The Festival de Cannes has recently unveiled the Official Selection for its 77th edition, taking place from 14-25 May.

Among the selected titles, Switzerland boasts two entries in the Festival’s Un Certain Regard, a curate collection of fifteen films aimed dedicated to showcasing original films and emerging talents. This announcement not only underscores Switzerland’s increasing impact within the film industry but also underscores its collaborative spirit, evident in its partnerships and co-productions with other nations.

Switzerland’s recognition at the Festival de Cannes coincides perfectly with its designation as the Country of Honour at this year’s Marché du Film. This prestigous platform provides Switzerland with an opportunto present its latest cinematic masterpieces while shining a spotlight on the emerging talents within its film sector through the Marché’s influential industry programs, key showcases, and diverse networking opportunities.

by Konstantin Bojanov
Un Certain Regard

The film follows Nadira’s daring escape from a Delhi brothel, hiding in a sex worker community under the Hindu name Renuka. She meets Devika, a girl forced into prostitution by religious tradition. Their forbidden romance leads to a risky journey through violence for freedom.

Produced by Akka Films, Urban Factory, RTS Radio Télévision Suisse, Klas Film & House on Fire

by Laetitia Dosch
Un Certain Regard

The courtroom comedy humorously navigates the unique challenge faced by Avril, an idealistic lawyer defending a dog on trial. With a lively cast, the film explores our relationships with animals stirring laughter and provoking thought in equal measure.

Produced by Bande à part Films, RTS – Radio Télévision Suisse, SRG SSR, Atelier de Production & France 2 Cinéma

20th Athens Digital Arts Festival
“TECHNO(S)CENE”

20 years of digital revolution in Athens. A unique immersive experience.

May 16-26, 2024
Former Santaroza Courthouse (48 Stadiou & Arsaki)
Justice Square (Arsaki & Panepistimiou)

Athens Digital Arts Festival, the first and largest international platform for digital arts in Greece, celebrates two decades of creativity and digital innovation in contemporary art with a special anniversary edition at two iconic venues in the heart of Athens. From May 16 to May 26, 2024, the Former Santaroza Courthouse and Justice Square will be transformed into a vibrant stage of artistic expression and technological experimentation, hosting the 20th Athens Digital Arts Festival under the title “TECHNO(S)CENE”.

ADAF 2024: TECHNO(S)CENE honors the rich history of digital art and the festival, while also focusing on the future of digital culture. Inspired by concepts such as the technocene era and technoscience, as well as the dynamic scene of digital culture, this year’s event explores the profound impact of technology on our lives, recognizing it not only as a tool but also as a pervasive force that shapes perceptions, creative expressions, and our very existence.

Artists, scientists, technologists, and intellectuals from diverse backgrounds and communities forge a rich program of immersive experiences in a venue with a rich history: the Former Santaroza Courthouse at Justice Square. Once dominated by the explosive sounds of the working machines of the National Printing House in the 19th century and serving as a meeting point for Athenian society throughout the 20th century, it is now being transformed into a lively hub of creativity.

At the 20th Athens Digital Arts Festival, artists redefine the boundaries of human creativity, creating mesmerizing digital landscapes that leave the audience in awe. Impressive installations, special performances, and captivating screenings, talks, and tributes create a multidimensional experience for the audience around digital culture. Whether humans, artificial intelligence, or hybrids, the creators offer different perspectives on the transformative power of technology, sparking dialogue about the future of art, science, and society in the age of the digital revolution.

With over 3.000 artistic proposals from 106 countries and distinguished guests from the international art scene, the 20th Athens Digital Arts Festival promises a unique multimedia experience of digital art, embodying the spirit of innovation, creativity, and inclusivity that has defined the festival for two decades.

Join us in celebrating the digital revolution at the “stage” of the 20th Athens Digital Arts Festival.

The detailed program and ticket sales will be announced soon at 2024.adaf.gr.

This year's jury will be composed by Jacques Henry Bronckart, André Dupuy, Edward Noeltner, Jérôme Rougier, Wei-Ching Su and Gabriela Bussmann.

Initiated by SCELF (Civil Society of French-Language Publishers) and the Marché du Film — Shoot the Book! presents each year a curated selection of books ripe for screen adaptation.

The program invites publishers to attend the event in Cannes, providing a platform for them to connect with international producers who are keen on adapting the latest and hottest IPs in literature.

For film producers, Shoot the Book! offers a unique opportunity to discover fresh literary film projects and spark new collaborations through its main events: Pitching Session, Rendez-Vous (one-to-one meetings) and an annual Masterclass to identify the latest practices, trends and major players in the audiovisual rights markets.

In this blog, the ICO team highlights some of the titles from this year’s Berlin Film Festival that we’re most excited to see reach UK cinemas over the coming year, including new work by Mati Diop, Levan Akin and Jane Schoenbrun.

