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 latest edition was held at the Directors Guild of America theater complex in Hollywood from 20 April to 28 April 2015. In 2016, the festival will celebrate its 20th anniversary from April 18 to April 26.
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 19 years, 606 films or TV series have been selected. COLCOA has constantly developed to become a showcase of 68 films in 2015, with a capacity of 24,700 and an occupancy rate of 91% (22,500 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 15,000 students and 100 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.
2015 edition
COLCOA CINEMA:
Audience Award BLIND DATE (Un Peu, beaucoup, aveuglement) Directed by: Clovis Cornillac Written by: Lilou Fogli, Clovis Cornillac, Tristan Schulmann, Mathieu Oullion
Audience Special Prize ONCE IN A LIFETIME (Les Héritiers) Directed by: Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar Written by: Ahmed Drame, Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar
Audience Special Mention MEMORIES (Les Souvenirs) Directed by: Jean-Paul Rouve Written by : Jean-Paul Rouve, David Foenkinos
LAFCA Critics Award THE LAST HAMMER BLOW (Le Dernier coup de marteau) Directed by: Alix Delaporte Written by : Alix Delaporte
LAFCA Critics Special Prize ONCE IN A LIFETIME (Les Héritiers) Directed by: Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar Written by: Ahmed Drame, Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar
LAFCA Critics Special Mention NUMBER ONE FAN (Elle l’adore) Directed by: Jeanne Herry Written by: Gaëlle Macé, Jeanne Herry
First Feature Award SK1 (L’Affaire SK1) Directed by: Frédéric Tellier Written by: Frédéric Tellier, David Oelhoffen
Coming Soon Award SAMBA Directed by: Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano Written by: Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano
Documentary Award STEAK (R)EVOLUTION Directed by: Franck Ribière Written by: Franck Ribière, Vérane Frédiani
COLCOA TELEVISION
TV Movie Award DANBE (Danbé, la tête haute) Directed by: Bourlem Guerdjou Written by: Pierre Linhart, Bourlem Guerdjou
TV Series Award SPIRAL (Engrenages) – Season 5 Directed by: Frédéric Jardin Written by : Anne Landois, Simon Jablonka
COLCOA SHORT FILMS
Short Film Jury Award GROUNDED (Au Sol) Written and directed by: Alexis Michalik
Jury Special Prize CHAUD LAPIN Written and directed by: Alexis Magaud, Soline Béjuy Maël Berreur, Géraldine Gaston, Flora Andrivon.
Jury Short Film Special Mentions MY SENSE OF MODESTY (Où je mets ma pudeur?) Directed by: Sébastien Bailly THE TESTICLE (Le Testicule) Written and directed by: Emmanuel Poulain-Arnaud
Short Film Audience Award GROUNDED (Au Sol) Written and directed by: Alexis Michalik
Audience Special Prize SMART MONKEY Written and directed by: Nicolas Pawlowski & Winshluss
Audience Special Mention WHO’S UP? (Qui de nous deux?) Written and directed by: Benjamin Bouhana