An impressive comeback is on the cards for the Unifrance Film Meetings in Paris, which hosts the biggest markets and press junkets in the world dedicated to the French film and audiovisual industry, and whose 25th edition is opening today in the event’s usual pre-pandemic form (but also further enhanced by the audiovisual sidebar, for the second year running).

Standing out on the agenda running until 17 January are the panel discussions unfolding as part of Export Day on Tuesday and the two markets running between 11 and 13 January (attracting 400 buyers from fifty or so countries and 41 French international sales agents on the film side, and 110 buyers from 27 countries and 62 French distribution groups on the audiovisual side). Added to this, between 14 and 17 January, is the press junket which will see close to 120 international journalists meeting 150 French artists playing lead roles in works set to be broadcast abroad in 2023. And that’s without mentioning other events, such as the awarding of the French Cinema Prize to actress Virginie Efira and the revelation of the 10 To Watch in 2023 (in terms of young French film talent).

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In terms of film, 81 screenings are on the agenda, 43 of which are market premieres, notably The Crime is Mine [+leggi anche:
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intervista: François Ozon
scheda film] by François Ozon (sold by Playtime), which will be the focus of the opening evening, screening in a world premiere, and another highly attractive market premiere for Playtime comes in the form of Soul Mates [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by André Téchiné.

Equally eye-catching are premières of Oh My Goodness! by Laurent Tirard via Charades, The Assembly Line [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Mathias Gokalp via Indie Sales and Normal [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Olivier Babinet via mk2 Films.

Best Friend Forever can boast three market premieres by way of Nicolas Silhol’s Anti-Squat [+leggi anche:
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scheda film], Angela Ottobah’s Rapture [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] and Michaël Dichter’s Fantastic Three.

Three market premieres are likewise on the agenda for Wild Bunch International (who are also set to announce a change in name): The Principal [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Chad Chenouga, Rascals [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Jimmy Laporal-Trésor and Wild Seas [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Héloïse Pelloquet.

France TV Distribution are set to unveil Parisian Hustle by Hamé Bourokba and Ékoué Labitey, SOS: Save Our School by Carine May and Hakim Zouhani, and Sugar and Stars [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Sébastien Tulard.

A trio of market premières are also on the cards for WTFilms by way of Hugo P. Thomas’ Junior, Romain Quirot’s Apaches: Gang of Paris [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] and Jérôme Dassier’s Let Her Kill You.

Pyramide International, for their part, will be wagering on Time Out [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Eve Duchemin
scheda film] by Ève Duchemin and Before We Collapse by Alice Zeniter and Benoît Volnais.

SND, meanwhile, will enjoy five market premieres in the form of Princes of the Desert by Éric Barbier, A Great Friend by Éric Besnard, The Book of Wonders by Lisa Azuelos, Killing Blues by Cécilia Rouaud, and Jeff & Jean-Marc’s  Adventures by Pierre-François Martin-Laval.

StudioCanal will unveil Farang by Xavier Gens, while Bac Films will screen Junkyard Dog [+leggi anche:
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Loco Films will also be in on the act with two premieres: Grand Expectations [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Sylvain Desclous and Like an Actress by Sébastien Bailly.

Other Angle Pictures are distinguishing themselves with five market premieres: Kanun by Jérémie Guez, The Midwife by Jennifer Devoldère, Sweet Little Things by Mélanie Auffret, Hawaii by Mélissa Drigeard, and Hands of Gold by Isabelle Mergault.

Three premières will be showcased on behalf of Orange Studio, namely What Now My Friend by Robin Sykes, Schoolmates! by Sophie Boudre and All Because of the Cat by Cécile Telerman.

And, last but not least, Be For Films will be pinning their hopes on Habib, la grande aventure [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Benoît Mariage
scheda film] by Benoît Mariage, Les Films du Losange on Benoît Jacquot’s documentary By Heart, Elle Driver on The Lulus by Yann Samuell and Gaumont on For Better and for Worse [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Tristan Séguéla.

These many premieres and the numerous other titles in the various line-ups will all be up for negotiation, and thus-far unmentioned French international sales agents will also be in on the action, notably The Party Film Sales, Pulsar Content, Pathé Films, Newen Connect, Wide and Urban Sales.

Not to be outdone, the audiovisual market, for its part, is set to host the brand-new (documentary and fiction) French TV Screenings programmes, taking place on 10 and 11 January, and organised by Arte Distribution, Mediawan Rights, StudioCanal, Federation Studios, Newen Connect, France tv distribution, CLPB Rights, INA and Terranoa. Accredited buyers will also get to watch 350 programmes via the Screening Room.