Goals

Parallel section of the Cannes Film Festival, La Semaine de la Critique focuses on discovering new talents. Ever since it was created by the French Union of Film Critics in 1962, the objective of La Semaine de la Critique has been to showcase first and second feature films by directors from all over the world. Bernardo Bertolucci, Jean Eustache, Otar Iosseliani, Ken Loach, Wong Kar-Wai, Jacques Audiard, Arnaud Desplechin, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Bertrand Bonello or Jeff Nichols were first introduced to the public at La Semaine.

Reflecting the usual film critics’ curiosity and high standards, la Semaine de la Critique intends to explore and reveal new, innovative filmmakers. Playing the role of a talent scout, la Semaine brought to light films like Respiro by Emanuele Crialese, Since Otar Left by Julie Bertuccelli, Or by Keren Yedaya, Me and You and Everyone We Know by Miranda July, Meduzot (Jellyfish) by Etgar Keret and Shira Geffen, The Orphanage by Juan Antonio Bayona or The Lunchbox by Ritesh Batra.

To ensure greater visibility to its talents, La Semaine presents a very selective programming of only ten feature films (seven in competition) and ten short and medium-length films, which are crucial when it comes to discovering new filmmakers. Selected with their short films, renowned directors such as François Ozon, Gaspar Noé and Andrea Arnold made their first steps at la Semaine.