Shui : Raymond Chiu
Lady Boss : Wong So Fun
Zeno Koo : Newbie 612
Senior : Brian Thomas Burrell

Written and Directed by : Nate Ki
Producer : Mani Man

Joe O’Connor

Dave Goes West, Blocbuster, Voyager

Directed by : Joe O’Connor
Produced by : Dora Dimian
Director of Photography: Jess James

Suzanne Andrews Correa

Green:Erol Afsin
Abi: Aziz Çapkurt

Directer : Suzanne Andrews Correa
Writters  : Suzanne Andrews Correa & Mustafa Kaymak
Director of Cinematography : Farhad Ahmed Dehlvi
Producers : Mustafa Kaymak & Michael Peters
Editor : Pinar Yorgancioglu
Sound : Eli Cohn

Patrick Muroni

Patrick Muroni started in audiovisual media as a technician for a local television. He then worked on the editing of a semi-professional medium-length film before passing a literary baccalaureate. He starts a Bachelor’s degree in Cinema after a first propaedeutic year at the Cantonal Art School of Lausanne (ECAL). He graduates in 2017 with his film Foulek.

Niels: Roman Finkiel
Céleste: KT Gorique
Manon:Hélène Guillemin
La Mère: Aurélia Petit

Director & Screenplay: Patrick Muroni
Photography : Léo Lefèvre
Sound: Timothée Zurbuchen
Editing : Thomas Robineau
Assistant Director : Natalia Ducrey
Script Supervisor : Joséphine Pittet
Music: Nicolas Rabaeus

ECAL • Ecole cantonale d’art de Lausanne
Département Cinéma

Producer: Lionel Baier

Guilherme Candido & Asaph Luccas

Director: Guilherme Candido & Asaph Luccas
Writer: Coletivo Gleba do Pêssego
Producer: Leonardo Domingos, Caroline Santos Souza, Ariana Lackshmi

Bernhard Wenger

Bernhard Wenger war born 1992 in Salzburg, Austria. After graduating high school he moved to Vienna, where he studied film theory and gained professional set experience. He was accepted to the Vienna Film Academy in 2014, and is currently pursuing degrees in both directing and production.

Bernhard’s last short films have been screened and won awards at prestigious film festivals like Nashville Film Festival, Palm Springs Film Festival, Chicago Film Festival, Uppsala Film Festival, Odense Film Festival, St. Louis Film Festival, Max Ophüls Award, etc. He has won over 70 international awards and in 2015, received the Award for Art and Culture in his hometown. His short KEEPING BALANCE was released online as a Vimeo Staff Pick in November 2017.

Aron: Rasmus Luthander
Arons Girlfriend, Ida: Anna Åström
Maya: Elli Tringou
Friendly Guy: Carl Achleitner

Written and Directed by : Bernhard Wenger
Director of Cinematography: Albin Wildner
Producers: Florian Bayer, Clara König, Bernhard Wenger
Editor: Rupert Höller
Original Score: Mario Fartacek
Sound: Florian Rabl & Ken Rischard
Production Design & Costumes: Antonio Semeraro

Who are you?

Bonjour! I am Jack. I am working with Netflix project recently. I usually take place in concept design and visual effects in films and broadcast programmes in past few years. I begin to develop my own individual films in recent years.

when I was young, I liked the fascinating visuals in the industry very much. Therefore, I started to work in my first company, Imagi Animation Studios as a 3D animator and joined the project of “Astro Boy”. Then, I joined Sola Digital Arts and worked on “Starship Troopers:Invasion” as production designer.

When I was getting more and more close to films in my work, I discovered that the more important part of film is the thinking inspired by them. Then, it inspires me to be a director and tell things and discuss things to the society and the world.

How did the project begin?

During my working days, I was attracted by the avant-garde hypothesis and they led me think deeply about the issues. For instance, “Matrix” makes me think about the identity of human. “Dark city” makes me have a new perspective to time. As a result, I also want to do something and lead the audience and the public to think. However, I could not achieve my aspiration in my jobs. The productions that I involved mostly was just eyes candy and I did not satisfy with them. Moreover, special genres of films like detective, sci-fi, mystery like was rarely founded in China and Hong Kong. Eschatology is seldom talked about in films. So, I quitted my job and started my project, Zackman.

What is Zackman about?

Someone in the later century want to define the meaning of the will. Then, he finds limbs from people who are superior in different area with special abilities and joins the parts to form one complete body. He wants to see the five wills in five limbs fighting for one body and results an evolved species. A couple incidentally fells in the experiment. It arouses the interest of the man to know what will happen when the couple really join together in one body forever. The man put five wills in a body and let them to fight for the only body. 

