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The third day of 13th Mumbai Film Festival continued with fervour. Following the two power packed days, the third day saw the opening of the 4th Rendez-vous with French Cinema, with The Artist (competed at the Cannes Film Festival 2011) as the opening film. Unprecedented numbers of audiences were witnessed for the two screenings of the film, following which a third screening of the film was also announced later. Present on the third day of the highly popular film festival, were the likes of Yash Chopra, Shyam Benegal, Anurag Kashyap, Kiran Rao, Riteish Deshmukh, Ayaan Mukerji, Shahana Goswami, Onir, Vikramaditya Motwane, Santosh Sivan, Bhushan Kumar, Adoor Gopalkrishnan, Aamna Sharif, French Director Martin Provost amongst numerous others. Films that attracted most audience included The Artist, She Monkey's, The Whistle Blower, Generation P, Michael and Urumi amongst others. Also, under the aegis of the Mumbai Film Festival, the three day long Mumbai Film...

The third day of 13th Mumbai Film Festival continued with fervour. Following the two power packed days, the third day saw the opening of the 4th Rendez-vous with French Cinema, with The Artist (competed at the Cannes Film Festival 2011) as the opening film. Unprecedented numbers of audiences were witnessed for the two screenings of the film, following which a third screening of the film was also announced later. Present on the third day of the highly popular film festival, were the likes of Yash Chopra, Shyam Benegal, Anurag Kashyap, Kiran Rao, Riteish Deshmukh, Ayaan Mukerji, Shahana Goswami, Onir, Vikramaditya Motwane, Santosh Sivan, Bhushan Kumar, Adoor Gopalkrishnan, Aamna Sharif, French Director Martin Provost amongst numerous others. Films that attracted most audience included The Artist, She Monkey's, The Whistle Blower, Generation P, Michael and Urumi amongst others. Also, under the aegis of the Mumbai Film Festival, the three day long Mumbai Film...

Still from The Artist

The 2011 edition of Mumbai Film Festival can boast of a strong French connection. Not only does it include a strong line-up of French films in a special section, but it will also celebrate the 50th anniversary of Cannes Critics Week by presenting a retrospective of 25 films.

The special section called ‘Rendez-vous with French Cinema’ will be co-organized with the French Embassy in India and Unifrance. For those who remember, this is the fourth edition of the event in Mumbai which has been merged with the Mumbai Film Festival this year. The past three editions were held separately as film festivals. This section will bring to Mumbai some of the critically acclaimed contemporary French films which include The Artist by Michel Hazanavicius, The Snows of Kilimanjaro by Robert Guédiguian and Declaration of War by ValérieDonzelli.

The Artist which will open the section competed at the Cannes Film...

myfrenchfilms

Indian viewers can now enjoy a festival of French films on the internet for a small fee. The Unifrance agency, which promotes French cinema abroad, is breaking new ground internationally for it is organising the first edition of online fest MyFrenchFilmFestival from January 14-29.

The selected films can be viewed via video-on-demand for a charge of €1.99 (Rupees 120 approx.) per feature outside France (where the price is aligned with national VoD sites) with the exception of Latin America and Russia where access will be free. Pacs systems are also offered.

The films will be available in ten languages (German, English, Arabic, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese and Russian; there will also be a Korean version on the website of partner KT) and the website includes film trailers and interviews with the directors and actors.

There are some top-quality flicks in the feature film selection, including Nassim Amaouche’s Goodbye Gary...

To spotlight France's young filmmakers, the first ever online French film festival will run January 14 to 29, 2011, thanks to Unifrance and Allociné, France's Centre National de la Cinématographie and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ten features (either from first or second time directors, with recent French releases), ten shorts and select classic films will be available via Video On Demand with several language subtitle options. They will award three prizes: one voted by online public viewers, another by foreign bloggers and another by the international press. As of December, the festival's site, myfrenchfilmfestival.com, will be up with trailers and interviews. Festival selections include: Feature Film Selection Adieu Gary by Nassim Amaouche with Jean-Pierre Bacri In a working class city, abandoned by most of ...

Paris -- France's film industry doesn't need a prophet to determine the favorite for this year's upcoming Cesar Awards as Jacques Audiard's gritty prison drama "A Prophet" continues to sweep through awards season in Gaul.

The drama was named best film of the year at the "Globes de Cristal" (Crystal Globes) ceremony Monday night and earned the French Film Critics Syndicate's top prize announced Tuesday.

The film's breakout star Tahar Rahim was named best actor at the Globes de Cristal ceremony held at Paris' Lido theater. Isabelle Adjani was named best actress for her role in "Skirt Day".

Thousands of national and regional French journalists vote for the prizes over the Internet and awards in categories including theater, opera, dance, literature, fashion designer and art expo were also distributed.

The French Film Critics Syndicate also gave prizes to Nassim Amaouche's "Adieu, Gary" for best first film, Patrick-Mario Bernard...

With only Alain Resnais’ Les Herbes Folles and Bruno Dumont's Hadewijch as possible upset win scenario's, Jacques Audiard’s A Prophet was the logical winner for France’s Louis Delluc prize of best French film of the year. - With only Alain Resnais’ Les Herbes Folles and Bruno Dumont's Hadewijch as possible upset win scenario's, Jacques Audiard’s A Prophet was the logical winner for France’s Louis Delluc prize of best French film of the year. Other nominess in the category included: Xavier Giannoli's A L’Origine, Christophe Honore’s Non Ma Fille Tu N’Iras Pas Danser, Claude and Nathan Miller’s Je Suis Heureux Que Ma Mere Soit Vivante, Philippe Lioret’s Welcome and Alain Cavalier's Irene. A Prophet will probably duke it out versus The White Ribbon this year at...

Paris -- First-time directors will be center stage at this year's 48th annual International Critics Week, where eight of nine announced competition titles will be up for the Camera d'Or.

As previously announced, first-time filmmaker Mathias Gokalp's "Rien de Personnel" (Nothing Personal) will open the Festival de Cannes sidebar. And fellow French filmmaker Nassim Amaouche will screen his dark drama "Adieu Gary," which stars actor-director Jean-Pierre Bacri alongside Dominique Reymond, Yasmine Belmadi, Sabrina Ouazani and Mahmed Arezki.

"It's been an extraordinary year for French cinema. We couldn't have done it any other way," Critics Week artistic director Jean-Christophe Berjon said. "This is the first time there have been so many great French titles to choose from for as long as I've been doing this. It's just great!"

Vladimir Perisic will present his directorial debut, "The Ordinary People," a Franco-Serbian co-production about how ordinary men can turn into monsters.

"What's...

• Actor Jean-Pierre Darroussin should be making a second consecutive appearance at the Cannes Critics' Week this year, the 48th edition will commence the festivities with the debut feature film from Mathias Gokalp and the actor top-lines Rien De Personnel (Nothing Personal) with co-stars Denis Podalydes, Zabou Breitman, Pascal Greggory, Melanie Doutey and Bouli Lanners. Written by Nadine Lamari, in order to launch its top secret new product, the Muller pharmaceutical company throws an extravagant party where directors, managers and employees are all invited. During the course of the evening, the guests are asked to participate in a role-playing game which, it turns out, is actually a massive training simulation for the management team. Rumors soon circulate that the company is up for sale, and the panic has everyone trying to save their own skin. The Critic's Week folks also announced the addition of another first time film from another French filmmaker.

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