Critic’s Week celebrates its 50th anniversary with My Little Princess

Yesterday, the Palais des Festivals hosted the 50th anniversary celebration of Cannes Critic’s Week. This return to its birthplace was marked by the screening of one of the Selection films: My Little Princess, the first film directed by actress Eva Ionesco. It stars Isabelle Huppert and the young Annamaria Vartolomei, and has been nominated for the Caméra d’or.

Thierry Frémaux, Director of the Festival de Cannes, said he was “delighted to officiate the event”. Jean-Christophe Berjon, Director of Critic’s Week, said he was honoured “to be able to speak for the critics, who have made the selection year after year.” “Our aim for up-and-coming cinema has truly been accomplished” he emphasised, drawing attention to “the unending list of those who have come to Critic’s Week as unknowns and are now internationally renowned filmmakers”. This list includes Bernardo Bertolucci, Jean Eustache, Otar Iosseliani, Ken Loach, Wong Kar Wai, Jacques Audiard, Arnaud Desplechin, Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu, Emanuele Crialese, Julie Bertuccelli, or, through their work in short films, François Ozon, Gaspar Noé and Andrea Arnold.

Eva Ionesco, the director of My Little Princess, thanked her whole team and the film’s sponsors: “I have never met them, but they are important: without them, the film would not exist”. Finally, Isabelle Huppert said she was very pleased with the film which shows that “there is no longer a tension between the old and the young generations”.

B. de M.