The 14th Edition of MyFrenchFilmFestival

New York, January 9, 2024 – Today, Daniela Elstner, Executive Director of Unifrance, and Gilles Pélisson, President of Unifrance, revealed the complete selection and jury members of this 14th edition of MyFrenchFilmFestival, the first worldwide online festival entirely dedicated to Francophone films. A groundbreaking initiative, this festival aims to share the pleasure of cinema with as many people as possible, especially those with limited access to movie theatres. MyFrenchFilmFestival will take place from 19 January to 19 February 2024.

Internet users all over the world will have access to films on MyFrenchFilmFestival.com, and on over 80 VOD partner platforms: a record!

Short films will be accessible for free worldwide. Feature films will be free in Spanish-speaking Latin America, Africa, the Near & Middle East, Russia/CIS, Southeast Asia, Ukraine and Baltic countries (except Latvia). In other countries, they will be available on partner platforms or on v for €1.99 per film or €7.99 for a pack with full access (excluding possible geo-blocking of films, depending on territories).

As for the programming, 26 films in a variety of forms, genres and durations – illustrating the wealth, vitality and diversity of French-language cinema – will be available. Among this eclectic selection, 9 feature films and 9 short films are in competition. On MyFrenchFilmFestival, all films will be subtitled in 11 languages : German, English, Arabic, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian and Ukrainian.

Organised for several years in thematic sections mixing shorts and feature films, MyFrenchFilmFestival offers “Internet festivalgoers” the chance to discover the best of French and Francophone cinema, grouped into different themes to pique the viewers’ curiosity.

In parallel, the festival will include many exclusive interviews with directors from the selection. This content will notably be posted on social networks, where MyFrenchFilmFestival has built up a very large community of film fans over the years: cinephiles from all over the world who are eager to discover new creations.

The selection

Poignant dramas, zany comedies, inspiring documentaries… The programme aims to reflect the wealth and diversity of French-speaking cinema. To help you navigate your way through this comprehensive selection and to pique your curiosity, films will be grouped by theme.

All Eyes on Docs!

Toe to toe with a boxing collective in Marseille, a summer spent with twins, and a voyage between Greenland and southern France: immerse yourself in these worlds brought to you by these three exceptional documentaries questioning the barriers imposed upon us by society.

• La Lutte est une fin, by Arthur Thomas-Pavlowsky, documentary
• Oasis, by Justine Martin, documentary (in partnership with Telefilm Canada)
• Polaris, by Ainara Vera, documentary

Families in Motion

A spotlight on three families facing adversity under unique circumstances: in exile from the Italian Alps at the beginning of the 20th century, on the road through the vast expanse of Canada, and on the eve of a separation.

• No Dogs or Italians Allowed, by Alain Ughetto, animated documentary
• Rodéo, by Joëlle Desjardins Paquette, road-movie (in partnership with Telefilm Canada)
• Life in Canada, by Frédéric Rosset, dramatic comedy

Heartbeats

Let your heart beat as one with the protagonists of these three sensitive first feature films examining romantic feelings.

• Junkyard Dogs, by Jean-Baptiste Durand, social drama
• Spare Keys, by Jeanne Aslan & Paul Saintillan, dramatic comedy
• The Lost Boys, by Zeno Graton, drama (in partnership with Wallonie Bruxelles Images)

Mad World

When the world sweeps us up in its folly, what could be more valuable than cinema to take on the challenges and paradoxes of the absurd? Four films depicting, with humour and cheek, the evils of our times.

• Fairplay, by Zoel Aeschbacher, thriller
• The Summer Holidays, by Valentine Cadic, Summer’s tale
• The Green Perfume, by Nicolas Pariser, spy comedy
• Fast, by Paul Rigoux, comedy

Smells Like Teen Spirit

Teenagers: a theme explored by film at every place and at every time. (Re)discover this quirky stage of life through these films made by three director graduates of the renowned film school Fémis between the 1990s and today.

• Des filles et des chiens, by Sophie Fillières, comedy
• Turkey Jeanne, by Pauline Ouvrard, coming-of-age tale
• Super Drunk, by Bastien Milheau, comedy

Tales of the Night

Away from the bustle and view of daytime, night transcends those who are not afraid of the dark. Out clubbing, on a bicycle ride, or back against sculptures, let yourself be transported after hours by these three nocturnal stories.

