As a seasoned film critic with over three decades of experience under my belt, I’ve witnessed countless cinematic journeys unfold before my very eyes. With a career that started at the dawn of the VHS era and has seen me navigate through the digital revolution, I can confidently say that I’ve developed a keen eye for talent and potential.
The Cannes Critics’ Week has chosen the projects for its 11th installment of Next Step, an initiative designed to support budding filmmakers who had previously showcased their shorts at Critics’ Week, as they work on their first full-length film.
For over a decade, Next Step has been part of the journey of 96 unique film projects, with 39 already brought to fruition. Notable graduates from this program have recently made waves on the festival circuit. For instance, Molly Manning Walker’s “How to Have Sex,” Felipe Gálvez’s “The Settlers,” Valentina Maurel’s Locarno-winning film “I Have Electric Dreams,” and Matthew Rankin’s Universal Language, which won the Directors’ Fortnight Audience Award, represent Canada in the Oscar race.
In 2025, seven innovative features created at Next Step are anticipated to debut at significant festivals, particularly Morad Mostafa’s “Aisha Can’t Fly Away Anymore,” which received Venice’s prestigious post-production award, Final Cut. Next Step collaborates closely with Critics Week, a platform for debut and sophomore films that takes place concurrently with the Cannes Film Festival.
Each year, Next Step has organically grown to become an integral part of Critics Week, according to Thomas Rosso, the director of Next Step and the Critics’ Week Program Manager.
Six months following Cannes, this workshop is flawlessly fulfilling its purpose, just as it did for Molly Manning Walker, Felipe Gálvez, and Morad Mostafa. Today, it serves as a cherished catalyst, enhancing other workshops or retreats,” stated Rosso, who has been with Why Not Productions, the Paris-based production house behind Jacques Audiard’s and Arnaud Desplechin’s films, for over a decade. He also emphasized that Next Step has earned recognition due to “the annual surge of projects it brings forth, which speaks volumes in itself.
2024 Next Step participants include Filipino filmmaker Arvin Belarmino with “Ria,” exploring Manila’s punk culture and the risks of expropriation; Polish director Dawid Bodzak with “Episode,” a sequel to his award-winning short “Tremors” focusing on a teenager’s suspected mental breakdown possibly caused by demonic possession; Mathilde Chavanne from France presents “A la recherche du miraculeux,” a bittersweet comedy about a theater director organizing an artistic workshop in Junior High School; and Mexican filmmaker Pablo Giles offers “Fuerzas Básicas,” centering on the complicated relationship of two brothers amidst the world of professional soccer.
The following residents still to be showcased are:
From December 8-13, the forthcoming Next Step residence will be hosted in both Paris and Normandy, featuring industry professionals like French director Julie Lecoustre (“Zero Fucks Given”), Georgian filmmaker Elene Naveriani (“Blackbird, Blackbird Blackberry”), Marie Dubas who produced the Camera d’Or winner “Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell,” and the duo behind “Viet and Nam” and “Mongrel,” which were screened at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
One of the chosen projects will be awarded the Next Step Hildegarde Prize, which includes a monetary grant and an opportunity to attend Cannes in 2025. Previous winners include Manning Walker (“How to Have Sex”), Mykko Myllylathi (“The Woodcutter’s Story”), and Chinese director Zou Jing, whose film “A Girl Unknown” was recently backed by Arte France.
2023 saw the debut of Next Step II, a spinoff program by Critics’ Week, focusing on screenwriting and score composition. This initiative was collaboratively established with organizations such as Sacem, CNC, and Fabrica Providenza in Corsica. The inaugural residents for this program are Greek director Konstantina Kotzamani, whose debut feature “Titanic Ocean” is set for release next year, and Brazilian filmmaker Lillah Halla, who was awarded the Hubert Bals Fund prize for her new project “Golden Balls,” following the premiere of her first feature “Power Alley” at Critics’ Week in 2023.
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2024-12-06 14:47