The American French Film Festival Strengthens the Bond Between Hollywood and Le Cinema Francais

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As someone who has been immersed in the world of film for many years, I find the TAFFF (The American French Film Festival) to be an exciting and enriching event that truly embodies the spirit of cultural exchange. It’s not just about watching movies; it’s about understanding different perspectives, opening minds, and fostering connections between artists and audiences from diverse backgrounds.

Occasionally, the most effective method to achieve your goals might be simply dialing the phone number and posing your request. This seems to hold true especially for individuals like Taylor Hackford, a renowned figure in Hollywood who has served as president of the Directors Guild of America not once, but twice.

According to Hackford, he contacted Ted Sarandos and presented himself as a board member of the Franco-American Cultural Fund (FACF), which organizes the American French Film Festival (TAFFF). He proposed that they premiere the movie “Emilia Pérez” at the American French Film Festival, making it their opening-night film.

The proposition wasn’t trivial, given that TAFFF, the sole American festival focusing on French films and series, is held at the DGA on Sunset Boulevard. Meanwhile, Netflix boasts its own legendary venue for a Hollywood premiere – the Egyptian Theatre, which has undergone recent renovation. However, Hackford presented something more than just a friendly welcome to the Netflix chief for their buzzworthy Festival de Cannes acquisition, directed by Jacques Audiard.

Hackford suggested that it’s advantageous because the stakeholders of FACF and TAFFF are part of the Directors Guild, Writers Guild, and the MPA – all groups who can vote for Oscars. In his opinion, this is a more effective way to present this outstanding film during its Hollywood debut. Afterward, he recommended taking it to the Egyptian Theatre. Hackford left the final decision to Sarandos, but he believes that this strategy could provide a significant boost across various cultures.

With a smile, Sarandos agreed (“He has a significant debt to repay,” Hackford stated). Last month, France selected Emilia Pérez as its contender for the Best International Feature Film Oscar. Additionally, during a red-carpet event marking the opening night screening, which was in partnership with Netflix, TAFFF premiered an Audiard film for the very first time on Tuesday.

Before the curtains rose, Audiard was honored with the festival’s inaugural FACF Achievement Award, presented by the CEO of the Society of Authors, Composers, and Publishers of Music (SACEM) and FACF president Cécile Rap-Veber and FACF board member Michael Mann, who called Emilia Pérez a “contemporary masterpiece.”

During an emotional acceptance speech, Audiard referenced well-known British child psychologist Donald Winnicott: “‘It’s a joy to be hidden, but it’s a disaster not to be found,'” he shared. “I quote Winnicott tonight because I believe that if you, Michael, and I share something in common, it is this: the delight in concealing ourselves within our films, the thrill of hiding, yet the fear of never being discovered, always remaining lost in the shadows. This award serves as evidence that you found me, and from the depths of my heart, I thank you for that.

After the movie wrapped up, I had the privilege of moderating a question-and-answer session with Audiard, along with cast members Karla Sofía Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, and Selena Gomez. Also joining us were costume designer Virginie Montel, artistic director, and musical duo Clément Ducol and Camille. To end the night on a high note, they treated us to a stunning live performance of the song “Mi Camino,” which Selena Gomez sang beautifully in the film.

The film titled “Emilia Pérez,” directed by French auteur Audiard, breaks conventional descriptions. It’s a blend of music and crime drama, predominantly filmed in Paris yet primarily set in Mexico amidst the narco-culture landscape. The dialogue and musical sequences are in Mexican Spanish, making it an ideal fit for TAFFF, an organization dedicated to fostering cross-cultural interactions.

Audiard expresses deep appreciation and honor that his film will be the festival’s opening piece,” he says, “and he’s long believed – truly, always – that films serve as conduits for conversation between different cinematic worlds. Cinema educates us and reveals something new. So when we look at cinema history, American cinema in the 1950s impacted European and French cinema, and vice versa in the 1970s with European, French, and Asian cinema influencing American cinema. He firmly believes this ongoing exchange is a powerful wellspring of energy.

