Posted May 20, 2023 4:14pm
Film festival: Luxembourg also makes its cinema in Cannes
LUXEMBOURG/CANNES – Celebrating success while driving change. Luxembourg cinema met on Saturday at the Cannes Film Festival. Under the eyes of Prime Minister Xavier Bettel and the Grand Ducal couple.
from
our special correspondent in Cannes, Thomas Holzer
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20.05 This Saturday marks Luxembourg Day at the Cannes Film Festival. For the occasion, the grand-ducal couple visited the Luxembourg Pavilion.
The Essentials/Marine Meunier
Prime Minister Xavier Bettel was also there.
The Essentials/Marine Meunier
Grand Duchess Maria Teresa in conversation with actress Marie Jung, who met L’essentiel as she approached her first flight of stairs.
The Essentials/Marine Meunier
“It’s the only time of year that Luxembourg has access to the sea,” Guy Daleiden, Director of the Film Fund, began in the introduction to Luxembourg Day at the Cannes Film Festival, joking about the unpredictable weather on a Saturday. May of the French Riviera. After more than 20 years of presence on the Croisette, the Luxembourg film industry is well aware of the ups and downs. There were also numerous nominations for this year’s co-productions, which provided good surprises.
On the occasion, the success of Luxembourgish cinema was celebrated with great fanfare, with the greeting of the Grand Ducal couple and the participation of Xavier Bettel, “a local regular”, laughed Mr. Daleiden.
Luxembourg Day in Cannes (Video: The Essential)
“But Luxembourg’s presence is not just about the red carpet, the rhinestones, the glitter and the sun,” said the Prime Minister, praising diversity and tolerance. “Film and culture in general are not expenses but investments that bring us together. We’re here to fund reflection, not cash in. Cinema is a glue of our society.”
Develop “a cinema that is unique to us”
However, in order for the Luxembourg building to continue growing, certain challenges seem inevitable. While the representatives of the various professions of the 7th art welcomed the international success of the actors and actresses from Luxembourg – especially Vicky Krieps – Guy Daleiden emphasized a sector that is vulnerable to change. Including in the Grand Duchy.
“The first is to ensure the transition to the younger generation, the second is to promote diversity between men, women and non-binary, and the third is to take greater account of the ecology and sustainability of productions.” In this context, could the head of the film fund only recognize that the Luxembourg model for recruiting productions is “not very ecological”.
Luxembourg in Cannes (Video: The Essentials)
And yet it must survive. Just as the professionals would welcome the development of a “cinema that is unique for us”, as Yann Tonnar put it, President of the Film Academy, which benefits from the success of Luxembourgish stars.
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