Short film selection

Alvaro APONTE-CENTENO MI SANTA MIRADA Puerto Rico 15′

Eicke BETTINGA GASP Germany 15′

Mohamed BOUROKBA (aka Hamé) CE CHEMIN DEVANT MOI France 15′

Bassam CHEKHES

FALASTEIN, SANDOUK AL INTEZAR LIL BURTUQAL (WAITING FOR P.O. BOX) Syria 15′

Grainger DAVID THE CHAIR United States 12′

Zia MANDIVWALLA NIGHT SHIFT New-Zealand 14′

Chloé ROBICHAUD CHEF DE MEUTE Canada 13′

Michael SPICCIA YARDBIRD Australia 13′

Emilie VERHAMME COCKAIGNE Belgium 13′

L.Rezan YESILBAS SESSIZ-BE DENG (SILENT) Turkey 14′

The Cinéfondation 2012 Selection

In addition, fifteen films have been selected out of more than 1,700 submissions from 320 film schools across the globe. For the first time, a Lebanese school features in the selection, which covers fiction and animation and highlights films sharing the same film-making ambition and the expression of a very personal vision.

Pascale ABOU JAMRA  ALBA, Lebanon DERRIÈRE MOI LES OLIVIERS (Behind Me Olive Trees) 20’

Shoichi AKINO Tokyo University of the Arts, Japan RIYOUSHI (The Barber) 39’

Arthur CAHN La Fémis, France LES RAVISSEMENTS (The Raptures) 50’

Morten HELGELAND The Animation Workshop, Denmark SLUG INVASION 6’

Michal HOGENAUER FAMU, Czech Republic TAMBYLLES 58’

Leni HUYGHE Sint-Lukas Brussels, Belgium MATTEUS 18’

Cristi IFTIME UNATC, Romania TABĂRA DIN RĂZOARE (The Camp in Razoare) 22’

Taisia IGUMENTSEVA VGIK, Russia DOROGA NA (The Road to) 32’

Piero MESSINA CSC, Italy TERRA (Land) 23’

Miguel Angel MOULET EICTV, Cuba LOS ANFITRIONES  (The Hosts) 16’

Meryl O’CONNOR UCLA, USA THE BALLAD OF FINN + YETI 18’

Timothy RECKART NFTS, United-Kingdom HEAD OVER HEELS 10’

Matthew James REILLY NYU, USA ABIGAIL 17’

Eti TSICKO TAU, Israël RESEN (Dog Leash) 26’

Eduardo WILLIAMS UCINE, Argentina PUDE VER UN PUMA (Could See a Puma) 17’

Jazz and good vibes

Jazz à Juan is nothing if not a fun festival. In addition to the big names that play on the main stage, there are loads of activities in the town and around the venue. There are marching bands, new talents and lots of other stuff. And let’s not forget the almost-obligatory good vibe acts. This year they include Chic featuring Nile Rodgers and Kool & The Gang. Not many people know that Kool & The Gang can be traced back to a high school band called The Jazziacs. But don’t expect too many post-bop meanderings.

For the full Jazz à Juan programme.

Check now for hotels in Juan les Pins

Major new TV series

French actor Jean Reno (Ronin, Leon The Professional, Da Vinci Code) is in town to promote a new international series presented by Atlantique Productions (the makers of TV series “Borgia” and “The Transporter”). “Le Grand” was created by Rene Balcer (Law & Order – Criminal Intent) and shot in Paris, the project is Reno’s virgin debut as the lead of an international series.

However, the cast of thousands award will probably go to the new series “Titanic”. Harry Potter’s screen “mother” Geraldine Somerville (Harry Potter films, Gosford Park), Celia Imrie (Bridget Jones’s Diary, Nanny McPhee), Toby Jones (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) and Glen Blackhall (Jump, Echoes) all star in ITV Studios Global Entertainment’s  international mini-series Titanic, presented at MIPTV’s Gala Screening on Sunday 1 April and marking the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the ship. The cast members will be joined by Titanic scriptwriter Julian Fellowes, who won an Oscar for Gosford Park (2001) and an Emmy Award for Downton Abbey (2010), and producers Chris Thompson (Love Actually, Carrington) and Simon Vaughan (Parade’s End, Coco Chanel) from Lookout Point.