Director Sidney Pollack said ‘plot is the meat that the burglars throw to the dogs when they climb over the wall to get to the jewels, which are the characters.’ If that’s the case, then this miraculous feature is nothing less than a cache of diamonds. Full of drama, yet drama derived entirely from the circumstances created by its characters, it’s the latest from director Kazik Radwanski, lynchpin of Canadian indie stable MDFF. Working again with Deragh Campbell – who brought a Gena Rowlands-level of quicksilver instability and charm in his previous work Anne at 13,000 Ft. – he adds Matt Johnson as the co-lead.

Johnson, a talented director in his own right (most recently with Blackberry, a story of corporate meltdown in which he also starred), plays Matt, a minor literary celebrity who returns to his hometown of Toronto and reconnects with university classmate and fellow writer Mara (Campbell). What unfolds between the two is almost entirely trivial in terms of plot, absolutely gripping in terms of experience. Expressing a deep but unconsummated connection between the two leads, as well as the history that has kept them apart, it’s a portrait of life’s untaken, but seductively available, paths. Radwanski’s films have yet to be distributed in the UK, and US indie has had very mixed fortunes on this side of the Atlantic, but this deserves reception beyond festival play.

Any artist hopes for their work to have a life of its own. If the seminal documentary had it that Statues Also Die, this is a story that confirms that statues also live. The question of cultural restitution – whether objects should be repatriated to their home countries – is history that continues to breathe. The theft is complete, and until relatively recently few in colonising countries have wanted to listen to the security alarm that has been blaring in the colonised’s ears since the primal act of desecration. This docu-fiction by French-Senagalese director Mati Diop urges us to consider it a live issue, both by offering perspectives on the value of these works in formerly colonised countries, but also by literally embodying some of these artworks with a life of their own. We see the ceremonial figures taken from the historic kingdom of Dahomey returned to modern-day Benin. Diop performs an act of metamorphosis, as the figures speak with the voice of ages stranded far from home. Seeing the care lavished upon them by Beninese curators as well as the extremely lively debate about their value at University of Abomey-Calav leaves you with no doubt as to their vitality and beauty, even of their totemic power.

Miraculously, Diop manages to condense this odyssey into just 67 minutes, a reminder that complexity is not necessarily a bedfellow of length. MUBI will release Dahomey in most territories and the film’s slender runtime is a major opportunity for cinemas to play host to broader post-film discussions about the issues it

Our journey continues with bigger and bolder ideas to celebrate screen-based storytelling. We strive to create the best festival experience with opportunities like our pitching sessions and Games Lab. What will the future hold?

2018: A Meeting Place

As audiences were growing, the festival also began to attract BAFTA and Oscar-winning talent. Notable speakers included representatives from Dazed, Framestore, StudioCanal, Aardman, iD, and BBC. We launched our Screen School VR Lab, establishing a space for new technology within the festival ecosystem. We also began our very popular pitching sessions to connect teams with development executives.

2019: Nine Years On

We challenge ourselves to bring new ideas to the fore with each new edition of the festival. Our programming team expanded as we committed ourselves to curation that invited audiences into new ideas, cultures and places. Key speakers came from organisations like BBC Film, StudioCanal, Film4, Bird’s Eye View, Nowness, BFI, Guardian, ILM, and more. The VR Soiree was launched as a large-scale event for XR professionals.

2020: Our 10 Year Anniversary

This is the year that challenged the world. We turned a large-scale festival into a virtual event that could be experienced on our designated online platform. The festival was extended to six live days and audiences could catch up on demand. Key speakers included Dame Judy Dench, Maxine Peake, Russell Tovey, Sarah Gavron, Andrea Arnold, David Parfitt, Chinonye Chukwu, Framestore, Film4, ILM and many more.

2021: A New Model

The festival took place in person over six days and 12 venues in York, with online talks and virtual sessions. It was an extraordinary programme of lively events and expert speakers. Despite the challenges faced, we were able to reach more people than ever before. Notable speakers included the likes of Sally Potter, Asif Kapadia, Mia Bays, Kate Muir, Gamba Cole, Guardian, Film4, Channel 4, The Fabricant, Nowness and many more.

2022: 12 Years of the Festival

The festival continued with hybrid delivery and audiences returned in droves. There’s one thing that rings true – film is a communal experience and it was great to bring people together again. Our VR Lab, pitching and networking sessions had record numbers of attendees. Key speakers included Carly Brown, Philip Barantin, Saeed Taji Farouky, Sashi Kissoon and representatives from BBC Film, Film4, Guardian and more.

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We are thrilled to unveil our 60th anniversary logo and invite you to save the dates of October 16-27, 2024 for what will surely be a celebration of film that you won't want to miss! 

Stay tuned for more details on the 60th #ChiFilmFest – as well as some special programming to celebrate this milestone anniversary.