Luxembourg cinema in the spotlight at the 2019 Angoulême Francophone Film Festival

Luxembourg will mark the 12th^e edition of the Festival du film francophone to be held from 20 to 25 August 2019 in Angoulême. As part of a tribute to Luxembourg cinema, the festival will devote a large part of its programme to productions from the Grand Duchy. Dominique Besnehard and Marie-France Brière, creators and directors of the festival, and Guy Daleiden, director of the Film Fund Luxembourg, unveiled the official selection and the films selected for this special "Luxembourg" focus at a press conference in Paris this morning.

Six feature films, one documentary and two short films from Luxembourg will be in the spotlight, demonstrating the diversity and richness of the audiovisual sector. To find out more:

-         It is a small country (1937), a documentary by René Leclère produced by Henry-N. Vachon ;

-         The man with modern nerves (1988), short film by Bady Minck produced by Bady Minck and Stefan Stratil ;

-         Mr Hublot (2014), short film directed by Laurent Witz and Alexandre Espigares, produced by Zeilt Productions

-         Wedding night (Hochzäitsnuecht)(1992), a feature film directed by Pol Cruchten and produced by Videopress ;

-         Black Dju (1996), feature film by Pol Cruchten, a Samsa Film production;

-         Refractory (2009), a feature film by Nicolas Steil produced by Iris Productions;

-         Damage(2016), feature film by Antoine Cuypers co-produced by Samsa Film ;

-         White Fang (2017), animated feature film by Alexandre Espigares produced by Bidibul Productions ;

-         Dam (2017), a feature film by Laura Schroeder produced by Red Lion.

What's more, the animated feature film The swallows of Kabul directed by Zabou Breitman and Eléa Gobbé-Mévellec, a Mélusine Productions co-production, will compete in the official competition for the 2019 Valois d'Or.

Guy Daleiden, director of the Lëtzebuerger Filmfong, said: "This focus on Luxembourg productions will underline the internationally recognised expertise of the audiovisual sector and highlight the quality of Luxembourg works produced over the years.

Following the recent tragic death of filmmaker Pol Cruchten, the Angoulême Francophone Film Festival will be paying special tribute to the career of the Luxembourg screenwriter, director and producer.

To show their support for the audiovisual production sector, Xavier Bettel, Prime Minister and Minister for Communications and Media, will be visiting Angoulême on 20 August for the opening of the festival, and Their Royal Highnesses the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess will attend the Luxembourg Day and the closing ceremony.

Join us on Sunday 25 August at 6pm to find out the decision of the jury, chaired this year by an icon of international cinema, actress Jacqueline Bisset.