As part of its sponsorship at this year’s American Pavilion at the 75^th Cannes Film Festival, The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (“HFPA”) announced one of its panels will feature directors making their directorial debuts with premieres of their films at the festival focusing on “Cannes First Time: Conversation” on Monday, May 23, 2022, at 2:00 PM (local time).

“One of the greatest moments for any new director is to make their debut at Cannes and this year we have brought together these new directors hailing from new markets bringing some amazing new work to the global stage,” said Helen Hoehne, President of the HFPA. “The HFPA prides itself on discovering new international talents and providing a platform to give them the recognition they deserve. By sponsoring this panel, we want to continue that tradition and expand awareness of the great being done in other countries like Ukraine, India, and Tunisia.”

The panel will be held at the American Pavilion, the center of the American film industry at the international film festival. This year’s panel features (all times local):

• R. Madhavan, Indian actor, writer, producer, and film director whose first feature film “Rocketry: The Nambi Effect” made its debut this week at Cannes. The film is a biographical drama based on the life of Nambi Narayanan, a former scientist and aerospace engineer at the Indian Research Organization who was falsely accused of espionage.
• Maksym Nakonechnyi, Ukrainian director, whose first feature film “Butterfly Vision” screens on May 25 at 5:00 PM at Salle Debussy. The film tells a compelling story of Lilia, who was for months held as a prisoner of war, and now she struggles to resume her life in Ukraine as a soldier and wife. It is a harsh and surreal tale about a victim who simply refuses to be identified as one.
• Lotfy Nathan, director from Tunisia, is making his directorial debut with “HARKA” which premiered this week at Cannes. The film is set in Tunisia, in North Africa, and follows Ali, a young man in his twenties who makes a precarious living selling contraband gas on the streets.

The panel will be moderated by K.J. Matthews, HFPA member, and award-winning television journalist.

ABOUT THE AMERICAN PAVILION:

The American Pavilion, celebrating its 33rd year as the epicenter of American hospitality and communication at the Cannes International Film Festival, brings together both professional and emerging filmmakers along with industry executives from across the globe. A much sought-after destination for information, orientation, and recreation, it accommodates the needs of its members, guests, and sponsors in a dynamic business environment. With its impressive array of amenities and services, AmPav provides an opportunity to relax in very comfortable surroundings.

The American Pavilion boasts the In Conversation and Industry in Focus both of which take place in the Roger Ebert Conference Center, which offer insightful and provocative panel discussions and in-conversations with filmmakers, talent, and top leaders; a restaurant and bar that provide fast service with a smile throughout the day and is open to all festival badge holders after 6:00 pm most evenings; a coffee bar; free WiFi and charging stations; a media terrace with a panoramic view of the Riviera; the Emerging Filmmaker Showcase; the Culinary Program featuring chefs from across the US and Canada; The American Pavilion Worldwide Student Program; and public and private rental for parties and receptions. The American Pavilion is part of Penske Media Corporation.