00:00:00: Welcome to the Seventy-Ninth Cannes Film Festival and I'm here at one of its most prominent side sections.

00:00:08: The director's fortnight or Cassandre Sénéas, it used be a Cassandres réalisateur but his name has changed coincidentally just when the man that i am talking now came as new artistic director during this section.

00:00:22: So yeah actually arrived in twenty two twenty three... ...when was appointed artistic director.

00:00:30: There was a will with the SRF, so The French Directors Guild to rename directors Fortnite's french name into Kanzan des Cinéas.

00:00:39: To be more inclusive about gender in cinema.

00:00:43: Now that you can look back on three years of your work Would You say That you have made progress?

00:00:49: In diversity not only regarding Gender but also Regarding International Diversity Class Diversity.

00:00:56: We do pay a great attention during the selection process about, let's say, cinematographies that are a little less represented in major film festivals.

00:01:07: But what I said when I arrived at Derritus Fortnight is that... The first place where there should be diversity of gazes inside the Selection Committee.

00:01:19: So if you watch films with different sensibilities that could express themselves towards them.

00:01:27: But we try to judge the quality of films.

00:01:31: So, We do have in mind To improve The diversity Of Films with Select according to the different criteria you mentioned but at the same time... ...the final selection usually is made only.

00:01:45: It's not an objective because it seems impossible.. ..but its the film making that should be the main Criteria to select a film.

00:01:53: Actually Its an odd mission Because were are not in position.

00:01:57: what's happening in the production part of industry.

00:02:00: We do considering gender, we do realize each year that there is a minority of female-directed films.

00:02:08: For instance this year for feature film they were only twenty percent of submissions coming from women filmmakers.

00:02:16: Especially today it's harder and harder to bring twenty bold challenging audacious film to Cannes especially in Directors Fortnum.

00:02:26: I think we are more a mirror.

00:02:28: We reflect the reality of production rather than correct

00:02:32: it.

00:02:32: You mentioned something very interesting, The diversity of gazes which is A real good point because you could look at three different forms Of gazes usually in a film festival.

00:02:41: There's that of the makers of the Film Festival like people Like YOU who were into the festival system.

00:02:46: Then there Is THE audience and of course they Are the artists.

00:02:50: Regarding the diversity of Gases how far does It exist among the People involved?

00:02:55: Kaza and how much among the audience actually.

00:02:58: Inside The Committee, my will when I created My First Selection committee was to bring together a mix of film critics, exhibitors people working in cinematics...I had also an idea for having some filmmakers but let's say it was complicated for organizational reasons.

00:03:19: But i also have an actress!

00:03:24: because it's important to have people who do have an experience in festival jobs.

00:03:30: But, It is also important to open the team of people that don't judge and evaluate films the same way!

00:03:38: It isn' t the same when your job shows film to audience at a theater.

00:03:43: compared with someone wrote right articles on a cinephile magazine People usually disagree.

00:03:51: And this what I am looking for.

00:03:54: during the process of selecting films to confront different gays, also I try too have as many women and men in team.

00:04:03: I suppose that we don't have same sensibilities again.

00:04:07: so let's say my team is a bunch people coming from different horizons working together.

00:04:15: they most of time disagree.

00:04:17: My job an artistic director is having some distance about it.

00:04:23: choose the film that I prefer, not to chose a film which has majority of votes inside the committee.

00:04:29: But you compose a selection who again give the best reflection on what contemporary cinema is able do at an international level.

00:04:39: Regarding

00:04:40: the audience The Cannes Film Festival is very elegant and very elitist.

00:04:45: Desseaux-Canzard tries be different and more open for audiences also from lower class

00:04:50: When the director's fortnight was created in sixty nine.

00:04:54: It was a selection that was open to any kind of audience and it was free.

00:04:59: so I mean, you didn't need an accreditation You don' t have to pay the ticket.

00:05:06: Of course Cannes changed.

