For its tenth edition, the Carros festival, which pays tribute to Mediterranean cinema, naturally put together a top-notch program filled with many surprises. And it executed this challenge with great success!
“And the least that can be said is that it was a wonderful anniversary and an amazing success!” exclaims a radiant Françoise Lecouffe, president of Cinéactions, which organized this event.
Nearly 5,500 spectators (from all over the department and composed of 40% of residents from Carros and the surrounding villages) attended the screenings of the 36 films of the 2015 edition.
Among these feature films, from about fifteen Mediterranean countries, 8 were premieres and 7 were pre-releases. It was an opportunity for the audience to discover films they might not otherwise get to see!
For this 10th edition, there were indeed pleasant surprises. Beginning with the incredible Mille et une nuits evening. For the first time, it was possible to see in its entirety and consecutively, the three parts of Miguel Gomes’s film (with a total running time of 6h23min). Cinéalma accomplished the impressive feat of screening the three feature films back-to-back.
Another emotional moment was the tribute to the Greek director Theo Angelopoulos, who passed away in 2012 during the filming of his last movie. The screening of “The Beekeeper” took place in the presence of his wife.
True to its tradition, Cinéalma also facilitated meetings and debates between the audience, actors, and directors. When they couldn’t be present in person, some participated through screens, via videos and Skype connections (Ida Panahandeh, Carlos Saura…).
This year, the audience experienced a range of emotions, right up to the closing film “Son of Saul” by Laszlo Nemes, which was awarded at the Cannes festival and deals in a poignant manner with the harrowing topic of the Holocaust. From popular films to those aimed at a more cinephile audience, including school sessions, Cinéalma provided emotions for everyone.
The audience especially appreciated the festival’s atmosphere, an ambiance not found elsewhere: simple, warm, well-organized, and during which people could both enrich themselves, exchange ideas, and relax.
For Charles Scibetta, mayor of Carros and the originator of this festival: “Finally, it is impossible to conclude this tenth edition without paying tribute to the dedication of the Cinéactions association volunteers, who ensure the organization of this event, in partnership with the town of Carros.”
The next edition will take place from October 14 to 23, 2016.
