 The Oscar-nominated creator of Belleville Rendezvous,
Sylvain Chomet, who now has made his home and creative hub in Scotland
and almost overnight has turned Edinburgh, into one of Europe’s most
significant centres for animation, will attend this year’s Cannes Film
Festival with his first foray into live action.
 Plans
for the festival running from 17 to 28 May which were announced in
Paris reveal that Chomet’s contribution to the portmanteau film Paris je t’aime will open Un Certain Regard section of the festival
Chomet was last in Cannes in 2003 when his first full-length feature known in French as Les triplettes de Belleville received a standing ovation, and then went on to win multiple international awards and two Oscar nominations.
FALLING IN LOVE STORIES
Despite the demands of the two animated
films for which he also is writing the music, Chomet has managed to
find time to contribute five minutes to Paris je t’aime
in which 20 directors each explore an arrondissement (district) of
Paris. Each short film is dedicated to a ‘falling in love’ story. Other
directors involved include Alfonso Cuaron, Gurinder Chadha, Gus Van
Sant, Isabelle Coixet, Joel and Ethan Coen, Nobuhiro Suwa, Alexander
Payne, Tom Tykwer, Walter Salles and Wes Craven. The casts include Bob
Hoskins, Elijah Wood, Emily Mortimer, Gena Rowlands, Juliette Binoche,
Leonor Watling, Ludivine Sagnier, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman,
Nick Nolte, Steve Buscemi and Willem Dafoe.
“Originally the idea was that it should be animation but there wasn’t
time. My designated area is the 7th – around the Eiffel Tower, giving
me the chance to use some clichés."
SHADOW PLAYER
“The main character is a mime who has
the annoying habit of following people around and imitating them behind
their backs. He is played by Paul Putner (from Little Britain
TV series) and his girlfriend in the film is Yolande Moreau. I found
working with actors energising and I want to go off in that direction
too. Compared to animation, though, it is exhausting!”
Chomet’s company Django Films has united animators from all over Europe
and beyond as well as locals at studios in former office accommodation
on Edinburgh's George Street.
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