The Deauville American Film Festival will begin its 43rd edition on September 1, 2017. But what exactly is this Festival presented in Deauville? A quick look back at one of the biggest annual events in cinema.
The Deauville American Film Festival is an event that was created in 1975 by Lionel Chouchan and André Halimi. Originally set up as a launching pad for American films in France (especially for large productions), it became competitive from 1995. Since then, its main objective has been to promote American independent cinema through the awards. Today, 43 years after its creation, this Festival continues to be one of the most prestigious in France and the world in the field of cinema. A brief overview of what awaits us for this year 2017.
A prestigious jury president
This year we will have the right to the Oscar winner Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist) as the big patron of the American Festival. Already honored this year at Cannes for his new film Le Redoutable, he seems very happy to preside over this large-scale event:
"I am extremely touched and honored to chair this year's Jury of the Deauville American Film Festival. I, like half the planet, have been partly raised by American cinema and I am delighted to spend these ten days feeding myself in high doses. In Cinema we trust! »
There is no doubt that the director of The Artist, OSS 117 and La Classe Américaine will bring the necessary elegance to this high-flying cinephilic rendezvous.
Various tributes
What would a film festival be without major tributes to various figures of the big screen? This year, three tributes are planned and concern 2 actresses and 1 actor, all of great stature.
- Laura Dern: It is the mysterious and charismatic Laura Dern who will open the ball of tributes. Actress and producer, she is likely to be much talked about in the coming months. Indeed, we will be able to find her next December in the cast of the highly anticipated Star Wars VIII: The Last Jedi.
- Jeff Goldblum: An emblematic figure of American cinema, Jeff Goldblum is known for cult blockbusters (Jurassic Park, Independence Day) as well as for auteur films that have turned the history of cinema upside down (The Fly). And even if we mention Jurrassic Park, remember that Goldblum should be on the poster of the sequel to Jurassic World, scheduled for June 2018 (if the date does not move of course …)
- Michelle Rodriguez: female icon of the Fast & Furious saga and (during one season) of the series Lost, Michelle Rodriguez was revealed at the same festival in 2000. Praised at the time for her performance in Girlfight, we can consider this tribute 17 years later as a magnificent consecration of the career of this actress, for whom this place is synonymous with success.
In addition to paying tribute to these three heavyweights of Hollywood cinema, the Deauville American Film Festival will honor another person even more.
Darren Aronofsky honoured
Darren Aronofsky is undoubtedly one of the Hollywood darlings of the moment. Already awarded the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival for The Wrestler, Aronofsky has also already made a visit to Deauville in 1998 for the now cult Requiem for a Dream. This new edition of the Deauville American Festival will not only pay tribute to him, but will also allow him to present his new film Mother!, a new trailer of which was recently unveiled. Aronofsky should also be present at the screening of his new film, which will allow a tribute worthy of the name to this director. Supported once again by the Deauville American Festival, there is no doubt that Aronofsky will still be honored in the years to come, whether in these places or in other major events.
After this little overview of the Deauville American Festival 2017, we are more than eager to discover what surprises it still has in store for us. Answer from September 1st!
