Semaine de la Critique
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| Semaine de la Critique | |
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| Name | Semaine de la Critique |
| Native name | Semaine de la Critique |
| Location | Cannes, France |
| Founded | 1962 |
| Founders | * Société des Réalisateurs de Films * Jean-Luc Godard |
| Language | International |
Semaine de la Critique is an independent parallel section of the Cannes Film Festival founded in 1962 to spotlight first and second features and discover emerging filmmakers. It operates alongside the Festival de Cannes and has premiered works that later won awards at festivals such as Venice Film Festival, Berlin International Film Festival, and Toronto International Film Festival. Directors whose careers advanced after screenings include figures associated with French New Wave, Dogme 95, and the broader international arthouse circuit.
History
The section was launched in 1962 by members of the Société des Réalisateurs de Films with early influence from filmmakers like Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard, François Truffaut, and supporters tied to institutions such as the Institut Lumière and the Cinémathèque Française. Over the decades it adapted amid the cultural shifts marked by events like May 1968 protests in France and cinematic movements including Italian Neorealism, New Hollywood, and Third Cinema. Its programming has reflected connections to festivals such as the Locarno Film Festival, Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, and institutions like the British Film Institute and CNC (France). Retrospectives and career spotlights have linked it to schools and centres including the La Fémis, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, and the FIAF network.
Purpose and Selection Process
The selection aims to promote first and second feature films by emerging directors from regions spanning Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America, and North America. A selection committee composed of critics and industry professionals connected to Cahiers du Cinéma, Le Monde, Sight & Sound, Variety (magazine), and The Hollywood Reporter reviews submissions and invites films from programmers at events like Sundance Film Festival, Berlinale Forum, and Busan International Film Festival. The process involves proposals from producers represented by agencies such as Wild Bunch, Memento Films, Fortissimo Films, and collaborations with organizations like Europa Cinemas and European Film Academy.
Notable Films and Premieres
Premieres at the section have included early works by auteurs who later appeared in competitions at Cannes Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, and Berlin International Film Festival. Notable alumni include directors associated with titles screened at major venues like Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, and filmmakers whose films later won awards at Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, BAFTA, and César Awards. Specific films and directors linked to the section have gone on to be discussed alongside works by Andrei Tarkovsky, Ingmar Bergman, Akira Kurosawa, Pedro Almodóvar, Wong Kar-wai, Ken Loach, Michael Haneke, Yasujiro Ozu, Agnès Varda, Claire Denis, Alfred Hitchcock, Orson Welles, Stanley Kubrick, Roman Polanski, Satyajit Ray, Federico Fellini, Luis Buñuel, Luis García Berlanga, Gillo Pontecorvo, Hayao Miyazaki, Darren Aronofsky, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Guillermo del Toro, Paul Thomas Anderson, Wes Anderson, David Lynch, Joel Coen, Ari Aster, Greta Gerwig, Jordan Peele, Luca Guadagnino, Cristian Mungiu, Asghar Farhadi, Dardenne brothers, Pedro Costa, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Raúl Ruiz, Cristina Comencini, Kenji Mizoguchi, Hou Hsiao-hsien, Sergio Leone, Ingmar Bergman, Victor Erice, Béla Tarr, Mike Leigh, Ken Russell, Ridley Scott, James Ivory have been discussed in the same critical conversations following premieres.
Jury and Awards
The section presents awards judged by juries comprising critics from outlets such as Cahiers du Cinéma, Positif (magazine), The Guardian, Le Figaro, and representatives of organizations like the Syndicat Français de la Critique de Cinéma, FIPRESCI, Ecumenical Jury, and the International Federation of Film Critics. Prizes and support often link with institutions including ARTE, SACD, SACEM, Institut Français, Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques, and funding bodies such as Creative Europe. Award winners have gone on to receive recognition from juries at Locarno Film Festival, SXSW, Tribeca Film Festival, and national awards like Magritte Awards and Goya Awards.
Organization and Festival Relations
Administratively the section coordinates with the Festival de Cannes office at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès and maintains partnerships with producers, sales agents, and distributors including Pathé, Gaumont, StudioCanal, Neon (company), A24, and Sony Pictures Classics. It liaises with film schools and laboratories like La Fémis, IDHEC, CNC (France), Tisch School of the Arts, and labs such as CineMart and Sundance Institute for script development and post-production support. The section also networks with markets and events like the Marché du Film, European Film Market, American Film Market, and regional showcases including AFI Fest, Busan, and Hong Kong International Film Festival.
Impact and Reception
Critical reception has been documented in publications including Cahiers du Cinéma, Sight & Sound, Film Comment, Variety (magazine), and The New York Times, with industry impact measured through distribution deals with companies such as Netflix, Amazon Studios, Criterion Collection, and MUBI. Alumni filmmakers have secured career trajectories leading to appointments and retrospectives at institutions like the Museum of Modern Art, British Film Institute, Centre Pompidou, and programming at festivals such as New York Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, and BFI London Film Festival. The section’s role in launching international careers links it to funding streams from bodies including Eurimages, European Commission, and national film agencies like Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée.