ARAB CINEMA CENTER ORCHESTRATES FIVE HIGH-PROFILE EVENTS AT THE UPCOMING CANNES FILM FESTIVAL & MARché du film, in collaboration with MAD CELEBRITY

The Arab Cinema Center (ACC) is proud to announce its continued collaboration with the Marché du Film, alongside MAD Celebrity, for a series of captivating panel discussions and events, set to take place during this year’s market edition at the 77th Festival de Cannes, scheduled from 14 to 25 May.

With a particular focus on Arab creative talent, this year’s ACC activities are designed to draw international attention to the wealth of storytelling expertise and artistry on both sides of the camera, which have helped usher in a new Golden Age of Arab Cinema across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

This year's ACC program will comprise a total of four separate panel sessions, in addition to the ACC’s highly anticipated annual beach-side ceremony for the Critics Awards for Arab Films. All events will take place at the prestigious Plage des Palmes — the official beachside venue shared by the Festival de Cannes and Marché du Film.

“These panels always attract a huge crowd in Cannes, which speaks volumes about the international demand to both see more Arab films in the global arena and to collaborate with talents and changemakers in the region to make sure more exciting, entertaining and relevant stories see the light of day,” commented ACC Co-Founders Alaa Karkouti and Maher Diab. “We are forever thankful to the Cannes Film Festival, their incredible team at the Marché du Film, and all our partners and collaborators for giving us the space to keep elevating the pan-Arab film industry in the eyes of the global community.”

The festivities will commence with the star-studded, three-hour event collectively bannered as “Talent Hotbed: How Arab Artists & Artisans are Conquering the Entertainment World” (15:00-17:00, 17 May) which will be presented by ACC, And MAD Celebrity and consist of two celebrity-filled panels, followed by an hour-long invite-only reception.

The first panel, “The Arab New Wave: The Actors,” moderated by Melanie Goodfellow of Deadline, will spotlight Arab cinema’s rising stars in a joint discussion about the opportunities and challenges they face in breaking into the international marketplace. Following this, “The Arab New Wave: The Artists and Artisans,” moderated by Michael Rosser of Screen International, will celebrate the work of the newest generation of talents working behind the camera. This session will dive into their international career paths, shedding light on the necessary steps for more of these exceptional artists to garner recognition beyond the MENA region.

On the following day, 18 May, ACC, MAD Solutions, IEFTA (International Emerging Film Talent Association) and NEFT Emerging Film Talent International Competition will host the annual ceremony for the Critics Awards for Arab Films (17:00-19:00). Launched in 2017 by the ACC at the Festival de Cannes, this special awards ceremony provides a platform for a glittering jury of more than 200 prominent international film critics to select and honor the best of recent Arab cinema across numerous awards categories.

Finally, on 20 May, ACC — in collaboration with IEFTA and UNHCR — will be presenting a pressingly t

Pathé is thrilled to reunite with Italian director Paolo Sorrentino and Fremantle to handle international sales for Sorrentino’s PARTHENOPE.

PARTHENOPE stars, in alphabetical order, Dario Aita, Celeste Dalla Porta, Silvia Degrandi, Isabella Ferrari, Lorenzo Gleijeses, Biagio Izzo, Marlon Joubert, Peppe Lanzetta, Nello Mascia, Gary Oldman, Silvio Orlando, Luisa Ranieri, Daniele Rienzo, Stefania Sandrelli and Alfonso Santagata, and is in Official Selection in Competition at the 77th Cannes Film Festival this month.

This marks the fifth collaboration on international sales between Pathe and Sorrentino, which started with This Must the Place in 2011. Pathe also previously handled international sales and co-produced Academy Award winning The Great Beauty, Youth and Loro. 

From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino comes a monumental and deeply romantic story of a lifetime. Parthenope is a no-holds-barred exploration of the relentless pursuit of freedom, the insatiable love for a city with countless faces and myriad forms of love itself.

The film, shot between Naples and Capri, is an Italian-French co-production written and directed by Paolo Sorrentino, a Fremantle film produced by The Apartment Pictures, a Fremantle Company, and Pathé in association with Numero 10, in association with Saint Laurent and PiperFilm. Producers are Lorenzo Mieli for The Apartment Pictures, a Fremantle Company; Anthony Vaccarello for Saint Laurent, Paolo Sorrentino for Numero 10 and Ardavan Safaee for Pathé. Douglas Urbanski is the Executive Producer. 

Pathé will also release the film in France and Switzerland. Fremantle is handling North American sales.

