Nouvelles Vagues, a new international festival dedicated to films about youth, is set to make a splashy debut Wednesday in Biarritz, a surf haven in southwestern France, with Penélope Cruz as its inaugural guest of honor.
Launching with partners such as Chanel and leading French pay TV banner Canal+, Nouvelles Vagues was founded by fashion veteran Jérôme Pulis, who worked at Christian Dior for 16 years and producer Sandrine Brauer. The pair have enlisted former Locarno artistic director Lili Hinstin as programming chief.
The festival is kicking off Wednesday evening with the screening of Tina Satter’s “Reality,” the Berlinale breakout film starring Sydney Sweeney, followed by a gala dinner hosted by Chanel. “Reality” was acquired by HBO Films for North America on the heels of its critically acclaimed world premiere at Berlin. Metropolitan FilmExport, the French distributor of “Reality,” is holding the local premiere of “Reality” at Nouvelles Vagues ahead of its theatrical release in August — a sign that the festival is perceived by French industry players as a potentially strong launchpad in a crowded marketplace.
The presence of Chanel is also indication of the festival’s pedigree. The haute couture brand, whose ambassadors include many film talent such as Cruz, Tilda Swinton and Kristen Stewart, has been cultivating a bond with the film world for nearly a century. The brand’s tradition of championing contemporary artists, filmmakers and talent has intensified in recent years, under Virginie Viard, the artistic director of Chanel who debuted at the house in 1987, worked as a costume designer on several films and took over from the late Karl Lagerfeld in 2019 after working alongside him for many years. Bruno Pavlovsky, Chanel’s president of fashion, who is attending Nouvelles Vagues, said Chanel has “always had a strong relationship with cinema.”
“The House is committed to supporting singular and daring cinematographic projects. Each of these partnerships is based on close ties with filmmakers, costume designers and actresses close to the House, or linked to our history, and is part of Chanel’s unfailing commitment to supporting creation in all its forms,” said Pavlovsky.
Biarritz also symbolizes the birth of Chanel in 1915, when Gabrielle Chanel open her first couture house at her Villa Larralde, nestled in the beach town.
Along with showcasing films about youth, Nouvelles Vagues also boasts a jury of talent under 35, and an international jury of film schools. Presided over by Iranian director Saeed Roustaee, the jury comprises Lyna Khoudri (“Papicha”), Dali Benssalah (“Athena”), Camila Morrone (“Daisy Jones and the Six”), actor Noah Centineo (“Black Adam”), actor-filmmaker Francesca Scorsese (“We Are Who We Are”) and dancer-choreographer Léo Walk.
While being honored at Nouvelles Vagues, Cruz will present the French premiere of her latest film,”On The Fringe,” directed by Juan Diego Botto. Cruz, who also produced the film, will take part in a meeting with the public following the screening. Condor Distribution will release “On The Fringe” theatrically in France on July 5. “On The Fringe” played at Venice and was nominated for five Goyas this year.
The competition lineup includes eight films from Senegal, China, Canada, France, Italy, the U.K. and Spain. Among the films competing are Molly Manning Walker’s “How to Have Sex,” Ramata-Toulaye Sy’s “Banel & Adama,” and Zihan Geng’s “A Song Sung Blue” — all of which played at Cannes.
Here’s the competition roster:
“A Song Sung Blue,” Zihan Geng
“Amanda,” Carolina Cavalli
“Banel & Adama,” Ramata-Toulaye Sy
“How to Have Sex,” Molly Manning Walker
“I Like Movies,” Chandler Levack
“Paula,” Angela Ottobah
“Super bourrés,” Bastien Milheau
“Les Tournesols Sauvages,” Girasoles Silvestres
