After a year of waiting in the wings, lovers of French cinema rejoiced as the 25th edition of COLCOA (formerly City of Lights • City of Angels), returned to the DGA building in Los Angeles from November 1-7. Presented by the Franco-American Cultural Fund (FACF), the annual celebration of French films featured an exclusive program with more than 50 films competing for the 2021 COLCOA Awards in three categories: Cinema, Television and Short Films; North American, International and World Premieres; panel discussions and an educational program that presented screenings nearly 3,000 students from local high schools. All screenings were free to DGA members.
Dedicated to the late French Director and DGA Member Bertrand Tavernier, this year’s festival featured an opening night cocktail reception for FACF members and the artistic delegation. Other DGA-centric events included a workshop at Sunset Marquis on November 2, where DGA Special Projects Committee Chair Jeremy Kagan led a conversation comparing how a film comes together in the US and in France. Later that same evening, Kagan also served as the moderator for a Q&A with Director Samir Guesmi on his film, Ibrahim. On November 3, DGA Women’s Steering Committee Co-Chair Tara Miele moderated a Q&A with Director Nolwenn Lemesle and Actor Tracy Gotoas on their movie for television, Owning It. On November 5, DGA Director-member Kim Nguyen moderated a Q&A with Writer/Director/Actor Julie Delpy, Writer/Actor Alexia Landeau and Actor Elisabeth Shue following a screening of two episodes of their Netflix, series, On the Verge. Also on November 5, DGA Board Alternate Jonathan Mostow moderated a Q&A with Writer/Director/Actor Nicolas Maury on his feature, My Best Part.
About the Festival
COLCOA is presented by the Franco-American Cultural Fund, a partnership of the Directors Guild of America, the Motion Picture Association, France’s Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers of Music (SACEM), and the Writers Guild of America, West. COLCOA is produced in association with France’s Writers, Directors and Producers Association (L’ARP), the Los Angeles Film and TV Office of the French Embassy, and Unifrance. The DGA has supported the festival since its founding in 1996..