American Film Institute Announces 2019 AFI European Union Film Showcase Lineup

Details

Category: Entertainment News

Published on Tuesday, 05 November 2019 07:25

Written by AFI

The AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center announced today the complete slate of films for the 2019 AFI European Union Film Showcase, taking place December 4–22 at the American Film Institute's historic theatre in Silver Spring, MD.

Now in its 32nd year, the Showcase highlights 46 films representing all 28 EU member states, including award winners, regional box-office hits, debut works by up-and-coming talents and new works by leading auteurs, plus 11 of the top contenders for this year's Academy Award^® for Best International Feature Film and 10 U.S. and North American premieres.

AFI Fest 2019 Presented by Audi Announces Galas, Tribute and Special Screenings

---

This year's AFI European Union Film Showcase opens on December 4 with the U.S. premiere of Cannes-debuted Europa Cinema Labels prize winner ALICE AND THE MAYOR [ALICE ET LE MAIRE] (France), a whip-smart political two-hander directed by Nicolas Pariser (LE GRAND JEU), starring Fabrice Luchini (CYCLING WITH MOLIÈRE, IN THE HOUSE, POTICHE) and rising star Anaïs Demoustier (BIRD PEOPLE, THE NEW GIRLFRIEND, THÉRÈSE). The Closing Night selection is the nudist colony comedy PATRICK [DE PATRICK] (Belgium). The feature debut of Tim Mielants (PEAKY BLINDERS, LEGION) includes New Zealand comedy icon Jemaine Clement (FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS, WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS) in a supporting role and took the Best Director prize at this year's Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

Special Presentations highlight several high-profile international co-productions, including Hirokazu Kore-eda's (SHOPLIFTERS) French-language debut THE TRUTH [LA VERITÉ] (France/Japan) starring Catherine Deneuve and Juliette Binoche; A HIDDEN LIFE (Germany/U.S.), Terrence Malick's stunning World War II drama about Austrian conscientious objector Franz Jägerstätter; Agnieszka Holland's (IN DARKNESS; SPOOR) Berlin-debuted historical drama MR. JONES (Poland/UK/Ukraine) starring James Norton (GRANTCHESTER, HAPPY VALLEY), Peter Sarsgaard (AN EDUCATION, SHATTERED GLASS) and Vanessa Kirby (THE CROWN); and Sweden's Cannes-debuted Oscar^® submission AND THEN WE DANCED (DIR Levan Akin, Sweden/Georgia/France), a highly acclaimed drama set in Georgia's national dance academy.

World Premiere of The Apple Feature Film The Banker To Close AFI Fest 2019 Presented By Audi

---

Additional highlights include anticipated new works from some of Europe's best-known filmmakers and rising talents, including SORRY WE MISSED YOU (UK), Ken Loach's powerful follow-up to 2016's Palm d'Or-winning I, DANIEL BLAKE; Céline Sciamma's (GIRLHOOD, TOMBOY) sweeping 18th-century romance PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE [PORTRAIT DE LA JEUNE FILLE EN FEU] (France), winner of the Queer Palm and Best Screenplay awards at this year's Cannes Film Festival; the Dardenne brothers' (TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT) powerful Cannes Best Director award winner YOUNG AHMED [LE JEUNE AHMED] (Belgium); Jonás Trueba's (THE WISHFUL THINKERS) delightful self-discovery drama THE AUGUST VIRGIN [LA VIRGEN DE AGOSTO] (Spain), winner of the FIPRESCI and Special Jury Prizes at this year's Karlovy Vary International Film Festival; Quentin Dupieux's (RUBBER) off-the-wall leather jacket thriller DEERSKIN, starring Jean Dujardin (THE ARTIST); and Italy's official Oscar^® submission THE TRAITOR [IL TRADITORE] (Italy), Marco Bellocchio's (FISTS IN THE POCKET, VINCERE) epic Cannes-debuted Mafia saga.

