The 14th edition of MyFrenchFilmFestival has just ended. Over the course of a month, participants were able to enjoy an excellent program highlighting the best of contemporary French-language cinema. Among the 26 short and feature films offered to the audience, which one managed to attract the attention of the various juries assembled for the occasion?
The main prize of the international jury will be awarded to…
It is Jean-Baptiste Durand’s dramatic comedy Junkyard Dog, which this year replaces the film Rien à foutre, which was awarded in 2023. It has already been awarded at several festivals and nominated in no less than 7 categories at César 2024, including Best Film. The feature film brings together the talented Raphael Cuenard (Yannick) and Anthony Bajon (La Prière) on screen.
The two actors play Miralles and a dog, two childhood friends who spend most of their day on the streets of a small village in the south of France. To pass the time, Miralles began teasing the dog more than necessary. Their friendship is undermined by the arrival of a young girl, Elsa, in the village, with whom the dog begins a love story. Consumed by jealousy, Miralles will have to let go of his past in order to grow up and find his place…
“An incredibly tender and subtle film about the difficulty of communication, especially between men, as we age. Surprising, atmospheric, authentic, simple, but with so many layers. The first film of amazing maturity that makes us eagerly wait for the director’s future works. Welcome to the international jury composed of Cattel Quillevere, Marie Kreutzer, Lila Hala, Pierfrancesco Favino and Fauzi Bensaid.
At the same time, the jury also wanted to give a special mention to Ayara Vera’s documentary Polaris, which follows the harrowing journey of Hayat, a ship captain, in the Arctic.
The International Press Jury Prize will be awarded to…
After the success of the drama Les Magnétiques, it was Alain Ughetto’s animated film Forbidden Dogs and Italians that stood out this year with the international press jury. In this wonderful stop-motion film, the director and screenwriter retraces his family history, especially his grandparents.
Therefore, a very personal work that clearly touched the seven foreign journalists who made up this jury: Gabriela Bravo Chiappe (Chile), Cathy Imeleni (Belgium), Pavlina Jeleva (Bulgaria), Emrah Kolukisaoglu (Turkey), Jana Murray (United Kingdom) . Kingdom), Kalash Nanda Kumar (Malaysia) and Leticia Silva Ceiro (Brazil).
Together they decided to award this feature film “For the delicacy of its story, which offers a glimpse into the little-known history of European migrations, for its sensitivity and sincerity, and for the beauty of its formal and technical execution.”.
Already awarded the Jury Prize at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival in 2022, Forbidden to Dogs and Italians also has a chance to win the César for Best Animated Film this year.
The Content Creators Jury Prize will be awarded to…
The big news of the 14th edition of MyFrenchFilmFestival: a jury made up of four content creators with a passion for cinematography was responsible for distinguishing the short film in the competition. And it’s not one, but two short films that caught the eye of Cecilia Jourdan (@hellofrenchnyc), Abdelrauf Meragh and Najib Adda (@cilimastation) and Alexandre Neuro (@diversificationlitteraire).
If you’re impressed by Fair Play by Zoël Eschbacher, Content Creators Jury Prize winner “With its energy, its subdued rhythm and its ability to convey the absurdity of human behavior with irresistible cynicism”The jury also wanted to give a special mention to Frédéric Rossetti’s film Life in Canada.
Public prizes will be awarded…
Many festival-goers from around the world once again voted for their favorite feature and short film nominations from this 14th edition. Applauded by the international press jury, the animated film “Forbidden to Dogs and Italians” also won over the audience, who gave it the Audience Award.
Among the 9 short films participating in the competition, Davit Arslanian’s Charbon was awarded. This film follows the real-life race against time of Mirko, a twenty-three-year-old student who has only a few hours left to pay his unpaid rent under penalty of eviction. A bicycle supplier at night, he must manage to make as many orders as possible to pay off his debt…
This excellent list of winners closes the 14th edition of MyFrenchFilmFestival, which has once again been crowned with success. Until next year!
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
