Cover Photo © Credit to iStockphoto/Delpixart
Cover Photo © Credit to iStockphoto/Delpixart

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The Deauville American Film Festival - a movie celebration

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Created in 1975, the Deauville American Film Festival (le Festival du cinéma américain de Deauville), a true movie celebration, is organized every September during ten days in Deauville, a beautiful seaside resort also known as the Parisian Riviera. This film festival is dedicated to the American cinematography, and it is also a privileged moment when movie professionals and movie lovers get a unique opportunity to socialize. During this festival, you can also see many American movie stars and even take a picture with them or ask for an autograph.

The Deauville American Film Festival
The Deauville American Film Festival
1 Rue Lucien Barrière, 14800 Deauville, France

History

In 1860, Deauville, a little village in Normandy, was transformed into the high society seaside resort attracting rich Parisians and wealthy people from all over the world. It was in 1975, when Lionel Chouchan, a French advertiser and writer and André Halimi, a French TV journalist and producer decided to create here a festival dedicated to American cinema. Their idea was to present the popular US productions, but also the independent and less known movies. After Michel d’Ornano, a mayor of Deauville, supported them as well as the Groupe Barrière, that operates casinos and luxury hotels in France and all over Europe, the Deauville American Film Festival was finally born. Since then, this festival is organized every September for ten days by the Public System Cinema, a company specialized in organizing film festivals and the Centre International de Deauville, a local convention centre. The festival hosted the biggest stars of American cinema such as Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Micael Douglas and even Liz Taylor and Bette Davis.

Awards 

At its beginnings, the Deauville American Film Festival was not competitive. But in 1995, this festival has changed its strategy and began to award the featured movies, and in 1998 also the short movies. The first president of the jury was Andrei Konchalovsky, a Russian movie director, producer and also a screenwriter. The members of the first jury were the French actors Anouk AImée and Michael Lonsdale. The highest award during this festival is the Grand Prix spécial Deauville. Other awards are: the Special Deauville Jury Award, the Deauville Audience Award, the International Critics Award and the Revelation Prize. The Screenplay Prize was awarded only three times, in 2004, 2005 and 2006. The Lucien Barrière Literary Price is the award for the best American-themed book. The first winner of this award in 1976 was Yves Berger, a French writer and publisher for his book “Le Fou d'Amérique” (“The fool of America”).

Photo Credit © iStockphoto/Delpixart
Photo Credit © iStockphoto/Delpixart

Practical information

The Deauville American Film Festival – a movie celebration, during ten days presents over 100 movies in three different sites (the Centre International de Deauville, the Casino and the Morny Cinema). A one-day pass costs 35 euros, and it gives you access to movie screenings and also a possibility to vote for the Deauville Audience Award. For 430 euros, you can get the Pass+, which gives you access to movie screenings during the entire festival and even customized welcome and champagne cocktail in the lounge bar. The ceremony of the inauguration of the names of famous actors and filmmakers that have come to Deauville, at the Promenade des Planches, is accessible to everyone and free of access.

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The author

Sladjana Perkovic

Sladjana Perkovic

Hello, my name is Sladjana, a journalist and writer living in Paris, France. I write about French well hidden places, gastronomy and cultural events.

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