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NEWS Monday 20 May 2019
DAY 7

CANNES Q&A:

CLAUDE DAL FARRA

PRODUCER, BCDF PICTURES

What does your company do? important moments of the year for us —
BCDF Pictures is a US-based film and TV where we sell our films. As we are based in
production company that develops and America, it’s important for us to keep a
produces movies in the US and overseas. European sensibility to what we are doing.
Our core interest is in character-driven Cannes is one of only two major
material, mainly female-centric, with a very opportunities of the year to meet in Europe
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strong focus on book adaptations. Our and it re-focuses us on the needs of
criteria for a project is that it has to be a European markets.
CINEMA LIBRE story that we feel will add something to the Claude Dal Farra © DR
WILL LOOK world, films that celebrate the human What other markets do you attend? creatives and stay current with this fast-
adventure with its humour and passion,
In addition to Cannes, we always attend
AFTER THE TRUE conflict and connection. We started the Toronto and the AFM. changing industry.

company 10 years ago. I was working in the
STORY OF ALICE science field and one day I decided I wanted What are your plans for this film How many Cannes have you
GUY-BLACHÉ to do other things and contribute more to festival? attended?
We are here selling four films. Can You
35 years as a resident but for the market the
society. For me had to involve the arts. I
grew up in a family of artists so art was the Keep a Secret?, adapted from the Sophie past 10 years. This is my 10-year festival
CINEMA Libre has announced in only way I could think about it. Film is the Kinsella book, is completed and being anniversary!
Cannes it is handling all foreign king of the arts. It’s the medium that sold by Embankment. Our other films
sales for Pamela B. Green’s Be billions can be touched by. which currently are in pre-production are Best and worst Cannes films ever?
Natural: The Untold Story of Alice all literary adaptations as well: The Pecan Worst film: My mother always says: You
Guy-Blaché, which had its world How important is the Cannes Man; The Language of Flowers, which cannot hate art. It can just not be for you.
premiere here last year in the market for you? stars Kiersey Clemons and Nick Best film ever: Nebraska — I loved it.
Cannes Classics section. It was I was born in Antibes, so Cannes is close to Robinson; and The Hating Game, are all
released theatrically in the US last my heart! I studied biochemistry at the being sold by Mister Smith Biggest gripe on the Riviera:
month. University of Nice Sophia Antipolis. On a Entertainment. We also take this I am French so I am not at liberty to
business level, Cannes is one of the most
opportunity to meet with a lot of
Co-produced and narrated by speak.✦ Liza Foreman
Jodie Foster, it’s a feature-length
documentary that re-writes fi lm Ravic’s up-close look at a surreal life
history, revealing for the fi rst time
the full story of the life and work
of Alice Guy-Blaché, cinema’s fi rst NOWN for his avant-garde finest art schools.
female director, screenwriter, style, contemporary surrealist Migrating to Australia as a 21-year- old in
producer and studio owner. Charles Billich is one of 1956, Billich continued his studies at the
The fi lm features interviews Australia’s most prominent Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
with Patty Jenkins, Diablo Cody, K living artists. A prolific painter, and the National Gallery School of Victoria,
Ben Kingsley, Geena Davis, Ava sculptor and sketch artist for the past 35 where he would go on to open the Billich
years, Billich is the subject of a film taking a
Gallery in 1985 and establish himself as
DuVernay, Michel Hazanavicius, behind-the-scenes look at his colourful one of Australia’s best-known
Evan Rachel Wood and Julie lifestyle. The feature documentary — contemporary surrealist art exports.
Delpy, among many others. Billich: Beyond the Canvas — is directed Throughout his career, Billich has won
Be Natural explores the heights and produced by Steve Ravic and many high-profile awards including the
of fame and fi nancial success premieres at at the Festival this year. There Florence Biennale in 2009 and the 77th
Guy-Blaché achieved before she are also future plans for a feature film, to Honorary Shaolin Monk Award in Henan,
was shut out from the industry be called My Way, based on the true story China in 2004. He was also awarded the
she helped create, and effectively of Billich. The feature is currently in keys to the city of Atlanta during the
written out of cinema history. development with Steve Ravic and Centennial Olympic Games in 1996. Loved
Over the span of her career, she Melbourne, Australia-based Majestic Film. for his rock-star flare and irreverent style,
wrote, produced or directed 1,000 Billich’s career includes official art for Billich continues to captivate the
everything from the Olympics, Red Cross,
imagination of many collectors around the

fi lms. She worked in all genres Rugby World Cup, AFL to the Vatican and Charles Billich (left), world. “Give me something and I am able
— and made history by making the even the Playboy Mansion. His Christa Billich and
the earliest-known, surviving, paintings also grace the walls of The White Steve Ravic © DR to work with it,” he says of his ability to
adapt his creations. It is this diversity that
narrative fi lm with an all-African- House and the UN Headquarters, and he has seen Billich’s work admired by a broad
American cast. has been compared to Salvador Dali. which regrettably lead him to be range of high profile collectors, including
Green discovered rare footage Born in Lovran, Croatia, much of Charles sentenced to 10 years in prison by the political leaders, celebrities and prolific
of televised interviews and long Billich’s subject matter has been shaped by Yugoslavian regime which governed personalities, adding to his status in the
archived audio interviews which his fascinating personal history. As an Croatia at the time. Charles was granted contemporary surrealist art world.
can be heard for the fi rst time in example, Charles’ ballet collections were in amnesty two years later however, partly as Billich and his wife Christa are involved in
Be Natural, enabling Alice Guy- part inspired by his early life as a student a result of the overflowing prison system. various philanthropic activities,
contributing to several high-profile
dancer with the Opera de Ballet in the
He then sought political asylum in Austria
Blaché the chance, posthumously, Croatian port city of Rijeka. During this after escaping across the border, where he charities in Australia. They are also
to tell her own story. ✦ early period, a politically-minded Billich went on to study art at the passionate about fostering and nurturing
Julian Newby wrote satirical articles for a local magazine, Volkschocheschule, one of Salzburg’s young talent. ✦ Liza Foreman

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