Other celebrities on the red carpet will will include Ellie MacPherson, shopping “Fashion Star”, “Jersey Shore” stars Deena Nicole Cortese and Vinny Guadagnino as well as Nikki Griffon for “Femme Fatales”.

You’ll find the full line-up of MIPTV 2012 events here.

Thierry Frémaux went further. “The Festival wanted to celebrate its 65th season with a European jury President,” explains the festival director . “High-spirited and marked by his modernity and intelligence, Nanni Moretti’s films are the incarnation of all the best in cinema over the past thirty years”.

That’s quite a claim. But it’s true that Moretti’s films have always provoked love-or-hate reactions. He applied a critical but sometimes amusing eye on Italian society through films such as the award winning “Sogni d’Oro” (Sweet Dreams) and “La Messa è finita” (The Mass is Ended). “La Stanza del figlio” (The Son’s Room) won the Palme d’Or in 2001 and was a box office hit. Moretti scored more points with the controversial “Il Caimano” (The Caiman) in 2006, a film clearly targeted at Italy’s obsession with politics as theatre, and a thinly-veiled criticism of Silvio Berlusconi.

Read more about the Cannes Film Festival.

For the second time, the TV start-up competition will see companies from around the world pitch innovative business plans and prototypes to a panel of television executives, entrepreneurs and venture capitalists in the hope of being named “2012 most promising disruptive TV start-up.” MIPCube Lab will take place during MIPCube in Cannes on Friday 30 March, just ahead of the 2012 edition of MIPTV (1-4 April).

Game-changing innovations at Cannes

“During MIPCube Lab, we are looking to unearth game-changing innovations that will significantly contribute to altering the face of TV in all its forms,” said Laurine Garaude, Director of Reed MIDEM’s Television Division. “MIPCube attendees will be immersed in a unique, limited-participant highly networked cutting edge environment, before joining the thousands of executives who attend the biggest professional market in the TV industry: MIPTV.”

The choice of Cindy Gallop as a speaker fits the bill. Since her trail-blazing advertising career, she has been advising start-ups across the world with a simple approach: “I like to blow shit up. I am the Michael Bay of business.” Gallop is also the author of the thought-provoking “Make Love Not Porn: Technology’s Hardcore Impact On Human Behaviour”.

MIPCube will also feature an intriguing “TV Hack Day”, where developers will spend the day trying to twist new sources of fun out of the TV format. This sort of event has been very successful at Midem, notably.Other speaks at MIPcube include Ogilvy&Mather, Vivendi and Contagious.

Applicants have until Monday 20 February to submit (free) applications for the competition. Finalists will be mentored by jury members at the show to review and rehearse their presentations.

For further info, visit MIPcube.

It must be said: Italy has a remarkable palette of companies to boast of. It intends to position itself to reap the benefits of opportunities in the east. One of the opening events will see Mario Molete Moregato, founder of Geox, receive the Personality of the Year award and talk about innovative entrepreneurship. Athmosfera, Conad Adriatico and Game 7 Sports are among the new Italian companies attending Mapic this year.

There will also be talk of expansion in southern Italy and the role of Chinese visitors.

But to make it personal, what brands spring to mind when you think of Italy? I have my selection, but I’d be interested to see which ones readers have.

Don’t miss the last hotels for Mapic 2012

Kate Ancketill, CEO of trend tracker GDR Creative Intelligence (UK), will profile emerging concepts that will revolutionize retailing tomorrow. A consultant to major international companies such as Sony, Macys, LVMH, Nike and Land Securities, Kate Ancketill researches into and anticipates new consumer trends. Heard about “longevity stores” or “genetic testing spas” yet? Ancketill underlines the importance of creativity and the influence of new technology in shaping these new brands.

