La Fémis, old IDHEC, is an acronym for Fondation européenne des métiers de l’image et du son. This is the Parisian school of image and sound from which emerged many of the leading professionals of contemporary cinema. This program brings together the exercises filmed by some of the most illustrious students of the school.
The session La Fémis 1 – History of Cinema (April 20, Wednesday, at 21:45, Culturgest) kicks off with many heavyweights of European cinema from the last 60 years. Louis Malle (Crazealogie), the Portuguese Ruy Guerra (Quand le soleil dort), Dutchman Johan van der Keuken (Du bruit), Jean-Michel Carre (Liberte Jean), Olivier Ducastel (Le goût de plaire) and a regular name at IndieLisboa, Claire Denis (Le May 15).
For even greater discoveries see the session La Fémis 2 – A New Generation (Part I) (May 1, Sunday, at 19:00, Culturgest), which includes young promises in directing and acting from the 80’s and 90’s. François Ozon, the director best known for films such as Le temps qui reste (IndieLisboa 2006) or Ricky (IndieLisboa 2009), directed at La Fémis in 1994 Une rose entre nous. The directrice Marina De Van, who also collaborates with Ozon as an actress, started with the film Bien sur tout rapports. Emmanuel Mouret, equally divided between a directing and acting career, debuted with Caresse. Noémie Lvovsky, is best known for his work as an actress and collaborator of Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, signs Dis – moi oui, dis-moi non. The American directrice, born in Iceland, Solveig Anspach, debuted with Par amour. In turn, Un sovenir de soleil, directed by Laetitia Masson, tells a love story “between paintings.”
At the session La Fémis 3 – A New Generation (Part II) (1 May, Sunday at 21:45, Culturgest), there is Sans toi, the first film by the Chinese Paris-based director Hu Wei, whose Butter Lamp (IndieLisboa 2015) was nominated for the Oscar. This is an opportunity also to see Forbach by Claire Burger, who in 2014 received by Party Girl the Golden Camera at the Cannes Film Festival, distinction awarded to the best first feature film in competition. Emmanuelle Bercot, director and actor (who has worked with directors such as Olivier Assayas, Benoît Jacquot and Bertrand Tavernier), shows Les vacances and Sobresausts, by Leyla Bouzid which also brings to IndieLisboa the long anticipated film on the “Spring Tunisian” La peine j’ouvre les yeux (Silvestre). Originally from the television medium, Samuel Collardey, director and cinematographer, directs Du soleil en hiver (Grand Prix Short Film – IndieLisboa 2006), a story of a friendship between a farmer and his apprentice.