• The Beast in the Jungle, by Patric Chiha, drama
• Underdog, by David Arslanian, thriller
• The Great Arc, by Camille Authouart, animated documentary

Women Supporting Women

Behind the scenes at a Parisian strip club, a confrontation with the memories of youth, and a journey into the imagination of Agnes Varda: a selection of three films celebrating the feminine view of the feminine universe.

• My Sole Desire, by Lucie Borleteau, tale of initiation
• Cuddle, by Margot Reumont, animated drama (in partnership with Wallonie Bruxelles Images)
• Jane B. for Agnes V., by Agnès Varda, documentary

Enjoy the silence

A selection of wordless animated shorts for young audiences.

• Atomic Chicken, by Thibault Ermeneux, Lucie Lyfoung, Solène Polet, Capucine Prat, Morgane Siriex & Anna Uglova, young audience
• In the Dance, d’Ekaterina Mikheeva, young audience
• Two Friends, de Natalia Chernysheva, young audience
• To Be Sisters, d’Anne-Sophie Gousset & Clément Céard, young audience

The International Jury

MyFrenchFilmFestival is honoured to welcome an esteemed International Jury for this rich 14th edition, which will award the competition’s Grand Prix for Best Feature Film. This award is endowed with €15,000 to be shared equally between the director, producer, and distributor.

The members of the International Jury for 2024 are: Moroccan actor and director Faouzi Bensaïdi, Italian actor Pierfrancesco Favino, Italian-Brazilian director Lillah Halla, Austrian director Marie Kreutzer, and French director Katell Quillévéré.

The International Press Jury

At the end of the festival, the International Press Jury will award a feature film in competition.

The international journalist members of the jury are: Gabriela Bravo Chiappe (Culturizarte, El País Global / Chile); Cathy Immelen (RTBF news / Belgium); Pavlina Jeleva (Portal Kultura / Bulgaria); Emrah Kolukisaoglu (BirGün, The Art Newspaper Türkiye / Turkey); Iana Murray (The Skinny / United Kingdom); Kalash Nanda Kumar, (First Class Malaysia / Malaysia); and Leticia Silva Queiroz (CinePOP.com.br / Brazil), who will meet during the festival to choose the winning feature film.

The Content Creator Jury

New for this 14th edition: Three film-loving content creators will award a short film in competition.

The members of this new jury are: Cécilia Jourdan (@hellofrenchnyc), Alexandre Neyraud (@diversificationlitteraire) and Abdelraouf Meraga & Nadjib Adda (@cilimastation).

The Audience Awards

The 18 films of the competition will also be in the running for the Audience Awards, which will honour a feature film and a short film in competition.

These awards will be granted by Internet users, who can rate the films and give stars to their favourites for the entire duration of the festival on MyFrenchFilmFestival.com.

The Grand Prize of the Jury, the International Press Award for a feature film and the Content Creator Award for a short film will be revealed on 16 February 2024. The Audience Awards will be announced at the end of the festival, on 20 February 2024.

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MyFrenchFilmFestival is organised by Unifrance, the organisation in charge of promoting French cinema and TV programmes throughout the world: UNIFRANCE.ORG.

Founded in 1949, Unifrance is the organisation responsible for promoting French cinema and TV content worldwide. Located in Paris, Unifrance employs around 50 staff members, as well as representatives based in the U.S., in China, and in Japan. The organisation currently brings together more than 1,000 French cinema and TV content professionals (producers, talents, agents, sales companies, etc.) working together to promote French films and TV programmes among foreign audiences, industry executives, and media.

MyFrenchFilmFestival 2024 benefits from the precious support of:

Official partners:
The French government, CNC, Institut Français, Telefilm Canada, Wallonie Bruxelles Images, TitraFilm

Media partners:
France Médias Monde, RFI, France 24, Monte Carlo Doualiya, Variety, TV5MONDE, AlloCiné, AdoroCinema, SensaCine, SensaCine LATAM, Filmstarts, El Hype, El País, ComingSoon.it, IONCINEMA.com, Flix.gr, kino-teatr.ua, Focus Taiwan – CNA, Quadro por Quadro, Under The Milky Way, JustWatch, Orange

See more at https://www.myfrenchfilmfestival.com.