Gras Savoye and Unifrance will present the "Coup de cœur du court-métrage" short film award to Marie Hélia for "Les Princesses de la Piste" ("Painting the Town Red") on Thursday, May 25, at 5.30 p.m. at Club Unifrance.
For the fourth consecutive year, the insurance company Gras Savoye has teamed up with the Unifrance association to present this award dedicated to up-and-coming short film directors elected by a jury of industry professionals, with the aim of fostering a new generation of film directors in France.
The 2006 jury was composed of Laurent Cantet (director, jury president), Élisabeth Depardieu (actress), Fanny Bastien (actress), Claire Nebout (actress), Ariane Fournier (Communications Director at Gras Savoye), Laurent Lavolé (producer at Gloria Films Production), and Pierre Murat (journalist at Télérama magazine). Jury members viewed the following ten short films pre-selected by the Unifrance Short Film Commission:
"Fais de beaux rêves" by Marilyne Canto
"Paul" by Cécile Rousset
"Rosa" by Blandine Lenoir
"Les Volets" by Lyèce Boukhitine
"Bhaï-bhaï" by Olivier Klein
"Présences" by Patrick Lecomte
"Les Princesses de la Piste" by Marie Hélia
"La Petite Flamme" by Élizabeth Marre & Olivier Pont
"Kitchen" by Alice Winocour
"Les Matines" by Annick Raoul
Jury president Laurent Cantet will present this year's winner Marie Hélia with the "Coup de Cœur du Court-Métrage" (Short Film Favorite) award, which is accompanied by a €3,000 cash prize, for her film "Les Princesses de la Piste" ("Painting the Town Red") Thursday, May 25 at 5.30 p.m. at Club Unifrance in Cannes.
Marie Hélia is originally from the city of Brest, which provides the setting of her short film. She has previously made a number of short films and documentaries, several of which have been honored with awards at film festivals in France and Europe. Also a screenwriter and the author of short stories, Marie Hélia is currently working on directing her first feature, "Microclimat," which is slated to complete production this year.
The jury, which hailed the high quality of the films selected, has also decided to present Honorary Mentions to Marilyne Canto for "Fais de beaux rêves" and Blandine Lenoir for "Rosa."
For further information, contact:
Hélène Conand
Head of Communication, France
Unifrance
(+33 6) 81 33 24 40
