Since 1973, La Rochelle International Film Festival has
been a gathering for films, filmmakers, actresses, actors, professionals, the press and the public, without competitions or prizes. Its aim is to explore the cinematographic world, even its most remote continents. Staying faithful to its philosophy, the festival offers spectators an opportunity to discover around 250 films from yesterday and today, selected from all over the world. Selected regardless of all commercial criteria, they are often presented outside of the usual distribution circuits, and always have French subtitles (sometimes provided by the festival itself).
As the event is attended by many professionals (independent distributors, cinema owners, journalists, filmmakers, actors and producers), the festival provides a chance for foreign films to gain exposure in France, and gives forgotten films an audience and the possibility of being distributed in cinemas. In the different sections of the programme, the festival encourages people to discover unknown or little-known films, and rediscover works that have been forgotten, underestimated or not shown for many years. The Festival pays tribute to directors and actors by showing all their works; there are retrospectives of directors and actors who shaped cinema history; and you can discover the filmmakers who are shaping new European and international cinema today. This high-quality programme of events is attended by international stars who come to present their films.
