Paris fest sports a turnout

Cup runneth, not over fest

By LISA NESSELSON

Conventional wisdom says that movies don't stand a sporting chance during the World Cup. But the fourth edition of Paris Cinema (June 27-July 11) belied such thinking, according to figures released by the mayor's office.

While moviegoing dropped nearly 50% in the French capital during those two weeks of televised soccer matches, the creatively programmed, low-cost fest sponsored by City Hall tallied just as many attendees as last year.

Nearly 70,000 people paid e4 ($5) a head to take in the offerings in 11 distinct thematic programs, including tributes to Peter Fonda and Cyd Charisse, both of whom came to Paris. All showings took place in independent and commercial theaters commandeered for the fest. (A firstrun ticket runs closer to $10 under normal conditions, but the fest is the city's subsidized gift to residents and visitors.)

Le Latina, a Paris theater devoted to Latin-influenced films, sold eight times more tickets than usual by hosting pics featuring unconventional Spanish thesp Rossy de Palma.

A summer innovation that met with particular success was "Unforgettable French Films," a lineup of Gallic classics shown with English subtitles, courtesy of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. With programming designed exclusively for children, "Paris CineMomes" -- a kidfest within the larger event -- also proved a big draw.

A complete retrospective of Robert Wise films was a highlight, as was an eclectic sampler of Korean pics. Twenty-six of Claude Chabrol's 54 features graced the bigscreen.

Mauritania-born Abderrahmane Sissako's "Bamako" won the Grand Prix (based on audience ballots), and American Kelly Reichardt's eerie minimalist odyssey "Old Joy" won the press jury prize in the 15-title competition.

Over a two-day period, Paris Cinema's professional arm "Paris Project," modeled after the Rotterdam Fest's CineMart, more than doubled its 2005 tally of 107 co-production meetings by organizing 235 such encounters. Nine pre-selected international filmmakers whose projects are in search of financing met with French producers and prospective financiers.

After helmer Costa-Gavras, who oversaw the first three editions of Paris Cinema, thesp Charlotte Rampling now presides over the event.