00:05:08: The industry is claiming to be able To selected in each Selection even if Directors Fortnite's DNA Is usually looking for Mavericks of Cinema and Inventivity and the most challenging films from today.

00:05:25: The fact is, Cannes is also the biggest market in talk to them, open a dialogue and see what's possible.

00:05:38: So the reason why I explain everything like that is we need take into consideration that The Selection isn't only a place for cinephiles anymore.

00:05:48: it's not choice but reality of it.

00:05:50: But i was very concerned about the audience in Directors Fortnight.

00:05:55: Today.

00:05:55: The selection still opens To any kind.

00:05:58: people who want go to Cannes and see movies.

00:06:00: Let say that a third venue is fulfilled with with people who buy tickets and the other is a mix between industry, press and cinephiles that got an accreditation.

00:06:12: And to improve the impact or participation of the audience in Directors Fortnight I created The People's Choice three years ago.

00:06:21: My idea when i did it was first to communicate towards the audience ,the French one but also international audiences.

00:06:30: you can still go there.

00:06:32: a necessity for you to be part of this small world, of cinema.

00:06:38: You can attend the most prestigious film festival in the World and be able to see the boldest film of the Festival.

00:06:46: How you communicate about that is...you need make them participate.

00:06:51: So The People's Choice was created with this in mind, and then it was also a way to help these new directors as the new film.

00:07:00: To find better ways of being distributed when you have people's choice label or some distributors getting interest because its marketing tool.

00:07:09: but to answer your question about different class and the mixity of the audience lets say that first The price for ticket is €EU which I think is affordable to a lot of theatres in France.

00:07:24: Clearly

00:07:25: you're not living on welfare?

00:07:26: No, but I mean it's the average price of theatre in France should be around twelve.

00:07:35: Yeah

00:07:35: which is insanely high!

00:07:37: Which one reason why poor people almost never go to this cinema.

00:07:40: But please continue...

00:07:43: The fact that we only have one venue in Cannes.

00:07:46: We have ONE main venue and for people not going venue inside the city different kind of cinema more accessible especially for local because this cinema usually are most frequently by people living around than from somewhere else and they stay on a closet.

00:08:06: But when you have only one venue, so many people want to attend your festival we're limited in terms of attendance.

00:08:16: it's always full.

00:08:17: We do make jobs with young people.

00:08:21: I mean young people, let's say students first.

00:08:23: And also some schools because when we have a film that is... That address younger audience.

00:08:29: We try to get in touch with schools of the region To invite The pupils to some screening.

00:08:37: But lets' say that..we focus lot about students Offering passes, offering badges Not limited at this time.

00:08:44: If you have an accreditation from Kanzan You can enjoy it From very beginning till end of festivals.

00:08:50: you book your tickets like everybody else in the festival, but... You must not forget that here are.

00:08:57: you're in Cannes.

00:09:08: All over the year and you don't attract so easily people who doesn't have The resource to be able To find accommodation on the closet,to Be able to buy some food in a cheap way On the closet.

00:09:22: And then to be Able to go to the movies every day.

00:09:25: So let's face it I mean In Cannes ,the fact that Fortnite is Opened to the audience with a two-row ticket.

00:09:34: It already something enable people who can't go to the official or to the critics week, but what I launched when i arrived in twenty three it's called The Fortnite Extended.

00:09:47: In June Paris and over thirty theatres in France.

00:09:51: we do have a rerun of the selection in Harthaus cinema.

00:09:56: And each Harthaus Cinema they have their own practices, In terms of fees.

00:10:00: this project was our most democratic way to bring premiere Of films that maybe will not even be distributed later in theaters because some films are very demanding from The audience.

00:10:14: we do have This extension off the festival who enable lots of people on the territory To attend a film.

00:10:22: and And we also have another action, which is called Kanzen in Actions actually.

00:10:28: The idea of this program –which leads all over the years–is to work with associations in different very small cities People who never go to the movies, To some screenings of The Selection.

00:10:45: So they don't pay.

