La fabrique
LA FABRIQUE CINÉMA DE L'INSTITUT FRANÇAIS, A TAILORED PROGRAM FOR TALENTED YOUNG DIRECTORS FROM EMERGING COUNTRIES
La Fabrique Cinéma de l'Institut français is a tailored program helping talented young directors from emerging countries increase their international exposure. Each year, this program, developed by the Institut français, in partnership with France Médias Monde – RFI, France 24, Monte Carlo Doualiya – and the International Organisation of La Fancophonie invites ten directors working on their first or second feature films to attend the Festival de Cannes along with their producers.
PERSONALIZED SUPPORT
Thanks to this program, the participants benefit from personalized support adapted to their project and professional experience. After being selected for the program in March, they receive guidance from a personal coach who helps identify their needs (co-production, distribution, sales etc.) and schedule meetings with professionals who might be interested in co-financing their project.
IMPROVING MARKET POSITION AND DEVELOPING A PROFESSIONAL NETWORK
The participants attend pitching workshops and professional events connected to production and the film market (the role of international sales agents, co-production opportunities, co-production forums and markets, etc.). They also meet key players of the international film industry.
EXPERIENCING FIRST-HAND THE WORLD’S LARGEST INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
During work sessions, the participants have the opportunity to discuss their project with the program’s patron, an internationally renowned director. In addition, they have direct access to the festival’s different competitive selections (official selection, La Semaine de la Critique, La Quinzaine des Cinéastes, ACID, La Résidence) and major professional events and receive accreditation for the Marché du Film (Producers Network, Cannes Docs…). They also meet the French and international press accompanied by our press officer.
PARTNERSHIPS WITH FESTIVALS, LABS AND RESIDENCIES
For many years, the Cinémas du Monde division of the Institut français (La Fabrique Cinéma, the Aide aux Cinémas du Monde fund and the African Film Library) has collaborated to initiatives that support projects in development:
Atelier Grand Nord, French-speaking script residency, by SODEC (Quebec),
Réunion Tout en Auteur, French-speaking script residency, by Agence Film Réunion,
Realness, Pan-African screenwriters’ residency, based in South Africa, by Urucu Media,
Ouaga Film Lab, coproduction platform and workshop for West Africa, by Génération Films,
Méditalents, for the Mediterranean Co-production Workshop,
Fidadoc, script residency for Pan-African documentaries,
Yaoundé Film Lab, co-production platform for central Africa,
Ficam, French-speaking script residency for animated film,
Groupe Ouest, workshops Scenario : Puissance & Âme
A special attention is given to French-language projects from Africa.
KEY FIGURES
144 projects of 1st or 2nd long feature films
262 directors and producers coming from 69 countries, including 23 francophone countries
Since 2012
40% of the projects have already been shot and selected in great festivals or released in theatres
Success stories
Between 2019 and early 2022, ten Fabrique films were released in France or presented at major festivals :
• CHEVALIER NOIR, de Emad Aleebrahim Dehkordi (Iran, La Fabrique 2018), San Sebastian 2022 – Released in France on 22 February 2023
• L'EDEN, by Andrés Ramírez Pulido (Colombie, La Fabrique 2018), Cannes Critic's Week 20211
• LE GRAND MOUVEMENT, by Kiro Russo (Bolivie, La Fabrique 2018), Special Jury Prize Orrizonti Venice 2021 - Released in France on 30 March 2022
•ZINDER, by Aïcha Macky (Niger, La Fabrique 2018), Official Competition at Visions du Réel 2021 and awarded at the Fespaco 2021
• NIGHT OF THE KINGS, by Philippe Lacôte (Côte d’Ivoire, La Fabrique 2018), Mostra de Venise 2020 and Toronto 2020
• SHOULD THE WIND DROP, by Nora Martirosyan (Armenia, La Fabrique 2013), Festival de Cannes and ACID label 2020
• ALL THE DEAD ONES, by Marco Dutra and Caetano Gotardo (Brazil, La Fabrique 2014), selected to compete in the main competition at the Berlinale 2020
• YALDA, A NIGHT OF FORGIVENESS, by Massoud Bakhshi (Iran, La Fabrique 2016), World Cinema Grand Jury Prize at Sundance 2020 and selected at the Berlinale 2020
• THE UNKNOWN SAINT, by Alaa Eddine-Aljem (Morocco, La Fabrique 2016), in the main competition at Cannes Critics’ Week 2019
• BOMBAY ROSE, by Gitanjali Rao (India, La Fabrique 2011), selected at the 2019 Venice International Film Critics’ Week and Toronto 2019
• THE FEVER, by Maya Da-Rin (Brazil, La Fabrique 2016), in the main competition at the Locarno Film Festival 2019, best actor award and FIPRESCI prize
• LOVELING, by Gustavo Pizzi (Brazil, La Fabrique 2013), Sundance film festival 2018
• THE MERCY OF THE JUNGLE, by Joel Karekezi, Etalon d’Or at Fespaco 2019 and Toronto 2018
Nine films were shot in 2019 and 2020 or were in post-production. We will be closely monitoring their progress in cinemas and festivals in the coming months.