AFI Fest 2019 Presented by Audi Announces Gala Premiere of The Crown

---

Also among the 11 official Best International Feature Film Oscar^® submissions screening this year are surprise Cannes Jury Prize winner LES MISÉRABLES (DIR Ladj Ly, France); acclaimed Holocaust drama THE PAINTED BIRD (Václav Marhoul, Czech Republic) starring Stellan Skarsgård and Harvey Keitel; controversial psychological thriller INSTINCT (DIR Halina Reijn, Netherlands), starring Carice van Houten (BLACK BOOK, GAME OF THRONES); Corneliu Porumboiu's (12:08 EAST OF BUCHAREST; POLICE, ADJECTIVE) twisty neo-noir THE WHISTLERS [LA GOMERA] (Romania); and the U.S. premiere of Tiago Guedes' (BLOOD CURSE) Toronto-debuted family epic THE DOMAIN [A HERDADE] (Portugal), Portugal's official Oscar^® submission.

Complete list of 2019 Oscar^® submissions for Best International Feature Film:

AND THEN WE DANCED (DIR Levan Akin, Sweden/Georgia)

CORPUS CHRISTI (DIR Jan Komasa, Poland)

INSTINCT (DIR Halina Reijn, Netherlands)

LES MISÉRABLES (DIR Ladj Ly, France)

LET THERE BE LIGHT (DIR Marko Škop, Slovakia)

MALI (DIR Antonio Nuić, Croatia)

THE DOMAIN [A HERDADE] (DIR Tiago Guedes, Portugal)

THE PAINTED BIRD (DIR Václav Marhoul, Czech Republic)

THE TRAITOR [IL TRADITORE] (DIR Marco Bellocchio, Italy)

THE WHISTLERS [LA GOMERA] (DIR Corneliu Porumboiu, Romania)

THOSE WHO REMAINED [AKIK MARADTAK] (DIR Barnabás Tóth, Hungary)

Complete list of U.S. and North American Premieres:

ALICE AND THE MAYOR [ALICE ET LE MAIRE] (DIR Nicolas Pariser, France)

HALF-SISTER [POLSESTRA] (DIR Damjan Kozole, Slovakia) –North American Premiere

MALI (DIR Antonio Nuić, Croatia)

NOVA LITUANIA (DIR Karolis Kaupinis, Lithuania)

PÉITRUSS (DIR Max Jacoby, Luxembourg) –North American Premiere

STORIES FROM THE CHESTNUT WOODS [ZGODBE IZ KOSTANJEVIH GOZDOV] (DIR Gregor Božič, Slovenia)

THE DOMAIN [A HERDADE] (DIR Tiago Guedes, Portugal) – North American Premiere

THE WEEPING HOUSE OF QALA [HEMM DAR IL-QALA] (DIR Mark Doneo, Malta)

VARIAÇÕES – GUARDIAN ANGEL (DIR João Maia, Portugal) –North American Premiere

ZIZOTEK (DIR Vardis Marinakis, Greece)

Complete list of Special Presentations:

A HIDDEN LIFE (DIR Terrence Malick, France/U.S.)

ALICE AND THE MAYOR [ALICE ET LE MAIRE] (DIR Nicolas Pariser, France)

AND THEN WE DANCED (DIR Levan Akin, Sweden/Georgia)

MARTIN EDEN (DIR Pietro Marcello, Italy)

MR. JONES (DIR Agnieszka Holland, Poland/UK/Ukraine)

OLEG (DIR Juris Kursietis, Latvia)

PATRICK [DE PATRICK] (DIR Tim Mielants, Belgium)

PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE [PORTRAIT DE LA JEUNE FILLE EN FEU] (DIR Céline Sciamma, France)

AFI FEST 2019 Presented by Audi Announces World Cinema and Documentary Sections

---

SORRY WE MISSED YOU (DIR Ken Loach, UK)

THE AUGUST VIRGIN [LA VIRGEN DE AGOSTO] (DIR Jonás Trueba, Spain)

THE PAINTED BIRD (DIR Václav Marhoul, Czech Republic)

THE TRAITOR [IL TRADITORE] (DIR Marco Bellocchio, Italy)

THE TRUTH [LA VERITÉ] (DIR Hirokazu Kore-eda, France/Japan)

THE WHISTLERS [LA GOMERA] (DIR Corneliu Porumboiu, Romania)

THOSE WHO REMAINED [AKIK MARADTAK] (DIR Barnabás Tóth, Hungary)

YOUNG AHMED [LE JEUNE AHMED] (DIR Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne, Belgium)

A complete slate of all festival screenings is below. For updated information, tickets and all-access passes, visit AFI.com/Silver/EUShowcase.