00:10:46: It's financed part by the Kanzan Parts by subsidies And we do make special screenings with introduction By crew In this part Of the territories where there are not so many theatres.

00:10:58: I think it is a real lot for festival.

00:11:00: This

00:11:00: year selection again Is very vibrant.

00:11:02: What did guide you in selecting different films?

00:11:05: An openness!

00:11:10: the twenty preferences of Julien Règle.

00:11:12: So, off course my vision have an impact on my choices but... The most difficult part to me and the most interesting one at the same time is being able to stay open To the newness Of the new filmmakers of emerging talents And avoid being predictable in their choices.

00:11:32: Not for pleasure of being unpredictable But every year My main objective can do different from the previous year.

00:11:42: How can we change a perspective to avoid the habits, to avoid being comfortable in the job?

00:11:49: Every year I try to bring new people into the committee.

00:11:52: so there is also like an evolution every yeah There's a small evolution to have new gazes coming into the community and trying to disturb The other one.

00:12:01: i don't want the press or industry thinking.

00:12:05: well We are.

00:12:07: And again, Fortnite has a special place in Cannes.

00:12:10: Let's say that cinephiles or people who follow the story of Fortnite they do have lots of expectations about what such selection jobs could be in Canne and I try to... It is very challenging because we feel like there are a lot of pressure indirect.

00:12:26: Nobody tells me what i have to do.

00:12:28: The situation with art house movies is so disastrous In many ways That everybody wants it can at any cost.

00:12:36: So it means that for lots of people in Directors Fortnight should be a selection like another one, they should select films from renowned filmmakers or film with casting and big budget.

00:12:50: we try to resist.

00:12:52: We also know if you don't have one or two films with the name You won't be able to attract the audience.

00:13:02: So difficult to make, but this is also the exciting part of the job.

00:13:07: How

00:13:07: much communication does happen with a main selection of cars and critics week?

00:13:11: And there's also the youngest parallel section ACID?

00:13:14: ACID.

00:13:15: it little different because actually we share same office in Paris.

00:13:18: so There are traditional history call let say friendship between both section because they are run by filmmakers, the French director's guild and The Acid is also composed of independent filmmakers.

00:13:32: So there is some kind of natural mutual respect between the selection.

00:13:37: we try to help Because usually The filmmakers, the producers they don't privilege them.

00:13:45: So we try to communicate mostly at end of process To help them make their selection in a good way.

00:13:51: But for the other one there is no communication.

00:13:54: I think this story of the Cannes Film Festival Is...is the story of competition between Directors Fortnight and Insartarega Which was created after Directors fortnite as response.

00:14:06: It means that it's real challenge to face these competitors because lots of people say the most demanding the fortnight is and the best selection that the fortnite makes.

00:14:19: The quality will be even better, we challenge each other all the time if you bring it to top.

00:14:26: they also want same films.

00:14:31: I don't wanna be on the same ground films in other way, in other territories or all the kind of films to to do something else.

00:14:47: So that's why there is no direct communication between both of us.

00:14:51: and for Critics Week, we do see each other when the selection is over after the Cannes Film Festival or let say at the beginning of the year but during the process We don't exchange information Just

00:15:04: to wrap it up now this first day off The festival.

00:15:07: tonight will be the opening ceremony.

00:15:09: if you could just like hope for one thing For this years edition What would It Be?

00:15:14: The easiest way To Answer it will be, of course... It's very satisfying on the short run to have film critics' acclaims.

00:15:23: To satisfy both industry and audience with the diversity of films we have.

00:15:29: but I think its a short term vision too thing this way.

00:15:33: Its only self-satisfying at end of festival.

00:15:37: What i would like is that real cinephile filmmakers from all over world wherever they come and among young people, but also among renowned filmmakers.

00:15:49: When the ear or sees a film from this election in global way.

00:15:53: they feel that Directors Fortnight is still a resistance place... And tech risk!

00:15:59: ...and he's really there to encourage cinema as singular language.

00:16:06: Thank you so much Julien Rekker for the interview.