The Festival des 3 Continents reveals the lineup and jury members for its 46th edition.
An international event dedicated to the cinemas of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, the festival will take place in Nantes and in partner cinemas in Loire-Atlantique from November 15 to 23, 2024.
“An International Competition dedicated to a wide variety of cinematic expressions and often intimate stories, along with Special Screenings featuring restored masterpieces, three tributes that will take us from India to Hong Kong, and a reflection on French cinema through the lens of youth and cosmopolitanism. Once again, we will travel through time and space in the present, aiming to connect current cinema with the richness of its history, sharing a love for cinema by making it accessible to all,” says Jérôme Baron, the festival’s Artistic Director.
The festival offers screenings in Nantes at the Katorza cinema, Le Cinématographe and Le Concorde, the 3 main cinemas at the heart of the event. Special Screenings will equally take place in the city centre of Nantes at Angers-Nantes Opéra, Espace Cosmopolis, Pathé, Stereolux, and Trempo; parallel screenings will also take place in partner art-house cinemas across Loire-Atlantique.
Tributes include an homage to Shabana Azmi, the iconic Indian actress who will be present in Nantes to celebrate her 50-year career, and to the legendary Raj Kapoor, the Indian actor, filmmaker, and producer who would have turned 100 this year. Also spotlighted is the work of Derek Yee, one of the most influential figures in Hong Kong cinema. Additionally, this year’s festival presents a thematic and political program focused on the cosmopolitan nature of our society and of French cinema.
FILMS IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
A selection of nine films, with French and world premieres:
- Cu Li Never Cries by PHAM Ngoc Lân, fiction (Vietnam, Singapore, France, Philippines, Norway), French Premiere
- The Fable by Raam REDDY, fiction (India, USA), French Premiere
- Hanami by Denise FERNANDES, fiction (Switzerland, Portugal, Cape Verde), French Premiere
- Hearth and Home by Prabash CHANDRA, fiction (India), World Premiere
- Manas by Marianna BRENNAND, fiction (Brazil, Portugal), French Premiere
- Nocturnes by Anirban DUTTA & Anupama SRINIVASAN, documentary (India, USA), French Premiere
- The Return of the Projectionist by Orkhan AGHAZADEH, documentary (France, Germany), French Premiere
- Rising Up at Night by Nelson MAKENGO, documentary (Democratic Republic of Congo, Belgium, Germany, Burkina Faso, Qatar), French Premiere
- Super Happy Forever by Kohei IGARASHI, fiction (Japan, France), French Premiere
THE JURY AND THE AWARDS
The professional Jury will award the Montgolfière d’Or, supported by the City of Nantes, and the Montgolfière d’Argent, supported by the Loire-Atlantique Department.
The 2024 Jury is composed of:
- Olivier BABINET • Director (France)
- Claire DITERZI • Author and composer (France)
- Aymerick PILARSKI • Director of photography (France)
- Cyrielle RAINGOU • Director (Cameroon)
Two other prizes will honour films from the International Competition: the Audience Award, sponsored by Encore! Chessé Group Endowment funds, and the Youth Jury Prize, sponsored by Nantes Atlantique Airport.
FILMS IN SPECIAL SCREENINGS
A selection of 13 films, many of which are Premieres.
Opening Ceremony at Angers Nantes Opéra
Black Box Diaries by Shiori ITÔ (Japan, USA, United Kingdom) will be screened as the festival’s opening film, a French Premiere, on Friday, November 15 at the Graslin Theater, Angers Nantes Opéra.
Other Special Screenings
- Badnam Basti by Prem KAPOOR, fiction (India), French Premiere – restored copy
- Dusty & Stones by Jesse RUDOY, documentary (USA)
- Youth (Hard Times) by WANG Bing, documentary (France, Netherlands, Luxembourg), French Premiere
- Listen to the Voices by Maxime JEAN-BAPTISTE, fiction (Belgium, France, French Guiana)
- The Last Tribe in China by LIU Chunyu, documentary (Japan), World Premiere
- The Churning by Shyam BENEGAL, fiction (India), restored copy
- The Mirage by Nirad MOHAPATRA, fiction (India), French Premiere – restored copy
- Don’t Let Them Shoot the Kite by Tunç BASARAN, fiction (Turkey), International Premiere – restored copy
- Our Demand by Daniela SEGGIARO, documentary (Argentina), World Premiere
- The Ritual by Girish KASARAVALLI, fiction (India), French Premiere – restored copy
- Some Strings, collective, fiction and documentary
- Teenage Fugitive by CHANG Pei-cheng, fiction (Taiwan), French Premiere – restored copy
TRIBUTES
. Tribute to Shabana Azmi (India), in her presence
Internationally renowned actress and emblematic figure of both Indian parallel cinema and numerous commercial successes, Shabana Azmi is a major star. She has won five national Best Actress awards in India — a record. Her celebrity has not distanced her from the political and social realities of her country. A UN ambassador, she was the first Indian to receive the International Gandhi Peace Prize for her advocacy for women’s rights and against poverty. She will attend the festival to celebrate her 50-year career.
. Tribute to Raj Kapoor (India)
On December 14, India will kick off celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the birth of a legend, Raj Kapoor, actor, director, and producer hailed as “the greatest showman” of Indian cinema. His brilliant acting and directing career shaped Hindi cinema by giving new depth to popular film emotions, drawing comparisons to Renoir, Capra, Welles, and Chaplin.
Tributes supported by the Indian Embassy in France.
. Retrospective of Derek (Tung-sin) Yee: The Other Current of the Hong Kong New Wave
Little known in Europe, Derek Yee is one of the most influential figures in Hong Kong cinema, with a 40 year career. As a child actor, he grew up in the world of Shaw Brothers’ sword films. In the 1980s, while an action movie star, he transitioned to directing with films such as The Lunatics and People’s Hero, establishing himself alongside directors like Johnnie To, Ann Hui, and Tsui Hark. We will receive in Nantes John (David) Chiang, actor and director, and brother of Derek Yee.
Programme organised with the support of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels.
THEMATIC FOCUS
. We Cosmopolitans
This program aims to celebrate the vitality of French cinema through the lens of its cosmopolitanism, an often overlooked concept but for us a desirable horizon. By looking at our youth’s energy and concerns, the program seeks to engage audiences of all backgrounds. Among the program, eleven films, both short and feature-length, are recommended for high school and middle school educators. This selection is also an invitation for their students to explore the 3 Continents.
YOUTH PROGRAM
. First Steps Towards the 3 Continents
This program invites children, starting at 3 years old, and their families to discover a selection of films. Workshops on the art of moving images will follow several screenings over the weekend and on Wednesday during the festival. This youth selection is also accessible to kindergarten and primary school classes in Nantes and Loire-Atlantique, with educational tools provided.
AWARD ANNOUNCEMENTS
The awards will be announced at the conclusion of a film-concert by Khalil EPI Aïchoucha on Friday, November 22, 2024, at Stereolux. The winning films will be shown again the following day in Nantes at Katorza Cinema on Saturday, November 23, and in Paris at L’Arlequin Cinema on January 22 to 26, 2025.