Critics' Week

Critics' Week
LocationCannes, France
Founded1962
AwardsGrand Prize
Websitewww.semainedelacritique.com Edit this at Wikidata

Critics' Week (French: Semaine de la critique), until 2008 called International Critics' Week (Semaine internationale de la critique), is a parallel section to the Cannes Film Festival organized by the French Syndicate of Cinema Critics.

History

Critics' week was created in 1962, after the French Syndicate of Cinema Critics' successful campaign for Shirley Clarke's The Connection to be screened at the 1961 Cannes Film Festival. It is the oldest non-official Cannes sidebar.

Critics' Week's objective is to discover and support new talents, showcasing first and second feature films by directors worldwide. Bernardo Bertolucci, Philip Kaufman, Ken Loach, Tony Scott, Agnieszka Holland, Leos Carax, Wong Kar-wai, Guillermo del Toro, Jacques Audiard, Arnaud Desplechin, Gaspar Noé, François Ozon, Andrea Arnold, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Julia Ducournau, Justine Triet, all began at Critics' Week.

Since its creation in 1990 and until 2010, there was no jury at Critics' Week. Journalists of all nationalities were invited to vote at the end of each screening of the films in competition, after which the Grand Prize was awarded. In 2011, on the occasion of its 50th edition, Critics' Week formed an international jury made up of four critics and chaired by Korean filmmaker Lee Chang-dong. Thereafter, the jury has been presided over by a director and consists of four members with writing, filmmaking, acting or programming backgrounds. Notable jury presidents have included Bertrand Bonello, Miguel Gomes, Andrea Arnold, Ronit Elkabetz, Valérie Donzelli, Kleber Mendonça Filho, Joachim Trier, Ciro Guerra and Cristian Mungiu.

Description

Critics' Week presents a selective program of seven feature films and ten short films in competition. There are also special screenings which are kept few in number in order to provide them greater visibility. Feature films compete for Grand Prize, the SACD Prize, which is awarded for best screenplay, and the Gan Foundation Award, which helps films get distribution. Short films can receive the Canal+ Award and the Discovery Award. Debut feature films are eligible for the Caméra d'Or, which is open to all first films in Official Selection and the parallel sections at Cannes.

Main awards

Feature films

Feature film awards include:

Short films

Short film awards include:

  • Canal+ Award for Short Film (Prix Canal+)
  • Discovery Prize for Short Film (Prix Découverte Sony)

Discontinued awards

  • Prize of the Jury (Prix French Touch du jury) (?–2025)
  • Visionary Award (Prix Révélation France 4) (2012–2017)

Grand Prize winners

The Grand Prize (Grand Prix) is the top prize of Critics' Week. In 2001, the prize was sponsored by the French energy company Primagaz. Between 2011 and 2021, the Grand Prize was known as the Nespresso Grand Prize, named for its sponsor Nespresso. Since 2025, its officially named AMI Paris Grand Prize.

Below is a list of films and filmmakers that won the award, and the respective edition:

Year English title Original title Director(s) Production country Ref.
2001 Under the Moonlight زیر نور ماه Reza Mirkarimi Iran
2002 Respiro Emanuele Crialese Italy, France
2003 Since Otar Left Depuis qu'Otar est parti... Julie Bertuccelli France, Belgium
2004 A Common Thread Brodeuses Éléonore Faucher France
Or (My Treasure) אור Keren Yedaya France, Israel
2005 Me and You and Everyone We Know Miranda July United States
2006 Poison Friends Les Amitiés maléfiques Emmanuel Bourdieu France
2007 XXY Lucía Puenzo Argentina, Spain, France
2008 Snow Snijeg Aida Begić Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, France, Iran
2009 Adieu Gary Nassim Amaouche France
2010 Armadillo Janus Metz Pedersen Denmark
2011 Take Shelter Jeff Nichols United States
2012 Here and There Aquí y allá Antonio Méndez Esparza Spain, United States, Mexico
2013 Salvo Fabio Grassadonia and Antonio Piazza Italy, France
2014 The Tribe Плем'я Myroslav Slaboshpytskyi Ukraine
2015 Paulina La patota Santiago Mitre Argentina, Brazil, France
2016 Mimosas Oliver Laxe Spain, Morocco, Franace, Qatar
2017 Makala Emmanuel Gras France
2018 Diamantino Gabriel Abrantes and Daniel Schmidt Portugal, France, Brazil
2019 I Lost My Body J'ai perdu mon corps Jérémy Clapin France
2021 Feathers ريش Omar El Zohairy France, Egypt, Netherlands, Greece
2022 The Pack La jauría Andrés Ramirez Pulido Colombia, France
2023 Tiger Stripes Amanda Nell Eu Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, France, Germany, Netherlands, Indonesia, Qatar
2024 Simon of the Mountain Simon de la montaña Federico Luis Argentina, Chile, Uruguay
2025 A Useful Ghost ผีใช้ได้ค่ะ Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke Thailand, France, Germany, Singapore
2026 La Gradiva Marine Atlan France, Italy