As Emilia Pérez graced the opening, it was an astute move to reacquaint TAFFF with both the industry and Los Angeles film enthusiasts. This time around, TAFFF, ongoing till Nov. 3 and marking its 28th edition, seems to be embarking on a new chapter. This transformation is attributed to its parent body, the FACF – a collaborative effort between the DGA, WGA West, SACEM, and the Motion Picture Association (MPA). The objective of this partnership remains to foster French cinema in the US and cultivate ties between the French and American entertainment realms.

Back in 2019, I noticed that the COLCOA festival, once a springtime event, had shifted its dates and moved into autumn. This strategic change put it right at the beginning of the awards season, giving it an industry-relevant status it hadn’t enjoyed before.

Before relocating, the festival was the initial platform where LA audiences got a glimpse of French talent such as Marion Cotillard (in “La Vie en Rose” in 2006, eight months before she won the Oscar for Best Actress) and Omar Sy (“Samba” in 2015). However, it didn’t provide the same immediate exposure to industry influencers. Now, TAFFF is recognized as where “award season kicks off for French cinema in Hollywood”, according to Mann during a press conference announcing this year’s program. Due to its fall schedule, the festival has been able to present awards contenders for the first time after their premieres at the Berlinale, Cannes, or the Venice International Film Festival, like Ladj Ly’s “Lés Miserables”, which had its US premiere at TAFFF in 2019 and later earned a nomination for Best International Feature Film at the Oscars and won the César for best film.

However, the year 2020 arrived, bringing a pandemic that necessitated a temporary halt for the festival. By 2022, it had undergone a transformation and became known as TAFFF. Yet, once more in 2023, it paused its operations due to writers’ and actors’ strikes.

In his role as both the producer and the programmer, François Truffart expressed that while he comprehended the necessity, it was still incredibly aggravating from a programming standpoint because the software was already complete,” says the executive producer and programmer of the fest. (It’s worth noting that the 2023 lineup initially planned to feature Justine Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall, which ultimately earned five Oscar nominations and won for best original screenplay, in the category of best original screenplay.)

Truffart finds it heartening to notice that people hadn’t forgotten about us,” he remarks. “Apparently, they had been eagerly anticipating the return of the festival, which is quite uplifting.

The TAFFF program showcases a palpable excitement, as 45 out of its 60 films and series are debuts on an international, North American, or U.S. scale. Among these, sixteen movies just arrived from screenings at Berlin, Cannes, and Venice film festivals. Additionally, eighteen films and series will be making their premiere at TAFFF before they hit the screens in France.

Awards are one reason for the fest’s appeal. Of the fest’s 60 films and TV series — which include 32 feature films and documentaries, 14 series and TV movies, and 14 shorts — 59 of the 60 are in competition for the TAFFF Awards, which are handed out in Paris a week after the festival.

According to Truffart, “They’re gaining significance in France.” The appeal for our accolades stems from the fact that we have American judging panels and a predominantly film industry audience. Therefore, these awards are quite significant now since they represent Hollywood’s perspective on French cinema, a viewpoint only expressed during this timeframe.

This year marks the debut of the first TAFFF Impact Award. This honor recognizes a prominent American figure who’s been advocating for French film and television in the U.S., with the recipient being Richard Lorber, chair and CEO of Kino Lorber Media Group.

Truffart finds Lorber’s company’s movements truly captivating, especially how it has managed to adjust itself to fit the market demands and pioneer new digital avenues for films. He finds Lorber’s decisions intriguing… he’s quite forward-thinking and understands that the audience is more diverse than people usually perceive.

Not only does TAFFF present awards, but it also organizes professional development opportunities during its week-long events. These include workshops conducted by esteemed members from the Directors Guild of America (DGA) and Writers Guild of America West (WGAW).

This year, Hackford has been instrumental in orchestrating the DGA workshop, where a group of French directors will engage in discussions with Lesli Linka Glatter and Steven Zaillian about crafting a directorial vision for an entire series. Hackford notes that both Zaillian and Glatter have recently worked on Netflix series such as “Ripley” and “Zero Day”, respectively. During this meeting, the French directors will exchange ideas about their approaches to creating streaming series, and they’ll compare these methods with those used in America. Hackford emphasizes that this workshop is a unique opportunity for filmmaker-to-filmmaker collaboration, rather than a public event for spectators. It serves as a platform for sharing experiences and exchanging ideas between directors from both France and the United States.

