COLCOA French Film Festival To Honor Mélanie Laurent; Announces The COLCOA "Classics Line-Up"

The Franco-American Cultural Fund announced that Mélanie Laurent will be honored as their "Focus on a Filmmaker" at the COLCOA French Film Festival. Additionally, they have announced the five films that comprise the "COLCOA Classic Series."

These selections will be presented as part of COLCOA’s 22nd edition, which will run Monday, April 23 through Monday, April 30, with all screenings taking place at the Directors Guild of America.  All films in the COLCOA Classics are free to the public. The complete line-up including films and series competing for the COLCOA Awards 2018 will be announced on April 3, 2018.

FOCUS ON A FILMMAKER: MÉLANIE LAURENT presented in association with Gravitas Films, Rialto Pictures, Unifrance and Variety COLCOA will honor writer, director and actress Mélanie Laurent on Thursday, April 26, with a special presentation of her first film THE ADOPTED/LES ADOPTÉS as part of the COLCOA Classics series.

The film premiered at COLCOA in 2012 and won the COLCOA First Feature Award. Following the first screening, Laurent will participate in a Happy Hour Talk dedicated to her career. The evening will conclude with the U.S. Premiere of Laurent’s latest film DIVING/PLONGER that will be released in the U.S later this year by Gravitas Film.


Mr. & Mrs. Adelman, A Woman’s Life, A Bag of Marbles, Call My Agent, Thank You Mister Imada All Win at COLCOA French Film Festival


THE ADOPTED/LES ADOPTÉS (2011) is the story of a family. A family of women often tossed about by life, but who have managed with time to ride out the storms. Men have little place in the women's lives and it's therefore quite natural that when one of the women falls in love, things come asunder. The family equilibrium has to be redefined and everyone strives to do so as best they can. But fate allows them to barely catch their breath before imposing another reality. The family must then learn everything anew. The mechanics of adoption must once again be put into action, obliging each person to change places. Written by Mélanie Laurent, Morgan Perez, Christophe Deslandes; directed by Mélanie Laurent; with Marie Denarnaud, Denis Ménochet, Mélanie Laurent, Clémentine Célarié. The film is distributed in the U.S. by Rialto Pictures.

DIVING/PLONGER (2017)

César and Paz are madly in love. Paz, a Spanish photographer, is always looking for new experiences. But César, previously a war journalist, is looking for peace and quiet. Paz gets pregnant and the perspective of motherhood smothers her. Each day she becomes more distant, lost in a quest she can’t quite grasp herself. Until she suddenly leaves behind César and their baby with no explanation. Written by Christophe Deslandes, Julien Lambroschini, Mélanie Laurent, Christophe Ono-dit-Biot; directed by Mélanie Laurent; with Gilles Lellouche, María Valverde, Ibrahim Ahmed. The film will be distributed in the U.S. later this year by Gravitas Film.

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