Pathé & Fremantle are also partnering on Kirill Serebrennikov’s LIMONOV. THE BALLAD, also competing in Official Selection this year.

Pathé will also handle The Count of Monte Cristo, by Matthieu Delaporte & Alexandre de la Patellière which will screen Out of Competition. 

Pathé is thrilled to reunite with Italian director Paolo Sorrentino and Fremantle to handle international sales for Sorrentino’s PARTHENOPE.

PARTHENOPE stars, in alphabetical order, Dario Aita, Celeste Dalla Porta, Silvia Degrandi, Isabella Ferrari, Lorenzo Gleijeses, Biagio Izzo, Marlon Joubert, Peppe Lanzetta, Nello Mascia, Gary Oldman, Silvio Orlando, Luisa Ranieri, Daniele Rienzo, Stefania Sandrelli and Alfonso Santagata, and is in Official Selection in Competition at the 77th Cannes Film Festival this month.

This marks the fifth collaboration on international sales between Pathe and Sorrentino, which started with This Must the Place in 2011. Pathe also previously handled international sales and co-produced Academy Award winning The Great Beauty, Youth and Loro. 

From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino comes a monumental and deeply romantic story of a lifetime. Parthenope is a no-holds-barred exploration of the relentless pursuit of freedom, the insatiable love for a city with countless faces and myriad forms of love itself.

The film, shot between Naples and Capri, is an Italian-French co-production written and directed by Paolo Sorrentino, a Fremantle film produced by The Apartment Pictures, a Fremantle Company, and Pathé in association with Numero 10, in association with Saint Laurent and PiperFilm. Producers are Lorenzo Mieli for The Apartment Pictures, a Fremantle Company; Anthony Vaccarello for Saint Laurent, Paolo Sorrentino for Numero 10 and Ardavan Safaee for Pathé. Douglas Urbanski is the Executive Producer. 

Pathé will also release the film in France and Switzerland. Fremantle is handling North American sales.

Pathé & Fremantle are also partnering on Kirill Serebrennikov’s LIMONOV. THE BALLAD, also competing in Official Selection this year.

Pathé will also handle The Count of Monte Cristo, by Matthieu Delaporte & Alexandre de la Patellière which will screen Out of Competition. 

• All I’ve Got and Then Some (USA) – Rasheed, a homeless stand-up comedian living out of his car in Los Angeles, does everything he can to make each day the best day of his life, one day closer to accomplishing his dream. Directed and written by Tehben Dean and Rasheed Stephens.
• Atikamekw Suns (Canada) – A documentary/fiction hybrid about the coverup of a crime against a Native American family, freely inspired by the dreams, impressions, and memories of the victims’ loved ones. Directed and written by Chloé Leriche.
• Psykhodrame (USA) – A group of out-of-work actor friends take a trip to revitalize their friendships and work on Chekhov scenes, but the scenes take on a life and power

Frontières is delighted to unveil its latest lineup of films, spanning the realms of horror, magical realism, and comedy, showcasing the most vibrant talents in today’s genre film industry. From mythical water spirits and creepy vampire landlords to chilling tales of astral possession and supernatural headless nuns, get ready to see the world through another lens!

7 projects in advanced stages of financing will be presented in the Proof of Concept pitching session (18 May), in front of prospective financiers, sales agents and distributors, while 6 works-in-progress will be presented in the Buyers Showcase (19 May) in front of international distributors, festival programmers and sales agents.

ABOVE THE KNEE (Norway)

Director: Viljar Bøe | Producers: Varde Film

DEAD BY DAWN (Poland)

Director: Dawid Torrone | Producers: Kinga Tasarek, Katarzyna Kostecka (LARMO Sp. z o. o.)

DELIVERY RUN (Finland)

Director: Joey Palmroos | Producers: Arctic Renegades: Joey Palmroos, Pekka Ollula & Aleksi Hyvärinen

LANDLORD (USA)

Director: Remington Smith | Producers: Filmsmith Productions

NESTING (Canada)

Director: Chloé Cinq-Mars | Producers: Nicolas Comeau (1976 Productions), Jean-Marc Fröhle (Point Prod)

SCARED SHITLESS (Canada)

Director: Vivieno Caldinell | Producers: Lewis Spring (Happy Cat Productions)

BUG BOY (Austria)

Director: Peter Hengl | Producers: Lola Basara (Capra Film)

COUGAR (United Kingdom)

Director: Jennifer Handorf | Producers: Grace Sargeant (Graceless Productions)

MY STALKER (Spain, Mexico, USA)