Additionally, board member Howard Rodman from both WGAW and FACF will team up with producer Ted Hope to conduct a three-part workshop on transforming literature into screenplays – a practice that continues to thrive in popularity.

This year’s TAFFF showcases numerous adaptations. For instance, filmmaker Xavier Audiard modeled Emilia Pérez after a character from Boris Razon’s book, “Écoute.” Similarly, Jessica Palud’s “Being Maria” is based on Vanessa Schneider’s 2018 memoir, “My Cousin Maria Schneider.” Anne Fontaine’s “Boléro” takes inspiration from Marcel Marnat’s 1986 biography of composer Maurice Ravel. The TV series “Zorro,” created by Benjamin Charbit and Noé Debré, is an adaptation of a character that originated more than 100 years ago in the works of American pulp writer Johnston McCulley. Lastly, the closing-night film, “The Count of Monte Cristo,” is adapted from the classic novel by Alexandre Dumas written by Matthieu Delaporte and Alexandre de la Patellière.

The festival serves not just as a display within the DGA cinemas, but also as a platform for meaningful interactions and collaborations between the attending French filmmakers and various sectors of the artistic and commercial industry. As Stan McCoy, FACF board member and president and managing director of the MPA for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), explains, “The festival offers more than just a showcase; it provides a valuable chance for genuine connections and dialogues between this large French delegation and the diverse aspects of the creative and business world.” During their stay in Los Angeles, these visiting French filmmakers frequently arrange meetings with different members of the local artistic community. These encounters often involve visits to studios that are part of the MPA.

The parent organization of TAFFF, FACF, is also thinking ahead, nurturing future filmmakers and audiences by means of an educational program that’s been active for 17 years. In collaboration with the nonprofit European Languages and Movies in America (ELMA), TAFFF organizes five free screenings with Q&A sessions at the DGA, which are attended by around 3,000 schoolchildren from various schools in the Los Angeles area.

According to ELMA surveys, it’s regrettable that “a large number of children [in Los Angeles] – even though we reside in the global hub of cinema – have never attended a film screening with a Q&A,” remarks Anouchka van Riel, deputy director of TAFFF, who assumed leadership in 2015. She considers this event crucial to the organization’s objective of cultural exchange. “It broadens perspectives, especially among young minds. It also happens at a stage where they are completely captivated by things they wouldn’t have considered before, which is the essence of experiencing diverse cultures and arts. Here, we have the added advantage of being exposed to foreign-language art.

If you’re unable to attend TAFFF in person, don’t worry! The festival has another useful resource for you – the TAFFF library. Established during the pandemic, this library serves as a free search engine allowing users to explore French titles and learn about their contents, whether they are streaming in the United States, and if so, where they can be found. As Truffart puts it, “You can create your own festival at home!

At present, our library catalog boasts around 600 book titles, but with French programming continuing to expand its influence worldwide, we can anticipate this count to grow significantly.

The increase in French content is due to the rise of numerous streaming services like Netflix, Disney, Amazon Prime, HBO, Hulu, which have started operating within France. This development contributes to the creation of new French content that can be accessed on these platforms globally, as stated by Cécile Rap-Veber from SACEM and FACF. It’s not just about French films in local cinemas or broadcast on national television. We are now seeing French series and movies available worldwide through global streaming platforms.

Rap-Veber points out that Emilia Pérez, a French film, will have theatrical distribution initially. However, its true reach in movie theaters is uncertain. Yet, it’s worth noting that this film will also be accessible on Netflix, making it available to homes across the US. Additionally, the attention being given to Emilia Pérez by TAFFF and other platforms serves as a significant promotional opportunity. This benefits not only local services in the United States but also French cinema or audiovisual. It’s a mutually beneficial situation where everyone stands to gain from this exposure.

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2024-11-01 19:01