Critics' Week

Critics' Week
LocationCannes, France
Founded1962
AwardsGrand Prize
Websitewww.semainedelacritique.com Edit this at Wikidata

Critics' Week (French: Semaine de la critique), until 2008 called International Critics' Week (Semaine internationale de la critique), is a parallel section to the Cannes Film Festival organized by the French Syndicate of Cinema Critics. It was created in 1962, after the French Syndicate of Cinema Critics's successful campaign for Shirley Clarke's The Connection to be screened at the 1961 Cannes Film Festival.[1] It is the oldest non-official Cannes sidebar.[2][3]

Critics' Week's objective is to discover and support new talents, showcasing first and second feature films by directors worldwide. Bernardo Bertolucci,[4] Philip Kaufman, Ken Loach, Tony Scott, Agnieszka Holland,[5] Leos Carax, Wong Kar-wai,[6] Guillermo del Toro,[7] Jacques Audiard, Arnaud Desplechin, Gaspar Noé,[6] François Ozon,[8] Andrea Arnold,[9] Alejandro González Iñárritu, Julia Ducournau,[6] Justine Triet,[10] all began at Critics' Week.

Critics' Week presents a selective program of seven feature films and ten short films in competition.[11] There are also special screenings which are kept few in number in order to provide them greater visibility.[12] Feature films compete for Grand Prize, the SACD Prize, which is awarded for best screenplay, and the Gan Foundation Award, which helps films get distribution.[13] Short films can receive the Canal+ Award and the Discovery Award.[14] Debut feature films are eligible for the Caméra d'Or, which is open to all first films in Official Selection and the parallel sections at Cannes.[15]

Since its creation in 1990 and until 2010, there was no jury at Critics' Week. Journalists of all nationalities were invited to vote at the end of each screening of the films in competition, after which the Grand Prize was awarded. In 2011, on the occasion of its 50th edition, Critics' Week formed an international jury made up of four critics and chaired by Korean filmmaker Lee Chang-dong. Thereafter, the jury has been presided over by a director and consists of four members with writing, filmmaking, acting or programming backgrounds.[16] Notable jury presidents have included Bertrand Bonello, Miguel Gomes, Andrea Arnold, Ronit Elkabetz, Valérie Donzelli, Kleber Mendonça Filho, Joachim Trier, Ciro Guerra and Cristian Mungiu.[17]

  1. ^ "La Semaine de la Critique". Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  2. ^ Roxborough, Scott (12 April 2023). "'Happening' Director Audrey Diwan Heads Up Cannes Critics' Week Jury". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  3. ^ Erbland, Kate (16 April 2018). "Cannes 2018: Critics' Week Competition Lineup Dominated By Female-Directed Features for First Time in Decade". IndieWire. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  4. ^ Dobson, Patricia (28 February 2000). "Bertolucci named Critics' Week patron". Screen International. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  5. ^ Lattanzio, Ryan (12 June 2021). "21 Directors Who Launched Their Filmmaking Careers at Cannes". IndieWire. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  6. ^ a b c "Dix cinéastes révélés par la Semaine de la Critique | CNC". www.cnc.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  7. ^ Gorson, Arthur (6 August 2019). "'Cronos' Producer Looks Back on Guillermo del Toro's Early Days". Variety. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  8. ^ Indiewire (28 August 1998). "Francois Ozon Teases and Pleases with "See the Sea" and "A Summer's Dress"". IndieWire. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  9. ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (27 March 2014). "Cannes: Andrea Arnold To Lead Critics' Week Jury". Deadline. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  10. ^ Mintzer, Jordan (12 May 2016). "'In Bed With Victoria' ('Victoria'): Cannes Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  11. ^ "Audrey Diwan, présidente du jury de la Semaine de la critique à Cannes : "J'ai envie d'être attentive à l'inédit"". www.telerama.fr (in French). 12 April 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  12. ^ "La Semaine de la Critique". Semaine de la Critique du Festival de Cannes (in French). Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  13. ^ Richford, Rhonda (16 May 2018). "Cannes: 'Diamantino' Tops Critics' Week Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  14. ^ "Prix de la Semaine de la Critique". Semaine de la Critique du Festival de Cannes (in French). Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  15. ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (17 April 2023). "Cannes Critics' Week Unveils 2023 Line-up – Full List". Deadline. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  16. ^ "FAQ". archives.semainedelacritique.com. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  17. ^ Lemercier, Fabien (2 June 2021). "Cristian Mungiu will be president of the Critics' Week jury". Cineuropa. Retrieved 11 January 2024.