fillières, “Two Friends” by Natalia Chernysheva, “Oasis” by Justine Martin (in partnership with Téléfilm Canada), and “To Be Sisters” by Anne-Sophie Gousset & Clément Céard.
Distinguished international juries, including the International Jury, International Press Jury, and Content Creator Jury, will present awards to standout films in competition categories, while audiences will have the chance to vote for their favorites, culminating in the Audience Awards.
The Grand Prize of the Jury, the International Press Award, the Content Creator Award, and the Audience Awards will be revealed at different stages during the festival, leading up to the closing announcements on February 20th, 2024.
MyFrenchFilmFestival is orchestrated by UniFrance, the entity dedicated to promoting French cinema and TV programs worldwide through UNIFRANCE.ORG.