See also

References

  1. ↑ "La Semaine de la Critique". Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  2. ↑ Roxborough, Scott (12 April 2023). "'Happening' Director Audrey Diwan Heads Up Cannes Critics' Week Jury". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  3. ↑ Erbland, Kate (16 April 2018). "Cannes 2018: Critics' Week Competition Lineup Dominated By Female-Directed Features for First Time in Decade". IndieWire. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  4. ↑ Dobson, Patricia (28 February 2000). "Bertolucci named Critics' Week patron". Screen International. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  5. ↑ Lattanzio, Ryan (12 June 2021). "21 Directors Who Launched Their Filmmaking Careers at Cannes". IndieWire. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 "Dix cinéastes révélés par la Semaine de la Critique | CNC". www.cnc.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  7. ↑ Gorson, Arthur (6 August 2019). "'Cronos' Producer Looks Back on Guillermo del Toro's Early Days". Variety. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  8. ↑ Indiewire (28 August 1998). "Francois Ozon Teases and Pleases with "See the Sea" and "A Summer's Dress"". IndieWire. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  9. ↑ Tartaglione, Nancy (27 March 2014). "Cannes: Andrea Arnold To Lead Critics' Week Jury". Deadline. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  10. ↑ Mintzer, Jordan (12 May 2016). "'In Bed With Victoria' ('Victoria'): Cannes Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  11. ↑ "FAQ". archives.semainedelacritique.com. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  12. ↑ Lemercier, Fabien (2 June 2021). "Cristian Mungiu will be president of the Critics' Week jury". Cineuropa. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  13. ↑ "Audrey Diwan, présidente du jury de la Semaine de la critique à Cannes : "J'ai envie d'être attentive à l'inédit"". www.telerama.fr (in French). 12 April 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  14. ↑ "La Semaine de la Critique". Semaine de la Critique du Festival de Cannes (in French). Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  15. ↑ Richford, Rhonda (16 May 2018). "Cannes: 'Diamantino' Tops Critics' Week Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  16. 1 2 3 "Prix de la Semaine de la Critique". Semaine de la Critique du Festival de Cannes (in French). Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  17. ↑ Goodfellow, Melanie (17 April 2023). "Cannes Critics' Week Unveils 2023 Line-up – Full List". Deadline. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  18. ↑ "Accueil". SACD (in French). Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  19. ↑ "Winners 2012 | La Semaine de la Critique of Festival de Cannes". Semaine de la Critique du Festival de Cannes. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  20. ↑ "Winners 2017 | La Semaine de la Critique of Festival de Cannes". Semaine de la Critique du Festival de Cannes. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  21. ↑ Ford, Rebecca (22 May 2014). "Cannes: 'The Tribe' Tops Critics' Week Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 12 January 2024. France 4 Visionary Award, which is awarded to a film that "reflects the passion and enthusiasm of promising young film critics for the new filmmakers of their generation."
  22. ↑ "Festival de Cannes 2001 / Palmarès". www.cannes-fest.com/2001/palmares.htm (in French). Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  23. ↑ Partenaire, Contenu (29 April 2019). "Nespresso au Festival de Cannes 2019 : à la rencontre des étoiles de la table et du grand écran". Les Inrockuptibles. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  24. ↑ "Prize List 2021". La Semaine de la Critique. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  25. ↑ "Prize List 2022". La Semaine de la Critique. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  26. ↑ "Ziré Nouré Mâh Under the Moonlight". La Semaine de la Critique. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  27. ↑ "Respiro". La Semaine de la Critique. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  28. ↑ "Depuis qu'Otar est parti". La Semaine de la Critique. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  29. ↑ "Brodeuses". La Semaine de la Critique. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  30. ↑ "Or / Mon trésor". La Semaine de la Critique. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  31. ↑ "Me and You and Everyone We Know / Moi, toi et tous les autres". La Semaine de la Critique. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  32. ↑ "Les Amitiés maléfiques". La Semaine de la Critique. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  33. ↑ "XXY". La Semaine de la Critique. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  34. ↑ "Snijeg Snow / Premières neiges". La Semaine de la Critique. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  35. ↑ "Adieu Gary". La Semaine de la Critique. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  36. ↑ "Armadillo". La Semaine de la Critique. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  37. ↑ "Take Shelter". La Semaine de la Critique. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  38. ↑ "Aquí y Allá Ici et là-bas". La Semaine de la Critique. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  39. ↑ "Salvo". La Semaine de la Critique. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  40. ↑ "Plemya The Tribe". La Semaine de la Critique. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  41. ↑ "Paulina / La patota". La Semaine de la Critique. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  42. ↑ "Mimosas / Mimosas, la voie de l'Atlas". La Semaine de la Critique. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  43. ↑ "Makala". La Semaine de la Critique. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  44. ↑ "Diamantino". La Semaine de la Critique. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  45. ↑ "J'ai perdu mon corps I Lost My Body". La Semaine de la Critique. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  46. ↑ "Feathers / Plumes". La Semaine de la Critique. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  47. ↑ "L'Eden (La Jauría)". La Semaine de la Critique. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  48. ↑ "Tiger Stripes". La Semaine de la Critique. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  49. ↑ "Awarded films of the 63rd edition | La Semaine de la Critique of Festival de Cannes". Semaine de la Critique du Festival de Cannes. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  50. ↑ Goodfellow, Melanie (21 May 2025). "Cannes Critics' Week Winners: Thai Film 'A Useful Ghost' & 'Imago' Take Top Prizes". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
  51. ↑ Keslassy, Elsa (20 May 2026). "Critics' Week 2026: Marine Atlan's 'La Gradiva,' Aina Clotet's 'Viva' Take Top Awards". Variety. Retrieved 20 May 2026.