The La Rochelle Festival of Fiction is definitely a must-see back-to-school event for fiction lovers.
After last year’s great discoveries, the festival returns from September 10 to 15 for its 26th edition, which promises to be just as rich and diverse.
This year, no less than 40 works will be presented in the official competition and 7 events of fiction will be presented to the delight of the festival goers.
At the end of the competition, the jury, chaired by the emblematic figure of French fiction, Thierry Godard, will award 11 prizes at the closing ceremony on Saturday, September 14.
A fantasy for everyone to discover
The traditional opening ceremony, hosted this year by Antonia de Rendinger, will be marked by a presentation of the Disney+ series Kids Are Kings, which will officially kick off the competition.
On the unitary side, festival-goers will be able to discover A L’écho, France Télévisions fiction with Frankie Wallach, Bernard Campan and Clementine Cellaret. They will also have the opportunity to see Les Ailes Collées, a poignant film directed by Thierry Biniste that explores deep themes such as love, the unspoken and oppression.
But that’s not all. Other notable works will also be presented, such as Blessed be the Sistine, an adaptation of the novel by Miles Adhemar with Capuchin Valmar, Le combat d’Alice; A film about the fight against animal abuse with Nicolas Gob; or The Butcher’s Mother, hard-hitting fiction about pedophilia within the church.
Fans of historical stories will be able to discover Olympe, a woman in revolution, which highlights one of the first French feminists. Signalements, about a woman who faces the system alone in the face of early childhood abuse, is also worth a watch.
On Arte’s part, I won’t let myself finish anymore, I will look at the life of a woman in EHPAD who wants to take revenge on all the evil people she has met in the past, and M6 will offer Santa Claus. At Home, a Christmas comedy with Maddie Sadun.
series in the competition
The series will not be missed. Note the presentation of many fictions such as That Night, a psychological thriller for France 2 by Barbara Probst, Pascal Elbe and Hugo Becker; Fortune de France, a historical fresco adapted from Robert Merle’s family saga, with Nicolas Duvachel; Frotter Frotter depicting the social struggle of maids; and Flashback, a TF1 detective series with Michael Yeun.
Nismet, Arte’s series, highlights the story of a young teenager who runs away from his family home after his tyrannical stepfather tries to sexually assault him. And finally, Sentinels – Ukraine, a Ciné+ OCS Signature series with Pauline Parrigott, Louis Perez and Eric Caravaca.
Don’t miss out-of-competition previews and special screenings
Festival attendees will be able to exclusively discover Cimetière Allemand, a new original creation from Canal + with Thibaut Vanhool and Thomas Bidegain, and Murder Club, an M6 series with Eric Cantona and Tiffin Daviot.
The public will also have the chance to see the first episodes of Cat’s Eyes, the TF1 event series adapted from Tsukasa Hojo’s acclaimed manga with Camille Lu, Constance Labe and Claire Romain, while Arte will present The World Does Not Exist, a special. Psychological thriller with Nils Schneider.
France 2, on the other hand, immerses viewers in the world of Parisian cabarets That’s Paris! with a series hosted by Alex Lutz.
There will also be streaming platforms. Thus, Max presents the first episodes of A Devoted Friend with Laure Calamy to the public in La Rochelle.
As for the special screenings, festival goers will have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the sketch Olympia, a woman in revolutionCarpe Diem and Shores.
Special events for fans
This year again, the artistic festival honors the flagship series of French television and meets the favorite characters of the audience. Fans of Tomorrow Belongs to Us, Here It All Begins, Un si grand soleil and Plus belle la vie, encore plus belle will be able to experience unique moments meeting the actors who portray their favorite characters.
Featuring: Ingrid Chauvin, Luce Muschel, Mayel Elhajaoui, Nellie Lawson, Elsa Lunghin, Sabine Perrault, Lucien Bellevues, Galaad Quenuillier, Melanie Maudran, Moise Santamaria, Fabrice Deville, Marie-Galaelale Guella Kals, , Inaki Lartigue, Johanna Boyer and Marie Heneres.
They will answer fans’ questions on Friday at Le Dragon cinema during special meetings, September 13, for Tomorrow, and Saturday, September 14 for the film: Here It All Begins, Plus belle la vie, encore plus belle and Un si grand soleil.
Signing sessions will be held on the same days, but in the festival visitors’ tent at the port tomorrow belongs to us, here it all begins and a more beautiful life, even more beautiful. On the other hand, fans of Un si grand soleil will have the privilege to take a photo with their favorite actors in the Coursive hall on Saturday, September 14 at 14:15.
Thierry GodardThe president of the jury for this 26th edition will also participate in a public meeting on Saturday, September 14, at 11 a.m. at the Théâtre de la Verdière.
The full program of the 2024 edition of the La Rochelle Art Festival can be found here on the event website.
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.