Director: Xavier Rull | Producers: Xavier Rull (Monster Box), Jack Zhaga (Avanti Pictures), Orlando Pedregosa (Ingredient X)

OSTRICH BOY (USA, Canada)

Director: Ricardo Bonisoli | Producers: Rooxter Films

SENTINEL (Canada, USA)

Director: Phil Tippett | Producers: Colin Geddes, Katarina Gligorijevic, Gary Mundell

SISTER INCONNUE (Canada)

Director: Anouk Whissell | Producers: Maja Jacob (Maja Jacob Films Ltd.), Tina Pehme (Sepia Films)

THE GIRL WITH THE GREEN EYES (The Netherlands, Italy, Norway, others)

Director: Yfke van Berckelaer | Producers: Monique van Kessel (Make Way Film)

In 2017, Alejandro González Iñárritu made history at the 70th edition of the Festival de Cannes with his groundbreaking virtual reality piece, Carne y Arena (Virtually Present, Physically Invisible) marking the first immersive work ever presented as an official selection at a major film festival. Recognized for his pioneering vision, Iñárritu received a special Academy Award for the project and continues to be a prominent figure at the Festival de Cannes (even serving as President of the Jury in 2019).

Because there are now original works that are pushing the boundaries of storytelling, the Festival de Cannes will introduce a new competition, the “Immersive Competition” for its 77th edition.

Seven years since its first immersive selection and in line with the Marché du Film’s commitment to exploring new technologies and art forms through its innovative-focused programs, the Festival de Cannes is thrilled to announce the creation of the new Immersive Competition for its upcoming 77th edition. The competition aims to spotlight the next generation of international artists who are redefining storytelling and inventing new narrative-driven experiences that move beyond the traditional two-dimensional cinema screen.

With the support of the CNC (National Center for Cinema and the moving image), the competition will feature immersive, collective and interactive works that utilize virtual reality, augmented reality and other cutting-edge technologies to transcend conventional storytelling and transport audiences to other worlds, narratives and eras.

For its inaugural edition, a committee of industry experts and Festival de Cannes representatives, under the supervision of the General Delegate of the Festival de Cannes, will select eight immersive works in competition. Additionally, a curated selection of non-competitive works, illustrating the synergy between immersive experiences and cinema, will complement the program.

The selected works will be accessible to Festival de Cannes and Marché du Film attendees throughout the Festival, from May 15 to 24. The works will be displayed in a 1300 m² exhibition space at the Cannes Cineum – the cinema complex of Cannes La Bocca – and the Georges Méliès Campus, a university institution dedicated to creative writing and film.

The in-competition works will compete for the Best Immersive Work prize. An international jury composed of notable figures from cinema and immersive art will present the award at a special closing ceremony, celebrating the creativity and innovation of immersive artists.

Alongside the Immersive Competition, the Marché du Film will continue to explore the commercial and technical aspects of the immersive sector through a lineup of conferences, expert panels, demonstrations and professional networking events.

In what promises to already be a significant year, the City of Cannes is also set to announce the launch of Cannes Immersive, patronised by artist Jean-Michel Jarre and supported by the CNC. This new program aims to position Cannes as a global hub for immersive creations and the emerging artistic domain of artificial intelligence (AI). Cannes Immersive will unfold through the launch of innovative events, strategically designed to elevate Cannes’ status as a premier destination for immersive cultural experiences, which will be seamlessly integrated into both existing and future Cannes events. Furthermore, it will establish a permanent immersive venue in Cannes, serving as a showcase f

Each year, 7 top-notch film festivals from around the world are selected to endorse a fantastic film project to be showcased in Cannes during the Marché du Film. These exciting works-in-progress — in post-production or recently completed — are presented by their creative teams during a live pitching session. This event draws a diverse audience of investors, distributors, sales agents, and genre film enthusiasts.

The aim of the Fantastic 7 program is to nurture and promote these rising talents, connecting them with potential business partners who could provide crucial funding and help extend their reach to broader audiences.

Fantastic 7, an event celebrating genre-bending films from around the world, is set to return to the Marché du Film – Festival de Cannes this year, unveiling a fresh new lineup. This year marks the 6th edition of the international showcase, organized by Sitges – International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia and the Marché du Film.

Each year, seven renowned film festivals – recognized for their commitment to support groundbreaking genre films and fostering film talents – endorse a fantastic film project to be showcased in Cannes at the Marché du Film. These promising works-in-progress (in various stages of post-production) are presented by the filmmaking teams during a live pitching session, designed to bolster their film projects and connect them with potential investors, sales agents and distributors.

