We are very happy to announce that A River’s Gaze (Malul vânăt) by Andreea Borțun will represent Romania at the second edition of Smart7, an innovative initiative bringing together 7 key festivals of independent European cinema: Vilnius (Lithuania), IndieLisboa (Portugal), FILMADRID (Spain), the Transilvania International Film Festival (Romania), New Horizons (Poland), Reykjavík (Iceland), and Thessaloniki (Greece).

Congratulations to Andreea and her crew for this remarkable launch, very much in keeping with the spirit of the film!

Smart7 is a travelling international competition featuring a curated selection of seven films, presented at each partner festival. At a time when independent filmmaking and debut features face increasing challenges, this coordinated European circuit opens up new paths for the visibility and international circulation of these works.

A co-production between Romania, France, and Slovenia, A River’s Gaze will be distributed in France by Alchimistes (release scheduled for late 2026). In the meantime, check out the film’s international trailer!

Afte Les Étendues imaginaires — Golden Leopard at Locarno in 2018 — Yeo Siew Hua makes her grand return with STRANGER EYES, ua captivating thriller presented in competition at the Venice Film Festival, which will be available in theaters starting June 25, 2025.

Starring Lee Kang-sheng, an icon of Tsai Ming-Liang’s cinema, STRANGER EYES immerses us in a hypnotic investigation into images, surveillance, and the power of the gaze in an ultra-connected world.

Those of Marseille, see you at Les variétés and at the MK2 Beaubourg, Espace Saint Michel, Arlequin, MK2 Bibliothèque in Paris!

Trailer >>

Producers : Akanga Film Asia, Volos Films, Films de Force Majeure, Cinema Inutile

nternational Distributor: Playtime French Distribution: Epicentre Films

On June 13, 2025, the documentary film The Flats by Alessandra Celesia had its UK national premiere at the Sheffield DocFest, marking its debut on British screens after a successful international tour. Shot in the Catholic neighborhood of New Lodge in Belfast, the film explores the scars left by the Troubles through the memories of Joe McNally and his neighbors.

Blending elements of theatre and documentary, the film gives voice to the residents of the area, weaving together moving reenactments and intimate confessions. It tackles heavy themes: trauma, violence, alcoholism, but also solidarity and collective memory.

Already awarded at CPH:DOX in Denmark, the film was warmly received in the UK, with screenings followed by discussions attended by the director. Critics have praised it as a sensitive and powerful work that gives a voice to those forgotten by history, while offering a deeply human perspective on memory and resilience.

Gabriella Choueifaty’s 2006 Film Continues Its Successful Festival Run

Director Gabriella Choueifaty’s short film 2006 continues to captivate international audiences, with several prestigious selections in May.

The film was first presented at the Duzce Konuralp Film Festival in Turkey, then selected for the Vienna Shorts in Austria, an event renowned for its demanding programming and openness to emerging talent. Finally, 2006 will also be screened at the Côté Court Festival in Pantin, one of France’s must-see short film events, on Sunday, June 8th and Friday, June 13th.

Congratulations to the director and the entire film team; see you soon at more festivals!

Supporters: CNC – National Center for Cinema and the Moving Image, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region, France Télévisions Short Stories, France 2 Francophonie Image Fund (OIF), Creative Europe Desk – MEDIA Sud Cinéma Region, City of Marseille, Procirep-Angoa

Production: Films de Force Majeure (France), Born in Beyrouth Films (Lebanon)