Distribs, exhibs flock to Paris

'La Vie d'une autre''38 Witnesses''Ernest and Celestine''Cloclo'Sylvie Testud's "La Vie d'une autre," Lucas Belvaux's "38 Witnesses" and Philippe Lefebvre's "Paris by Evening" will screen in the 14th Unifrance Paris Rendez-Vous, that will run Jan. 11-16.A married relationship-on-the-rocks dramedy, the Kinology-offered "Vie" stars Juliette Binoche and Mathieu Kassovitz.Films Distribution's crime drama "Witnesses" opens January's Rotterdam fest. With Roschdy Zem and Sara Forestier, "Evening," which tracks a evening-change vice-squad cop, is just one of multiple Rendez-Vous thrillers. TF1 Intl. also brings four.The Rendez-Vous also testifies to France's ongoing comedy boom, featuring Gaumont sales hit "The Chef," with Jean Reno, along with other Angle's potential B.O. juggernaut "Would I Lie, However? 3."Among debuts: EuropaCorp's romcom "Love Lasts 3 Years,Inch starring Louise Bourgoin ("Adele Blanc-Sec") from author-switched-helmer Frederic Beigbeder Films Distribution's thriller "Paris Under Watch," by Cedric Jimenez and Arnaud Duprey and Pathe's "Sunday Fathers" from helmer Louis Becker. Studiocanal will unveil "Cloclo," a biopic of famous French singer Claude Francois.It appears each year, 2 or 3 films bust out in the Rendez-Vous. Candidates for 2012 include Studiocanal's 2D toon pic, "Ernest and Celestine," cordially received like a work-in-progress at Annecy, and Pyramide's "Here Below," from Jean-Pierre Denis ("Murderous Service personnel"), the real story of the nun's fascination with a French Resistance fighter.Under Regine Hatchondo's direction, the Rendez-Vous will invite a delegation of 30 participants from arthouse and multiplex theaters to sample approaching releases. "The diversity of multiplexes in France is exceptional," Hatchondo states. "Overseas marketers are confronted with a totally different situation."Hatchondo notes that since 2010, the amount of screens has increased in places for example India and china, but "it has not achieved positive results arthouse European cinema" and marketers are focusing rather on Americal films and native features.Unifrance will even invite seven European TV funnel cake toppers to sign up inside a workshop throughout the Rendez-Vous. "The area of French cinema on European channels has transformed," states Hatchondo. "The product sales has continued to be roughly exactly the same, but European pictures are rarely designed for primetime consequently acquisition prices go lower."For that second edition of their online experiment, My French Film Festival -- looking for Jan. 12 to February. 1 -- Unifrance teamed with Allocine and attracted new partners: China's Youku, U.S.'s SnagFilms, Germany's Filmstarts.p, and Brazil's Terra.TV, additionally to Mubi, Filmin, KT in Korea and J.Com in Japan.Selection boasts game titles which are still obtainable in most areas, particularly Valerie Donzelli's wacky feature debut "The Full Of Hearts" and laffer "To Where You Started," directed by comics Thomas Ngijol and Fabrice Eboue."We believe the VOD market will ultimately prove highly complementary to theatrical activity. And in most cases, a VOD release does not impact adversely the theatrical rollout," Hatchondo highlights. "The concept behind the internet festival isn't just to evaluate the various VOD marketplaces, but additionally to boost the worldwide exposure of emerging French company directors to assist them to for his or her next films."Hatchondo is positive about next year's B.O. prospects for French films. Stating "The Artist," "Intouchables," "Promise of War" and "A Gang Story," she thinks there's a high probability many Gallic game titles will translate to worldwide auds.RELATED LINKS: Gallic laffers get guffaws Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com