It was a premiere for Zackman in France, what does it represent?

Thanks for the selection for Zackman to be screened in France. I hope it can be a good chance to do culture sharing with French audience through films. It is also a great chance for me to engage in the European film culture. In my first short film – “Zackman”. It represents the thinking that there is always a chance for people to reborn. No matter in what situation, even if you are dead like the main character in Zackman, you can reborn and break through your limit in another world if you keen to catch the chance.

An anecdote about your filming?

One interesting thing in my filming is about the custom of the characters. Firstly, I designed the customs only based on the visual needs. When the custom had been made and dressed by the characters, it was difficult for them to do any movements since the customs were too tight and heavy for them. After some adjustments and cooperation with the custom designer, the characters finally could do acting with movements. Although the performance of character seems not nature due to the restrictions from the customs, I think it creates a unique image to the character. Those strange movements can even deepen the characteristics of the them.

What is next for Jack Tong?

In fact, I am not satisfied enough for this project because the resource for the project is not enough for me to work out a perfect production for the story. Moreover, I plan that the next story should be longer and more familiar to the general public. I want to focus on the story arc and bring a world with comedy and sci-fiction to the audience. Thanks for your attention. Merci.

Who are you? Sofia Kyritsis, emerging filmmaker?

I completed my MBA and Bachelor in International Business from Quinnipiac University, in Connecticut, US, while playing basketball on a NCAA scholarship. After abandoning my basketball career because of a debilitating injury, I returned to Montreal and sought alternative healing for my rare and irreversible injury. Because Qi Gong, Tai chi and meditation helped me reconnect to my center, I decided to implement these practices when I was asked to help coach a group of boys’ basketball high school team. We went undefeated for the entire season and became provincial champions. I soon realized that I was on to something.

This year in prep school (Cegep), three of my star players have fallen back in their old patterns and their team is on a losing streak. Building on the bond I created with them during the 2014 Championship, I returned to coaching. This journey is the subject of my compelling documentary film MILLENNIAL BLUES, which explores my unorthodox approach with a group of young men who don’t adhere to traditional coaching techniques anymore. After completing filmmaking at NYFA in NYC, I realized that this might be my last contribution to basketball. In the process, I want to capture these young men’s journey and the obstacles they need to overcome to reach their dream.

What is Fadeaway about?

FADEAWAY is an experimental short film exploring the chaos in an athlete’s mind and his struggle to subdue it.

To produce FADEAWAY, I used the footage of my feature length documentary “MILLENNIAL BLUES” that is in production as we speak.

Synopsis:

MILLENNIAL BLUES chronicles the journey of a young men’s basketball team mired in losing streak and crippled with indiscipline as they undergo a radical shift in training with retired NCAA player Sofia Kyritsis.

This team of millennials does not respond well to the old authoritative teaching tactics, so Sofia’s intuition is to nurture them and guide them to find their centre. Following the efforts of three star players, Nudy, Judy and Jerry, we witness their everyday progress and setbacks as they pursue a shared goal: getting an NCAA scholarship and a chance at a professional basketball career.

While shifting the paradigm of the coach-player relationship, these new teachings affects more than their game. MILLENNIAL BLUES captures an entire season in the life of boys becoming men, and in the process reveals a maturing that will last them a lifetime.

An anecdote about your filming?

One of the thing that is surprising is that the players are sometimes very self-conscious about the filming and some other times they are oblivious to the point of not seeing the cameraman. They have the impression the film is something not too serious, but they want to become better players, so they are taking this whole adventure as part of their training.

It was a premiere for Fadeaway in France, what does it represent for you?

I’ve been living in the “basketball” bubble for more than a year while filming this project, so to get a recognition and exposure for the short film at your festival is very exciting. It suddenly made the potential of the film suddenly real and it’s increased my motivation to make a great film.

What represent Excuse My French “Best Original Score” for you?

It’s a great honor to receive this award. The score has a big influence on the mood of the story, and I was very lucky to work with a great sound editor, Luc Raymond. Because music is so important to me, for training and meditating, I wanted to make sure it was an important contributor to the film’s mood and impact.

What is next for you? 

In production and entering post-production for my feature length documentary in a couple of months. In post-production on a short film on a French baker in Montreal who prepares organically his own flour and how the industry is producing nutrition less white flour and bread, also known as poison to him. Also in development on other documentary and fiction projects simultaneoulsy.