Let's not forget the success from previous years :
• Benzinho, by Gustavo Pizzi (Brazil, La Fabrique 2013), sélection Sundance 2018
• Rafiki by Wanuri Kahiu (Kenya, La Fabrique 2013), Un Certain Regard 2018
• My Favourite Fabric by Gaya Jiji (Syria, La Fabrique 2014), Un Certain Regard 2018
• Beauty and the Dogs by Kaouther Ben Hania (Tunisia, La Fabrique 2015), Un Certain Regard 2017
• The Road to Mandalay by Midi Z. (Myanmar-Taiwan, La Fabrique 2012), Venice Days’ section, Venice Mostra 2016
• The Wound by John Tengrove (South Africa, La Fabrique 2014), Panorama section, Berlinale 2016
• Kill me Please by Anita Rocha da Silveira (Brazil, La Fabrique 2012), Orrizonti section, Venice Mostra 2015
• La Sirène de Faso Fani by Michel K. Zongo (Burkina Faso, La Fabrique 2013), Forum section, Berlinale 2014
In 2022, the directors and producers took part in :
▶ 3 working sessions with the director Midi Z, sponsor of La Fabrique Cinéma
▶ A personalized coaching between March and May 2022
▶ Workshops: pitch, video-pitch, coproduction, international sales
▶ Meetings with French and international composers
▶ Access to the activities of Producers Network and Cannes Docs of the Marché du Film
▶ 30 collective meetings with key players in the film industry
▶ 10 customized individual consultations organized for projects
▶ 320 one-on-one meetings with potential French, European and international partners throughout the program and during the Film Market online
27 film projects have been granted by the Aide aux cinémas du monde fund since its inception in 2012:
• Fataria, arab summit by Walid Tayaa (Tunisia), 2012
• Flapping in the middle of nowhere, by Hoang Diep Nguyen (Vietnam), 2012.
• The Siren of Faso Fani, by Michel K. Zongo (Burkina Faso), 2013
• True Love Story, by Gitanjali Rao (India), 2013
• Memory Exercises, by Paz Encina (Paraguay), 2013.
• Rey, by Niles Attalah (Chili), 2014
• Jambula Tree, by Wanuri Kahiu (Kenya), 2014
• My favourite tissue, by Gayaneh Jji (Syria), 2015
• The Road to Mandalay, by Midi Z. (Burma), 2015
• The Mercy of the Jungle, by Joel Karekezi (Rwanda), 2015
• Beauty and the Dogs, by Kaouther Ben Hania (Tunisia), 2016
• The Fever, by Maya Da-rin (Brazil), 2016
• Amal, by Mohamed Siam (Egypt), 2016
• Saint inconnu, byAlaa Eddine Aljem (Morocco), ACM 2017
• All the Dead Ones, by Marco Dutra et Caetano Gotardo (Brazil), ACM 2017
• Whether the weather is fine, by Carlo Francisco Manatad (Philippines), ACM 2018
• Chevalier noir, by Emad Aleebrahim Dehkordi (Iran), ACM 2018
• Shock labor, by Marcos Diaz Sosa (Cuba), ACM 2019
• Zinder, by Aicha Macky (Niger), ACM 2019
• Loba, by Kiro Russo (Bolivia), ACM 2019
• La meute, by Andrés Ramirez Pulido (Colombia), ACM 2019
• Saint mineur,vby Tinatin Kajrishvili (Georgia), ACM 2020
• Les larmes du crocodile, by Tumpal Tampubolon (Indonesia), ACM 2020
• Elder son, by Cecilia Kang (Argentina), ACM 2021
• Solo, by Suman Sen (India), ACM 2022
• La professeure de français, by Ricardo Alves Junior (Brasil), ACM 2022
• Elephants in the fog, by Abinash Bikram Shah (India), ACM 2023
COACHES
The team of coordinators of La Fabrique Cinéma de l'Institut français is composed by professionals who aim to identify each project's needs and coordinate individual appointments accordingly. These professionals will advise the directors and producers on the preparation of the appointments and will establish the concrete planning of the various meetings that will be held at the upcoming Festival de Cannes.
Thibaut Bracq
Between 2007 and 2020, Thibaut worked as a film programmer (Angers Premiers Plans, Poitiers Film Festival, Oulan-Bator Film Festival) and coordinated various workshops and professional markets (Paris Project, Ateliers d'Angers, Open Doors & Alliance for Development - Locarno Festival, La Fabrique - French Institute in Cannes). He is now head of the Atlas Workshops of the Marrakech International Film Festival.
Ilaria Gomascara
Ilaria Gomarasca, former Pyramide International’s Festivals Manager, who handled the launch in the international festivals’ circuit of several award-winning films, is an independent film professional with over 10 years of experience. Since 2019 she is consultant and member of the selection board for various film festivals and festival strategy and audience development advisor to independent producers or during international workshops (Eave, IFeature UK, First Cut+, Eurodoc, Cannes Court Métrage). In 2022 Ilaria joined the team of the Marrakech International Film Festival as Head of Films Department.