Luxembourg City Film Festival 2024

Another year, another Luxembourg City Film Festival. Its 14^th edition took place from 29^th February to 10^th March 2024.

Luxembourg City Film Festival’s mission is "to maintain the quality of the programme, to promote national cinema, and to offer a young audience programme". This was reflected through the Festival, that´s for sure. Needless to say, I couldn't see all the movies. 

Three main selections have been part of the LCFF: 

Official Competition, Documentary Competition and Official Selection out of Competition. 

In purple, I have rated the films on a scale of 1 to 5 (mainly on X) according to my personal taste; considering the plot, characters, photography, shots, editing, music, lighting, etc. An important indicator is if I check the time on my phone in the middle of the film.

From the OFFICIAL COMPETITION category, I´ve watched:

Hoard. This film was given a Special mention for the Direction (Luna Carmoon) at the Prize ceremony, the last day of the festival. 2,5/5

Melk by Stefanie Kolk. 5/5

It's Raining in the House (Il pleut dans la maison) by Paloma Sermon-Daï 2,5/5

Terrestrial Verses (Ayeh haye zamini). This film was given the Grand Prix – By Orange and the INTERNATIONAL FILM CRITICS AWARD (FIPRESCI) to Ali Asgari, Alireza Khatami at the Prize ceremony, the last day of the festival. 4/5

 

From the DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION category, I´ve watched:

El eco (The Echo) by Tatiana Huezo. This film was given the 2030 AWARD BY Luxembourg Aid & Development at the Prize ceremony, the last day of the festival. 4,5/5 Bravo! 

La memoria infinita (The Eternal Memory) by Maite Alberdi 4,5/5

Reas by Lola Arias. This film was given the DOCUMENTARY Award – BY BGL BNP Paribas at the Prize ceremony, the last day of the festival. 1/5 

From the OFFICIAL SELECTION OUT-OF-COMPETITION category, I´ve watched: 

Los océanos son los verdaderos continentes (Oceans Are the Real Continents) by Tommaso Santambrogio 4/5 

Paradiset brinner (Paradise is Burning) by Mika Gustafson 4/5 

The sweet east by Sean Price Williams 1,5/5 

Hors-saison (Out of Season) by Stéphane Brizé 3/5 Très long. 

The Dead Don't Hurt by Viggo Mortensen 4/5 just a bit too long. 

The locations... Cinémathèque de la Ville de Luxembourg, Ciné Utopia, Neimënster, Kinepolis Kirchberg, Casino – Forum d’art contemporain, Cercle Cité, Cour des Capucins, MUDAM (Musée d’art moderne Grand-Duc Jean) and Centre National de l’Audiovisuel. My favourite? Cinémathèque!  

It's a pity there are no movie screenings for adults during the morning (I mean, not just for kids and/or schools). Different film festivals all over the world offer this possibility, sometimes followed by a thematic lunch. 

Some souvenirs from this LuxFilmFest… 

-I had the chance to talk to Argentine director and screenwriter Damián Szifron, member of the International Jury; alongside Ira Sachs, Marianne Slot, Sebastian Koch, Arnaud Valois and Vicky Krieps. A bit enchanted, Szifron was taking pictures of the beautiful Cinémathèque (outside and inside the building). Located at the “Place du Theatre”, this cinema hall has been a member of the International Federation of Film Archives since 1983. 

-I had random informal chats with cinema lovers before or after a screening. Actually, it would be nice if there were physical meeting points in some of the cinemas during the LuxFilmFest so people can discuss the movies, make new contacts, exchange social networks, etc. 

-I saw Viggo Mortensen in person! Handsome, smart and humble, this actor and director born in New York City and raised mainly in Argentina and Denmark, gave a multilingual speech before introducing his new Western "The Dead Don't Hurt". Likewise, Vicky Krieps spoke in different languages (including Luxembourgish!) and remembered that many years ago, in that same movie theatre (Kinepolis), she watched Titanic, a film that changed her life. 

I´m already looking forward for the 15th edition of the LuxFilmFest! Save the date, from 6th to 16th March 2025!

 Corina Moscovich

Social media disclaimer: Views expressed are my own.

 

S e r v i c e s

Contact

Entretien avec C. Moscovich

Pour ceux qui souhaitent acheter mon livre "My own version of Luxembourg", on le trouve chez Ernster

"My own version of Luxembourg" Corina Moscovich

Illustrations: Sara Colzani.

(ENG.) In order to buy my book "My own version of Luxembourg", you can find it at Ernster."My own version of Luxembourg" is the first book in the Luxpiration series. It is a collection of 10 poems written in English by Corina Moscovich and illustrated by Sara Colzani, an Italian artist living here. Featuring the creative work from multicultural writers and artists living in Luxembourg, Luxpiration series asserts the importance of the relationship between poetry and art. It is made by people for whom Luxembourg is part of their lives.

(FR.) Pour ceux qui souhaitent acheter mon livre "My own version of Luxembourg", on le trouve chez Ernster. Mettant en vedette le travail créatif d'écrivains et/ou d'artistes multiculturels vivant au Luxembourg, la série Luxpiration affirme l'importance de la relation fructueuse entre la poésie et l'art. La série Luxpiration est réalisée par des personnes pour lesquelles le Grand-Duché de Luxembourg fait partie intégrante de leur vie. "My own version of Luxembourg" est le premier livre de la série. Il s´agit d´un recueil de 10 poèmes écrit en anglais par Corina Moscovich et illustré par Sara Colzani, artiste italienne habitant au Luxembourg.

(ESP.) Para comprar mi libro "My own version of Luxembourg", lo puedes encontrar en Ernster. "My own version of Luxembourg" es el primer libro de la serie. Es una colección de 10 poemas escritos en inglés por Corina Moscovich e ilustrados por Sara Colzani, una artista italiana que vive en Luxemburgo. Al presentar el trabajo creativo de escritores y/o artistas multiculturales que viven en Luxemburgo, la serie Luxpiration afirma la importancia de la fructífera relación entre la poesía y el arte. La serie Luxpiration está hecha por personas para quienes el Gran Ducado de Luxemburgo es una parte integral de sus vidas.