We’re almost there. Next year your beloved festival will celebrate thirty years of discoveries, passions and sharing. Three decades that have allowed the celebration of the cinema you hold dear. One that’s outside the norms, improbable, in the margins. A true perspective on talents and always surprising or innovative points of view.

This last edition before the deployment consolidates the path we’ve traveled during all these years and once again offers you numerous opposed and yet related  propositions. From a Carte Blanche offered to French woman Olympe de Gé that redefines sexual relationships to that of Kirill Serebrennikov’s, one of today’s most flamboyant directors, who also graces us with a ninety minute master class, or sturdy Welshman Gareth Evans’ astute cinephilic choices, all come highly recommended. Anniversaries add up but are never really alike. The celebration of Chaos Reigns’ ten years of existence,  our dear friends and vigilant heralds of the cinema we support and defend, gives them the opportunity  to happily concoct an exotic and varied program.

On a sadder note, this year also saw the passing of an essential artisan of genre movies from the 50s and 60s.  After creating a body of work worthy of Roger Corman's, and driven by the same passion, Bert I. Gordon (aka Mister BIG) has left us, at over a hundred years old, to reunite with his giant ants and other colossal men. A swift retrospective was obviously called for. Englishman David Gregory has earned a serious reputation as an archaeologist of cinematic margins. This year he returns to the Festival with a robust evening centered around Bruce Lee's clones. Speaking of cinematic margins, a strong feature will be the mini focus on the work of the Ramsay family, the famous Indian artisans of horror films, more hilarious than truly terrifying. And for your delight, after last year’s thunderous evening, the always thrilling Christophe Bier digs deeper into the history of obscure French cinema, with a double treat this year.

Added to these plethoric propositions are the exclusive (and free) screenings offered by Canal+, or the always much expected sneak previews and discoveries, and of course our famous international short and feature film competitions. So no need to wonder which galaxy you should travel to during the first fortnight of September…

See you soon!

L'ÉTRANGE FESTIVAL