Terry Green, Non-Executive Director of Qmatic AB (Sweden), will highlight the key role of new technology in tomorrow’s shops. A specialist in queue management and consumer flows in retail outlets, Green helps brands reduce the waiting times in shops, enhance customer satisfaction by giving them a relaxed in-shop experience, and thereby boosts retailer performance. Sounds basic, but then the important things often are!

International brands in Asia and Europe
In addition to market positioning, the strategy of international expansion is key to remaining competitive in an industry of intense rivalry. For the first time, a simulcast MAPIC conference session will be organized with MIPIM Asia in Hong Kong to highlight the potential of the rapidly-evolving Asian market that is opening up significant opportunities for international brands.

At MAPIC, Carmine Rotondaro, Worldwide Real Estate Director PPR Group (France) and Jacques Ehrmann, Chief Real Estate and Development Officer of Casino Group (France), will share their experience in this market with two keynotes at MIPIM Asia: David Sancho, Vice President International Expansion for Mango (Spain) and Professor Armando Branchini, Executive Director of Fondazione Altagamma (Italy), a business forum for large Italian luxury groups.

So you’ll get two sets of retail learnings in one session. For details, check the MAPIC programme

Incidentally, Selbst is currently pursuing a Law Degree at Yale Law School in the civil rights field. For details, visit her website. Photo courtesy of Pokerstars.fr

Book your hotel for Partouche Poker in Cannes.

Good rooms from €500

“We are extremely pleased to honour Anne Sweeney as our MIPCOM 2011 Personality of the Year in recognition of her unparalleled contributions to the global entertainment industry,” said Paul Zilk, Chief Executive of Reed MIDEM. “Of special note is her contribution to the expansion of Disney’s portfolio of channels, brands and programming worldwide, as well as her visionary leadership in fostering content on emerging digital platforms.”

Sweeney will notably be giving a keynote address at MIPCOM, which will be held October 3-6, 2011 in Cannes. “The accomplishments which have led to this honor are not mine alone,” she says. “This event will allow me to acknowledge and celebrate everyone on the Disney/ABC Television Group and Disney Media Distribution teams, who not only create some of the most acclaimed and popular programming around the globe, but also continually develop new, innovative distribution methods that meet the ever-evolving needs of consumers.”

Inevitably, it is Sweeney’s role in driving Disney and ABC material onto new platforms that picks up particular attention at cross-media events such as MIPCOM. Her talk on Wednesday 5 comes under the MIPCOM Media Mastermind banner.

Get more MIPCOM news

Check for Cannes hotels during MIPCOM 2011

As the conference drew to a close, the director, who won the Palme d’Or with “Dancer in the Dark,” was asked about comments he made in a recent interview regarding his interest in the Nazi aesthetic.

“No, that was a joke”
“I thought I was a Jew for a long time and was very happy being a Jew,” he said (referring to the fact he discovered only late in life that he was German). “Then later on came (Jewish and Danish director) Susanne Bier and then suddenly I wasn’t so happy about being a Jew. No, that was a joke, sorry. But it turned out I was not a Jew – but even if I’d been a Jew I would be kind of a second rate Jew because there is kind of a hierarchy in the Jewish population. But anyway, I really wanted to be a Jew and then I found out I was really a Nazi, you know, because my family was German, Hartmann, which also gave me some pleasure.”

It looks very likely that Von Trier has a mouth that works on its own. But Dunst and the reporters were not sure how to take his comments.

…”not what you call a good guy…”
“What can I say? I understand Hitler. I think he did some wrong things, yes absolutely, but I can see him sitting in his bunker in the end. I think I understand the man. He’s not what you would call a good guy, but I understand much about him and I sympathize with him a little bit. But come on, I’m not for the Second World War, and I’m not against Jews. I am of course very much for Jews. No, not too much because Israel is a pain in the ass. But still, how can I get out of this sentence?”

The fuss will inevitably be misinterpreted, misquoted and used against the film. He looks as if this is supposed to be a joke, but you can judge for yourself by watching the full Von Trier press conference here.