Continuing its tradition, Fantastic 7 annually elects a notable industry figure to serve as the Fantastic Godfather/Godmother of the event. This year, the honour is bestowed upon Tenerife-born writer, producer and director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, a pivotal figure when it comes to understanding the latest wave of Spanish genre films that have captivated global audiences over the past decades. Fresnadillo’s impressive portfolio includes such films as Linked, Intacto, 28 Weeks Later, Intruders and, more recently, Netflix’s new global hit Damsel.

Fresnadillo will join a diverse audience of industry professionals and genre film enthusiasts at the Fantastic 7 showcase, which will be held on Sunday, 19 May at 12:00 (Palais K, Palais des Festivals).

The presented film selection spans a multitude of genres – from romance to science fiction, horror to adventure, and beyond – while tackling challenging themes such as grappling with grief, the power of imagination, confronting disease stigma and navigating cultural misunderstandings. Audiences can also expect a captivating mix of magical realism, intense psychological drama, wry humor and evocative historical folklore.

DANIELA FOREVER | by Nacho Vigalondo
Genre: Romance / Fantasy
Nicolas is going through the hardest moment of his life. His girlfriend died in an unexpected traffic accident. He gets the chance to test a drug, a pill that allows you to have complete control of your dreams. Now he can dream a relationship in which they are happier than ever.
Presented by Sitges –

Fantastic 7, an event celebrating genre-bending films from around the world, is set to return to the Marché du Film – Festival de Cannes this year, unveiling a fresh new lineup. This year marks the 6th edition of the international showcase, organized by Sitges – International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia and the Marché du Film.

Each year, seven renowned film festivals – recognized for their commitment to support groundbreaking genre films and fostering film talents – endorse a fantastic film project to be showcased in Cannes at the Marché du Film. These promising works-in-progress (in various stages of post-production) are presented by the filmmaking teams during a live pitching session, designed to bolster their film projects and connect them with potential investors, sales agents and distributors.

Continuing its tradition, Fantastic 7 annually elects a notable industry figure to serve as the Fantastic Godfather/Godmother of the event. This year, the honour is bestowed upon Tenerife-born writer, producer and director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, a pivotal figure when it comes to understanding the latest wave of Spanish genre films that have captivated global audiences over the past decades. Fresnadillo’s impressive portfolio includes such films as Linked, Intacto, 28 Weeks Later, Intruders and, more recently, Netflix’s new global hit Damsel.

Fresnadillo will join a diverse audience of industry professionals and genre film enthusiasts at the Fantastic 7 showcase, which will be held on Sunday, 19 May at 12:00 (Palais K, Palais des Festivals).

The presented film selection spans a multitude of genres – from romance to science fiction, horror to adventure, and beyond – while tackling challenging themes such as grappling with grief, the power of imagination, confronting disease stigma and navigating cultural misunderstandings. Audiences can also expect a captivating mix of magical realism, intense psychological drama, wry humor and evocative historical folklore.

DANIELA FOREVER | by Nacho Vigalondo
Genre: Romance / Fantasy
Nicolas is going through the hardest moment of his life. His girlfriend died in an unexpected traffic accident. He gets the chance to test a drug, a pill that allows you to have complete control of your dreams. Now he can dream a relationship in which they are happier than ever.
Presented by Sitges – International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia

ESPER’S LIGHT | by Jae-hoon Jung
Genre: Teen Fantasy Documentary / Science-Fiction / Horror / Adventure
Around ten teenagers live in a world where anyone can be whoever they want and create any story they wish. Amidst the pitch-black night of Lisan City, Alstroemeria Forest, and Ashua Island, their imagined stories flow through myriad choices, seeking out faint glimmers of light.
Presented by Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival

A TALE OF A FEATHER AND A FISH | by Ahmed El-Hawarey
Genre: Mystery / Drama / Magical Realism / Disability Culture
Mahmoud & Laila inherit a rare genetic disease that causes severe paralysis, which has left their family in an endless circle of doubt and fear, desperately seeking salvation, which they find in abundance through Laila & Mahmoud.
Presented by Cairo International Film Festival

MALEFICARUM | by Antonio Gäehd
Genre: Horror / Drama
In the depths of the desert, Delia, a ve

The Fall Guy (David Leitch, 2024) 3 out of 5 stars Stuntman-turned-director David Leitch (Bullet Train) gives us the movie he seems born to direct with The Fall Guy. This romantic action-comedy centers on Colt Seavers, an injured Hollywood stunt performer, as he attempts to rekindle a relationship with his former fling, Jody, by being […]