Your answer to International Press at Film Festivals

National Press of Films Released in Belgium 

Rotterdam - Berlin - Cannes - Karlovy Vary - Locarno -

Venice - Toronto - San Sebastian - Cairo

Out of Competition

Paolo Conte, via con me (it’s wonderful)

by Giorgio Verdelli narrated by Luca Zingaretti

Cast: Roberto Benigni, Pupi Avati, Isabella Rossellini, 

Jane Birkin, Patrice Leconte,….

Italia - 100 minutes

Languages: Italian and French

Paolo Conte is one of the greatest exponents of provincial culture in the world. His visual songs form an imaginary atlas of the soul, a compendium of sound and poetry. Often they are like short films, capable of taking on a life of their own, for Conte carries you away and enchants you with his variety show. Paolo Conte, Via con me tells the almost fifty-year-long story of an eclectic figure. An imaginary journey, an interweaving of poetry and music through the songs, concerts, friends and reflections of the singer. Verdelli has drawn on the immense stock of material in Conte’s personal archives, combining it with footage shot for the purpose: interviews, films of international tours and other occasions in a unique career. Through these images, the docufilm ventures into the labyrinth of his songs, including the ones he has written for a wide range of performers (Adriano Celentano, Enzo Jannacci, Jane Birkin, Caterina Caselli, Bruno Lauzi), and that of his passions (jazz, puzzles, painting, law, the movies) in a continual exploration of the familiar and the unfamiliar, of the stories, verses and songs of that extraordinary elsewhere which is the world of Paolo Conte.

Orrizonti

The Man Who Sold His Skin 

by Kaouther Ben Hania

Cast: Yahya Mahayni, Dea Liane, Monica Bellucci, Koen de Bouw, 

Darina Al Joundi, Christian Vadim

Tunesia, Francia, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland - 100 minutes

Languages: Arabic, English, French

Sam Ali, a young sensitive and impulsive Syrian, left his country for Lebanon to escape the war. To be able to travel to Europe and live with the love of his life, he accepts to have his back tattooed by one of by the world’s most sulfurous contemporary artist. Turning his own body into a prestigious piece of art, Sam will however come to realize that his decision might actually mean anything but freedom.

International Sales: Bac Films

Giornate degli Autor

Mama (Ma ma he qui Tian de shi Jian)  

by Li Dongmei

Cast: Cheng Shuquiong, Wang Xiaoping, Ge Wendan, Xia Guoli, Gong Yanxin, Tan Yuxiang, Ge Shidi, Shen Jihua

China - 134 minutes

Language: Chinese

Mama tells what happens over seven days in a village in rural China during the 1990s. The story follows twelve-year-old Xiaoxian's memories of her family and her village. During those seven days, the girl witnesses three deaths and two births, including the death of her own mother, who dies giving birth to her fourth sister.

International Sales: Yilisoo Films Paris

Settimana della Critica

50 (or two whales meet at the beach) 

50 (o dos ballenas se encuentran en la playa) 

By Jorge Cuchi

Cast: José Antonio Toledano, Karla Coronado

Mexico - 122 minutes

Language: Mexican

Félix, a 17-year-old boy, receives an invitation on WhatsApp: do you want to play the Blue Whale Game? The one with the 50 challenges? The one where you have to kill yourself at the end? Félix accepts. That is how he meets Elisa. They start completing the challenges together. 50 is a story of love between two suicidal teens who decide to play together till death do them part. Which is six days away.

International Sales: tbc

Settimana della Critica

The Flood Won’t Come - Tvano Nebus

By Marat Sargsyan

Cast: Valentinas Masalskis, Remigijus Vilkaitis, Sigitas Račkys, Daumantas Ciunis, Darius Petrovskis, Šarūnas Zenkevičius, Karolis Butvidas, Lukas Malinauskas, Povilas Laurinkus, Vygandas Vadeiša, Vidas Antonovas

Lithuania - 97 minutes

Language: Lithuanian

A blue screen informs that war has begun. What will be needed? Collect the men, find guns, or maybe someone will give them. We need a location, a country where the war would take place. No problem, the Colonel is a real pro, he has caused wars to order, or on orders, on multiple occasions in different countries. Now his followers have grown up and caused a war in his country. He doesn’t want to, but he has to fight. He is old and tired of war. He wants to be at the table with a steaming pot of tasty mutton ribs and stare at an innocent TV screen with the news on, and the dressed-up news reporter announces that the war has begun.

International Sales: Reel Suspects