61st edition of La Semaine de la Critique 2022

La Semaine de la Critique is a landmark event to discover and shine a light on new talented filmmakers. I would like to thank Charles Tesson, who was its artistic director for 10 years, and welcome Ava Cahen to whom I wish all the best for her first edition! 

In these trying times - marked by a two-year pandemic and the war in Ukraine - we must remember that protecting freedom of creation - these bellowing, free, unique and indomitable voices - is more paramount now than ever before. 

This year the CNC celebrates its 75th anniversary, and all these years we have been striving to allow independent films to exist, so that young talents may be brought to light, so that imagination may prosper in its various forms and so that writers, directors, producers and distributors may be free to make films. 

At a time when the health crisis has intensified changes in the industry throughout the world, we have reinforced the structure of our cultural exceptionalism policy to protect independent filmmaking - the bedrock of our rich and diverse culture – independent filmmaking – and to keep improving the support we provide to young artists. 

We are lucky to be living in a country that loves and champions cinema, and Cannes is a wonderful testimony to our commitment; it reveals the importance of our support policy in fostering first films, whether it be through our recently overhauled short-film support schemes, our Avances sur recettes, which we also updated, and, of course, our Aide aux cinémas du monde. 

We are delighted to be supporting La Semaine de la Critique and we look forward to seeing you again for more wonderful discoveries! 

Dominique Boutonnat
Chairman of the CNC