"Onoda – 10,000 Nights in the Jungle" opening film of Un Certain Regard

A total of five Filmstiftung-backed films will be screened in the programme at the 74th Festival de Cannes (July 6-17, 2021). "Onoda – 10,000 Nights in the Jungle", which was also backed by the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, has just been announced as the opening film of Un Certain Regard.

The drama "Onoda – 10,000 Nights in the Jungle" by Arthur Harari is about the Japanese intelligence officer Hiroo Onoda, who was sent as a lieutenant to the Philippine island of Lubang during the Second World War. When Japan surrenders, the isolated group carries on fighting, with Onoda continuing for nearly 30 years until 1974. Arthur Harari wrote the screenplay with co-writer Vincent Poymiro. The producers of the international co-production are Cologne-based Pandora Filmproduktion, France’s Bathysphère Productions SARL, Belgium’s Frakas Productions and Italy’s Ascent Film SRL, with participation from the broadcaster Arte. The film will be distributed theatrically in Germany by Rapid Eye Movies, with world sales being handled by Le Pacte. The Filmstiftung supported the production with 170,000 Euros. Additional support came from the German-French Mini-Traité and Eurimages.

Another three Filmstiftung-backed co-productions from the Cologne-based production houses Made in Germany and Match Factory Productions had already been announced for the Competition, Cannes Premieres and Un Certain Regard sections. In addition, the film musical "Annette" by Leos Carax, which was co-produced by Detailfilm, will open the festival as one of the Competition entries. This means that two Filmstiftung-backed productions will be the opening films for the Competition and Un Certain Regard.

• Opening film in the Competition: musical "Annette" by Leos Carax with Marion Cotillard and Adam Driver
• In Competition: "Lingui" by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, Made in Germany
• Cannes Premieres: "Evolution" by Kornél Mundruczó, Match Factory Productions
• Opening film Un Certain Regard: "Onoda – 10,000 Nights in the Jungle" by Arthur Harari, Pandora Filmproduktion
• Un Certain Regard: "Prayers for the Stolen" by Tatiana Huezo, Match Factory Productions

Visit here for the press release from  June 3, 2021…