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The Deauville American Film Festival is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. After a turbulent summer marked by controversies, the new management aims to turn the page and look toward the future.
For its 50th anniversary, the Deauville American Film Festival is going all out. From September 8 to 17, the Normandy seaside resort will host a slew of stars from across the Atlantic. Michael Douglas, Natalie Portman, Tim Burton, and Francis Ford Coppola are among the prominent guests at this edition, which is focused on “diversity and transmission.”
Following a summer shaken by the controversy over the removal of trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf from the jury and the abrupt departure of former director Bruno Barde, accused of sexual assault by Mediapart, new director Aude Hesbert is determined to move forward. “We will look in the rearview mirror and turn toward the future,” she says.
French actor Benoît Magimel will preside over a jury composed of eight personalities. The program includes a competition featuring 12 films, 8 of which are debut feature films, a special tribute to American cinema figures such as Michelle Williams and James Gray, and honorary awards presented to prominent names.
A major new feature this year is the “Next Generation Award,” which will be presented to Malia Ann Obama, daughter of former President Barack Obama, for her short film “The Heart,” which will have its French premiere.
Beyond the glitz and red carpets, Aude Hesbert hopes to mark this jubilee with a sense of renewal. Drawing from her experience in the United States, where she spent a year observing American society, she intends to bring best practices to France, such as the use of “intimacy coordinators” on film sets.
Fighting against gender-based and sexual violence is another key priority. The management stands by the decision to remove Bruno Barde and Ibrahim Maalouf, even though these choices were “difficult.” A charter is being prepared to prevent abuse.
It remains to be seen whether this shift will be enough to erase the summer’s upheavals and restore the full prestige of this essential event for lovers of American cinema. The answer will come on September 14 with the announcement of the winners.
With AFP
