"Listen to the Voices" awarded at the Locarno Film Festival!
Maxime Jean-Baptiste's first feature film, presented for its world premiere in the Cineasti del presente section, has received an award and a special mention at the Locarno Film Festival!
The closing ceremony of the Locarno Festival took place this Saturday, August 17th. Listen to the Voices, the first feature film by Maxime Jean-Baptiste, was awarded the Special Jury Prize CINE+ and received a Special Mention from the First Feature jury. The film was presented in competition in the Cineasti del presente section, dedicated to emerging filmmakers. The film's team was present at the festival, including the two protagonists, Melrick and Nicole Diomar.
Listen to the Voices was produced by Twenty Nine Studio & Production as part of the Light Production Call by the Centre du Cinéma et de l'Audiovisuel, co-produced by Atelier Graphoui, and sold internationally by MoreThan Films.
Melrick is a troubled young boy spending his summer in Guyana with his grandmother to escape his tumultuous daily life in Stains, France. At the end of his stay, he plays the drum to honor the memory of his late uncle, Lucas Diomar, who died under tragic circumstances. Despite a wave of murders of young men shaking the news, Melrick becomes aware of his place in a family shattered by an irreparable loss.
César Díaz's second feature film, Mexico 86, was presented for its world premiere on the Piazza Grande in front of 8,000 spectators, five years after winning the Caméra d'Or for his debut feature Nuestras Madres. The film stars Franco-Argentine actress Bérénice Bejo, who plays the lead role of Maria.
Produced by Need Productions and supported by the Centre du Cinéma de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, the film follows the journey of Maria, a Guatemalan revolutionary activist exiled in Mexico City for many years, where she continues her political activities. When her 11-year-old son comes to live with her, she faces a heart-wrenching choice between her role as a mother and that of an activist. The film is co-produced by the French company Tripode (known for co-producing Dalva and The (Ex)perience of Love) and is sold internationally by Goodfellas.
Also noteworthy are the selections of two other films of foreign initiative co-produced by Wallonia-Brussels producers and supported by the Centre du Cinéma: Les enfants rouges by Lotfi Achour, co-produced by Versus production, and Sauvages by Claude Barras, co-produced by Panique!
The Locarno International Film Festival (Festival del film Locarno) is dedicated to auteur cinema and is held every year in August in the Italian-speaking Swiss town of Locarno. Organized since 1946, it is one of the oldest film festivals in the world. The festival is recognized by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF) as one of the thirteen "competitive festivals," alongside festivals such as Cannes, Venice, and Berlin.
The 77th Locarno Film Festival took place from August 7 to 17, 2024.
films