Eva Sigurdardottir is an Icelandic film producer and director

• • Eva Sigurdardottir

    Director
  • Eva Sigurdardottir

    Writer
  • Alexandra Blue

    Producer
  • Eva Sigurdardottir

    Producer
  • Kennedy Atkins

    Key Cast
  • Megan Prescott

    Key Cast
  • Marlon G Day

    Key Cast

Eva Sigurdardottir, Film Director of Cut

Who are you?

My name is Eva Sigurdardottir, and I am an Iceland producer and writer-director. I live and work both in Iceland and in London in the UK. I run a small production company called Askja Films which focuses on female driven stories and female filmmakers.

How did the project begin?

The idea for the short film ‘Cut’ came in two parts. Firstly I have always been interested in the effects that social media has on young women, and just how devastating it can be if images of you are leaked online. I also have been fascinated with the fitness/bodybuilding world for a while now as its very mainstream in Iceland and I have some friends who have competed. It is such an extreme environment and I struggled to understand why you would want to be put on stage to be judged on your physique! And so the two ideas came together – revenge porn and then the fitness world. That’s how ‘Cut’ was born! Ultimately it is a film about body image, and how vulnerable we all are when it comes to us being judged by others as well as ourselves. 

What is CUT about?

Cut follows 17-year-old Chloe on the day that she competes in a bikini fitness competition. We then learn that she had been a victim of revenge porn, and has since decided to try and change her image. But she struggles in the competition, especially backstage, where people are still talking about her and her video.

An anecdote about your filming?

We street cast the main actress – Kennedy Atkins. She had never acted before, and she had also never competed in a fitness competition before. Not only did she do an amazing job as an actress, but she also completely embraced the training. We then actually entered here into a real competition (so that we could film her on stage) and amazingly she won her category! Our secondary lead Megan Prescott also won her category, so it was an amazing bonus and adrenaline rush for our filming period.

It was a premiere for Cut in France, what does it represent?

It is so great to show the film to a French audience, and I am very curious to hear how the French audience experienced the film. These kind of experiences are sometimes very different in different countries and cultures, and France has been very controversial recently when it comes to the #MeToo movement and other related topics. But I am most interested in hearing from young French girls, to see if they can relate to our character who is English in the film. My suspicion is that the experiences and feelings are very similar. 

What represent Excuse My French “Best Film” for you?

It is amazing to win Best Film for the film Cut, as it is really a prize for the whole team. In particular my producer Alexandra Blue and co-producer Katie Hodgkin deserve recognition as without them there wouldn’t be a film. This was by far the most ambitious short film that I have ever done, and it is so great to see that it was all worth it!

What is next for Eva Sigurdardottir? 

I am currently developing a feature film, as well as I am looking into making a documentary about bikini fitness in Iceland. I also keep on producing and have a few projects on the go. In short – I am very busy, so watch this space!

Faraz Arif Ansari, Film Director of Sisak

Who are you?

I am a dreamer. While dreaming, I write films, I make them too. I paint, I doodle, I cook food for people I love. I am working for children who live on the streets of Mumbai, providing them with food and basics, from time to time. Still so much more to discover.

What is Sisak about?

Sisak is India’s First Silent LGBTQ Love Story. On the surface, it is a love story, yes but it is not just that. It is a political statement towards the law of the Constitution of India that condemns love and a social statement that refuses to accept their own sons & daughters for their sexual and emotional preferences. It is trying to open a dialogue for acceptance and love.

An anecdote about your filming?

I had to sell my car, rent out my own apartment & move back with my parents to make Sisak since no one wanted to produce my film! After having such a terrific response in the international festival circuit and winning 16 international awards since our World Premiere in April, I am more than elated. The courage is paying off.

What represent Excuse My French “Audience award” for you? Also, a friend of yours attended the festival, did you get a feedback?

I always believe that winning an Audience Award is a far bigger win than winning a Jury Award. Every filmmaker makes films for their audiences. When one wins an Audience Award, it reaffirms your faith in your film and makes you realize the immense power of cinema – touching lives without having met people. I have never been to Paris or France but my film has and it also won the Audience Award at EMF! What a great way to begin my romance with the city of love!

What is next for Faraz Ansari?

Currently, I am working on my feature film ‘Lottery’ and plan to start shooting soon. I am also writing two short films: Gaajar Ka Halwaa (Carrot Pudding) & A Little Life that will go on floors end of this year or early next year. Other than films, I am writing a book for a major publishing house & hoping to start with my own chat show featuring major influencers called ‘Frappé with Faraz’