36th Cinemed - A review and a few figures

During eight days, Montpellier was the capital of the Mediterranean film scene, with 210 films screenedand 261 official guests (directors, producers, actors, distributors) and a very enthusiastic audience. The 36th Cinemed edition got off starstrick start : the young and talented actresses Leila Bekhti, the Mediterranean charm, and the America's favorite Frenchie Mélanie Laurent.
Languedoc-Roussillon Regional council shot and supported the film Breath which was presented to 1700 people at the Opera Berlioz for the opening of the festival. Mélanie Laurent confirms her talent as a director and reveals that the future belongs to two young actresses Josephine Japy and Lou de Laage. The 270 students present who came from all over France, reacted to Breath with passion and emotion. The students were also able to interact with Tonino Benacquista, novelist and writer of their Baccalaureate film The Beat That My Heart Skipped.

The spotlight on the "new wave of Greek cinema" was one of the highlights of this 36th Cinemed. The creative spirit and boldness of these young filmmakers are reasons for hope in times of crisis. The tribute to the flamboyant and passionate producer Daniel Toscan du Plantier was an opportunity to present restored copies of great works of heritage and welcome the actress Marie-Christine Barrault and Nicolas Seydoux, the President of Gaumont to Montpellier.

Through the spotlight on the works of the Spanish Luis García Berlanga and Italian Antonio Pietrangeli, Cinemed looks back to the past and festival goers to discover two unfairly little unknown works. Without forgetting the evening of poetry The Man Who Loved Women in the presence of Brigitte Fossey and Yann Sinic, who presented of the first images of film.

The avant-premières were a great success with a large audience crowding to see Dernier coup de marteau by Alix Delaporte, La Famille Bélier by Éric Lartigeau, A new friend Une nouvelle amie by François Ozon with Romain Duris, En quête de justice, the documentary of Laure Pradal and to conclude Wild Tales by Damián Szifrón in order to go out on burst of laughter.

The 36th Cinemed ended with the triumph of the Georgian director George Ovashvili who won the Golden Antigone for his film: Corn Island, as well as critics and public Awards. As a reminder, the purpose of the Golden Antigone is to help the theatrical distribution of Mediterranean Cinema still too little seen in cinemas today. And we are pleased to announce that the film will be released in cinemas on December 24th.

Festival 2014 in figures

Cinemed remains a popular event in the best sense of the term. It is with renewed happiness every year to see joyful festival-goers take over the Corum, exploring new programming, meeting and chating with the artists. This year Cinemed recorded 75,600 entries. The festival website was visited more than 18,000 times rom 24 October to 1 November and social networks went crazy echoing the minute everything that happened during the festival. The training cause devoted to Jacques Audiard received 270 students from throughout France preparing their Baccalaureat degree 2015 in Film and Audio-visual studies and some 1,100 visitors toured the 20 booths exhibiting schools in the frameworks of the 4th Day of the Film Industry and Broadcasting. The 36th Cinemed also received 261 official guests, 165 professionals and 82 journalists. In addition to the 210 films shown, the festival included two exhibitions, 2 cinema workshops and many round tables with guests. 11 prizes were awarded for features, short films and documentaries, with a total value of € 60,000 in cash and services.

Lastly, thank you to all our guests, professionals and journalists, sponsors and partners, the volunteers, the audience who made this 36th Festival a success.

2014 Prizewinners
click here.

Festival photo gallery: click here.
available for the press.

Festival daily video news (by ESJ) : click here.