FRED’s Bénédicte Prot interviews Thomas Bidegain, director of the film Les Cowboys from the Director’s Fortnight programme of the 68th Cannes Film Festival.
Seasoned screenwriter Thomas Bidegain (who has scripted many acclaimed titles and is Jacques Audiard’s long-term collaborator, including on his latest, Dheepan) explains why he decided to try his hand at directing, what he took from his experience alongside other directors, and from his own cinephilia, to make an impressive debut feature that is markedly his own creation.
LES COWBOYS:Les Cowboys tells how a normal family who loves the country music culture is confronted with its very own “Indians” when their daughter Kelly disappears, after enrolling in the Jihad, at a time when no one had a clue in the Western world – for the film starts in 1994 and spans over fifteen years or so.
With splendid mountains and sad songs in the background, we follow a father’s desperate quest, and a son’s continued odyssey to rebuild some form of family, and make peace. A beautifully mastered debut film.
Presented out of competition in the Open section of Venice 83, Theo Rollason and Peter Tatchell trace Derek Jarman's legacy and today's fight for LGBTQ+ rights in Queer Edward II
"Listy-Letters from the Silenced Country" by director Andrei Kutsila reveals intimate stories of Belarusian prisoners and exiles, giving voice to resilience and hope amid repression.
"Guria" by director Levan Koguashvili offers a captivating blend of humor and tragedy set in 90s Georgia, highlighting human resilience and authentic stories from post-Soviet times.