Scriptwriters step forward for the first time at Cannes 2005

Cinema is storytelling and cinema is a collaborative process between directors, writers, producers and technicians. For the first time in 2005, a body of writers will be collectively represented in Cannes through the revue “101 Scénaristes en herbe/101 New Scriptwriters”. Bringing together new writers from France, Belgium, Canada, the UK, US, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Shanghai, the revue features 101 projects.

The process of finding, nurturing and connecting great stories with directors is globally recognised as a difficult one. Yet in terms of box-office appeal, the combination of a director and writer in lower budget movies has consistently proven successful. A quarter of directors questioned by France’s Union-Guilde des Scénaristes were actively looking for a writing partner.

“101 Scénaristes” takes a step towards bridging that gap by providing an easy-to-use format that offers a broad view of the writing talent that is available outside your immediate circle. Each story is represented by a pitch, a short synopsis and an extract from a scene. “The idea,” says 101 founder Jacques Gumbau, “is to let producers, directors and agents get a quick overview of a writer’s possibility. Instead of wading through letters and scripts, they get a lean, quick look – and a flavour of the writing. In three minutes you know if it’s worth picking up the phone.”

The project is a collective undertaking from a group of active writers that rapidly found similar writers around the world. “There are differences between the cinemas of France, Canada and Ireland,” says International Coordinator Michael Leahy. “But the writers often find themselves in exactly the same situation: alone.”

101 also offers a unique glimpse into different styles by being written in French and English. The projects cover the complete spectrum of genres, with ideas for both short and feature-length movies. “It’s not so much a catalogue as a walk-in buffet,” says co-founder Dominique Knecht.

“101 Scénaristes” is supported by Cannes Cinema, a body that promotes cinema in the town of Cannes. When combined with the initiatives of the Club des Producteurs and Equinoxe, 2005 will be the year that scriptwriters are stepping out of the shadows at Cannes.