City of Lights, City of Angels
The COLCOA FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL (formerly "City of Lights, City of Angels") is an annual competitive film festival in Hollywood, created and presented by the FRANCO-AMERICAN CULTURAL FUND. Its goals are to showcase the diversity of French cinema, to promote films and talent among the film industry and to contribute to cross cultural understanding. The COLCOA FILM FESTIVAL is open to professionals and the general public.
The 20th edition was held at the Directors Guild of America theater complex in Hollywood from 18 April to 26 April 2016. In 2017, the festival will celebrate its 21st anniversary in April (Dates to be confirmed).
COLCOA was created in 1997 by The FRANCO-AMERICAN CULTURAL FUND, a unique collaborative effort of the Directors Guild Of America, the Motion Picture Association of America, the Writers Guild Of America, West, France’s Société des Auteurs, Compositeurs et Éditeurs de Musique. The FRANCO-AMERICAN CULTURAL FUND will present the 20th COLCOA FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL in April 2016. The festival is also made possible with the support of L’ARP (France’s Association of Authors, Directors and Producers), the Film & TV Department of the French Embassy, TV France International and Unifrance.
Since 2004, the selection is exclusively composed of premieres in Hollywood. Several high-profile features are presented at COLCOA for the first time in North America or in the U.S. Some can be International or World premieres. COLCOA is also known for presenting films before their commercial release in the U.S., and for being used by American distributors to launch and promote their film in Hollywood.
The selection includes features, documentaries, animated films, short films and, since 2015, TV movies and TV series. In 20 years, 676 films or TV series have been selected. COLCOA has constantly developed to become a showcase of 70 films in 2016, with a capacity of 26,300 and an occupancy rate of 91% (25,000 attendees). In 2015, a selection dedicated to films produced for television (TV movies and series) was introduced with 7 programs in competition. Its exclusive program has made of COLCOA an anticipated date in the industry calendar and one of the largest French film festivals in the world. Scheduled a few weeks after the Academy Awards® and before the Cannes Film Festival, COLCOA has become a prestigious event in Los Angeles.
The COLCOA audience is mainly composed of film industry professionals (74%), including Academy Awards® members: directors, writers, distributors, producers, agents, exhibitors, critics and journalists. COLCOA has developed partnerships with organizations like IFTA, The Cannes Film Market, Film Independent, Women in Film, The American Cinematheque, SAG, and since 2008, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.
In 2008, an educational program was also launched to promote foreign films among young American audiences in association with ELMA (European Languages and Movies in America). More than 18,000 students and 120 high schools have participated in the program since 2008. In 2010, a master class program was introduced for colleges, film schools and universities.
Academy Award winning actress Marion Cotillard (La Vie en Rose), Academy Award nominee actress Berenice Bejo (The Artist) and Academy Award winning writer/director Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist) made their first public appearance in Hollywood at COLCOA.
Award winners
Since 2005, films selected compete for the annual COLCOA AWARDS.
2016 edition
COLCOA CINEMA:
Audience Award: THE INNOCENTS (Les Innocentes) Directed by: Anne Fontaine Written by: Pascal Bonitzer, Sabrina B. Karine, Alice Vial
Audience Special Prize: MADE IN FRANCE Directed by: Nicolas Boukhrief Written by: Éric Besnard, Nicolas Boukhrief
Audience Special Mention: UN PLUS UNE Directed by: Claude Lelouch Written by : Claude Lelouch, Valérie Perrin
Audience Special Mention: I AM A SOLDIER (Je suis un soldat) Directed by: Laurent Larivière Written by : François Decodts, Laurent Larivière
LAFCA Critics Award: COME WHAT MAY (En Mai fais ce qu'il te plait) Directed by: Christian Carion Written by : Andrew Bampfield, Christian Carion, Laure Irrmann
LAFCA Critics Special Prize: THE FIRST, THE LAST (Les Premiers, les derniers) Written and directed by: Bouli Lanners
LAFCA Critics Special Mention: FATIMA Written and directed by: Philippe Faucon
LAFCA Critics Special Mention: THE INNOCENTS (Les Innocentes) Directed by: Anne Fontaine Written by: Pascal Bonitzer, Sabrina B. Karine, Alice Vial
LAFCA Critics Special Mention: Actor NICOLAS DUVAUCHELLE for leading role in A DECENT MAN (Je ne suis pas un salaud) Directed by: Emmanuel Finkiel Written by: Emmanuel Finkiel, Julie Peyr
First Feature Award: NEITHER HEAVEN NOR EARTH (Ni le ciel, ni la terre) Directed by: Clément Cogitore Written by: Thomas Bidegain, Maxime Caperan, Julia Ducournau, Nadja Dumouchel, Fabien Gorgeart, Britta Krause, Franz Rodenkirchen, Clément Cogitore
Coming Soon Award: LONG WAY NORTH (Tout en haut du monde) Directed by: Rémi Chayé Written by: Claire Paoletti, Patricia Valeix, Fabrice de Costil
Documentary Award: TOMORROW (Demain) Written and directed by: Cyril Dion, Mélanie Laurent
COLCOA TELEVISION
TV Drama Jury Award: CARPET AND CHAOS (Les Pieds dans le tapis) Directed by: Nader Takmil Homayoun Written by: Philippe Blasband, Nader Takmil Homayoun
TV Series Jury Award: CALL MY AGENT (10%) Directed by: Cédric Klapisch Written by : Dominique Besnehard, Fanny Herrero, Julien Messemackers, Michel Vereecken
TV Drama Jury Special Prize: WOMAN UNDER INFLUENCE (L'Emprise) Written and directed by: Claude-Michel Rome
TV Series Jury Special Prize: THE BUREAU - SEASON 2 (Le Bureau des Legendes) Directed by: Eric Rochant Written: Eric Rochant, Camille de Castelnau, Cécile Ducrocq, Raphaël Chevènement
TV Drama Audience Award: CARPET AND CHAOS (Les Pieds dans le tapis) Directed by: Nader Takmil Homayoun Written by: Philippe Blasband, Nader Takmil Homayoun
TV Series Audience Award: THE BUREAU - SEASON 2 (Le Bureau des Legendes) Directed by: Eric Rochant Written: Eric Rochant, Camille de Castelnau, Cécile Ducrocq, Raphaël Chevènement
TV Drama Audience Special Prize: BORDERLINE Directed by: Olivier Marchal Written by: Olivier Marchal, Christophe Gavat, Laurent Guillaume
Audience TV Series Special Prize: CALL MY AGENT (10%) Directed by: Cédric Klapisch Written by : Dominique Besnehard, Fanny Herrero, Julien Messemackers, Michel Vereecken
COLCOA SHORT FILMS
Short Film Jury Award: MOTHER(S) (Maman(s)) Written and directed by: Maïmouna Doucouré
Short Film Jury Special Prize: MILLIONS OF TEARS (Des Millions de larmes) Written and directed by: Natalie Beder
Short Film Jury Special Mention: COLD COFFEE (Café froid) Written and directed by: Stéphanie Lansaque, François Leroy
Short Film Audience Award: IT'S CAVIAR (C'est du caviar) Written and directed by: Sarah Lelouch
Short Film Audience Special Prize: MILLIONS OF TEARS (Des Millions de larmes) Written and directed by: Natalie Beder
Short Film Audience Special Prize: ENNEMIS WITHIN (Ennemis Intérieur) Written and directed by: Sélim Azzazi
Short Film Audience Special Mention: OUR FALLEN HEROES (A ses enfants, la patrie reconnaissante) Written and directed by: Stéphane Landowski