photos by Philip Guerette courtesy TAFFF
Lovers of French cinema rejoiced as the 26th edition of the American French Film Festival (formerly COLCOA), returned to the DGA building in Los Angeles from October 10-16. Presented by the Franco-American Cultural Fund (FACF), the annual celebration of French films featured an exclusive program with more than 70 films competing for the 2022 Awards in three categories: Cinema, Television and Short Films; North American, International and World Premieres; panel discussions; and an educational program that presented screenings to hundreds of students from local high schools. All screenings were free to DGA members.
The FACF is 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.
This year’s festival featured an opening night cocktail reception for FACF members and the artistic delegation. Through the week other events included DGA Director-members moderating conversations with French Directors such as Taylor Hackford speaking with Jean-Jacques Annaud on his film Notre-Dame on Fire; Jon Amiel speaking with Fabrice Garçon and Kevin Ossona on their film Blazing Neon (Du Crépitement Sous Les Néons); Jeremy Kagan with Alexandru Belc on his film Metronom; and David F. Sandberg with Michel Hazanavicius on his film Final Cut (Coupez !); and a “Happy Hour Talk” panel discussion featuring DGA members Jon Amiel (Creation) and Patricia Riggen (The 33) and French Directors Lise Akoka (The Worst Ones) and André Donzel (Flickering Ghosts of Loves Gone By) discussing they choose to make independent feature films for theaters in a world dominated by series during a conversation moderated by Director/L’ARP Vice-President Radu Mihăileanu.
About the Festival
The American French Film Festival (formerly 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. TAFFF 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.
