LL.AA.RR. the Grand Duke, the Grand Duchess and Eric Thill support film professionals at the Venice Film Festival
As part of the 81th edition of the Venice International Film FestivalThe Minister for Culture, Eric Thill, accompanied by LL.AA.RR. the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess, took part in this major international film event and met professionals from the Luxembourg audiovisual sector.
The minister began his visit on 30 August by meeting the delegations from Luxembourg and Wallonia-Brussels, which are being given special prominence this year under the title "The Centre of Attraction". Indeed, Luxembourg and Wallonie-Bruxelles, along with Japan, are at the centre of this year's "The Centre of Attraction". Venice Production Bridgethe festival's film market.
The delegations were welcomed by Alberto Barbera, Artistic Director of the Venice Film Festival, and Pascal Diot, Managing Director of the Venice Film Festival. Venice Production Bridge. In his address to professionals from the audiovisual sector, the Minister reiterated his support for the 7th art :
"Six Luxembourg co-productions in the official selection reflect the quality and diversity of our national audiovisual sector, a vital force for creativity and cultural expression. I am proud of Luxembourg's commitment to supporting and promoting the audiovisual industry, both nationally and internationally."
The minister then discussed key issues with industry professionals, such as the future of the film industry in the digital age and the role of festivals in promoting cultural diversity. These discussions highlighted the importance of the Ministry's support for Luxembourg film productions and the commitment of the Film Fund Luxembourg team, which supports professionals in the sector on a daily basis.
The following day, 31 August, the minister and the Luxembourg delegation attended a round table dedicated to the players in the immersive ecosystems of Luxembourg and Wallonia, followed by a visit to the Marché du Film in the company of its director, Pascal Diot. The Marché du Film is an essential platform for exchanges between producers, distributors and buyers from all over the world. The visit was an opportunity to strengthen links between Luxembourg and the global audiovisual sector and to explore new opportunities for cooperation with international partners.
Finally, the Minister and LL.AA.RR. the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess viewed the Luxembourg XR works selected in competition on the immersive island, accompanied by curators Michel Reilhac, Liz Rosenthal and Myriam Achard and in the presence of the Luxembourg directors.
On this occasion, Minister Eric Thill was particularly pleased with Luxembourg's success in the digital field: "Exploiting the potential of digital technology is one of our government's priorities, and the selection of no fewer than five Luxembourg co-productions at Venice Immersive bears witness to the success of this policy and to the quality of our national audiovisual industry".
The Minister also reiterated his invitation to the Audiovisual Conference to be held on 20 September at CNA in Dudelange, with the aim of drawing up a strategy and vision for the development of the sector over the coming years.
Six Luxembourg co-productions are in the official selection in competition at this year's 81st Venice International Film Festival.
Feature film in Official Competition:
- The documentary Youth (Homecoming) by Chinese director Wang Bing, co-produced by Les Films Fauves (Gilles Chanial) with France, Hong Kong and the Netherlands.
Virtual reality works in the official "XR Immersive" competition:
- This is my heart by Nicolas Blies and Stéphane Hueber-Blies: produced mainly in Luxembourg by a_BAHN (François Le Gall and Marion Guth), including France.
- Oto's Planet by Gwenael François: a mainly Luxembourg production by Skill Lab (Julien Becker) involving Quebec and France.
- Mamie Lou by Isabelle Andréani: a Skill Lab (Julien Becker) co-production with France.
- Ito Meikyu by Boris Labbé: a Les Films Fauves (Gilles Chanial and Govinda Van Maele) co-production with France.
- Battlefield by François Vautier: a Digital Voodooh (Fred Neuen and Mark Mertens) co-production with France and Belgium.
