Cannes Critics' Week selects duo (Variety)

The Cannes Film Festival’s 48th Critics’ Week announced Monday the first two titles in its Official Selection. Both spring from Gaul.

Fest opener will be scribe-helmer Mathias Gokalp’s freshman drama “Rien de personnel” (Nothing Personal), featuring French stars Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Denis Podalydes, Zabou Breitman, Pascal Greggory, Melanie Doutey and Bouli Lanners.

Produced by Gallic shingle Kare Prods. with Rezo Films distributing in France and MK2 repping international sales, pic portrays a corporate event gone haywire when managers and employees learn their pharmaceutical company is up for sale.

Gokalp’s short “Le Droit chemin” (The Straight and Narrow) was presented in the 2004 Directors’ Fortnight, where it received the SACD short film award.

The other Gallic title, also competing for a Camera d’Or, is Nassim Amaouche’s debut “Adieu Gary Cooper” (Goodbye Gary Cooper), starring Jean-Pierre Bacri and Angela Molina. Dark social drama, produced by StudioCanal and Rhones-Alpes Cinemas, is skedded for local release by StudioCanal in July.

Critics’ Week’s full selection will be released on Friday.

In related news, Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight will present its Carrosse d’Or to Japanese helmer Naomi Kawase. Nod, previously awarded to Clint Eastwood, David Cronenberg and Jim Jarmusch, will be presented at a ceremony on May 14 that will include a showing of a re-edited version of Kawase’s 2000 feature “Hotaru.” Kawase won Cannes’ Grand Prix in 2007 for “The Mourning Forest,” while her 2003 family drama “Shara” was part of the fest’s Official Selection.