(L-R): Gladys Lazareff, Georges Santer, Minister Sam Tanson, Mayor Lydie Polfer, Guy Daleiden, Christophe Eyssartier; Credit: Chronicle.lu

On Thursday 9 February 2023, details of the 13th Luxembourg City Film Festival were presented at a press conference (over 90 minutes, held in French & Luxembourgish) at Kinepolis-Kirchberg.

The festival is being held from 2-12 March 2023 at a number of venues including Kinepolis-Kirchberg, Ciné Utopia, the Cinémathèque and the Abbaye de Neumunster.

Georges Santer, President of the Luxembourg City Film Festival, remarked that this year’s festival would be the first since the interruptions of recent years due to the COVID pandemic. He thanked the sponsors as well as international journalists who have helped set the festival on the international map and in people's calendars. In addition, raising the issue of gender balance, he welcomed 65% of the organisers being female.

Sam Tanson, Luxembourg’s Minister for Culture, acknowledged the “normal” conditions under which this year’s festival in being held. She also referenced gender balance.

Luxembourg City Mayor, Lydie Polfer, thanked the organisers and highlighted the young people’s screenings and young filmmakers too. She also mentioned the David Lynch exhibition st the Ratskeller of the Cercle Cité.

Christophe Eyssartier, Country Operations Manager Kinepolis Belgium & Luxembourg, stated that the evolution to normality post-COVID is still progressing.

Guy Daleiden, Director at Film Fund Luxembourg, spoke about the evolution of Luxembourg (co-)productions and their recent and current success on the festival circuit and global award ceremonies. He also referenced the calibre of the international jury as well as the Virtual Reality Pavillion that will be open from 1-19 March at the Abbaye de Neumunster in Luxembourg-Grund; this year, for the first time, the festival will have an “Immersive Competition”. He also spoke about the 5th edition of the festival’s VR Day on 2 March (from 09:30 - 17:00) involving both national and international experts speaking at an event which is being supported by Creative Europe.

Before he presented the programme, Alexis Juncosa, Artistic Director at the festival, thanked the selection team and mentioned that they had received no less than 250 direct entries this year. He also mentioned the six juries (international, documentary, Fipresci, 2030 Award, VR, Youth) and revealed that the president of the international jury will be Ashgar Farhadi, an Iranian director, who will also give a masterclass during the festival.

The Opening Film will be “Mon Crime”, a french comedy directed by François Ozon; the Awards screening will be the drama “Ingeborg Bachmann - Journey into the Desert”, directed by Margarethe von Trotta, and starring Luxembourg's Vicky Krieps (in German, Italian & French); the Closing Film will be “A Good Person”, a US-Canada drama directed by Zach Braff.

Nine titles will be competing for the GRAND PRIX - by ORANGE, worth €10,000. The films in official Competition include no less than three Luxembourg co-productions: “Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman” an animated film, and two dramas, “The Kings of the World” and “Maret”. Other Luxembourg co-productions are also included in both the festival’s feature programme and shorts programme (19).

In addition, no fewer than seven films will be in competition for the DOCUMENTARY AWARD - BY BGL BNP  PARIBAS, worth €5,000. 

The festival will also include a (director’s) masterclass, a conference, a pitching session and other events, including a number of industry days.

Gladys Lazareff, the festival’s Managing Director, then presented details of the “Jeune Public” (Young Public) screenings, addressing children from as young as three years old. She also thanked all the partners and sponsors.

Films in English include:

    “What’s Love Got To Do With It” (UK)
    “Sissy” (Australia)
    “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” (USA)
    "A Good Person" (US, Canada)
    "Fashion Reimagined" (US, UK)
    "Golda" (UK, US)
    "How to Blow up a Pipeline" (US)
    "Master Gardener" (US)
    "I Like Movies" (Canada)

Tickets cost €9.50 (€7 reduced) and are available online at www.luxfilmfest.lu from 10 February 2023.