The 2017 Cannes Cinefondation’s Atelier hosts its thirteenth edition this year and will invite 16 directors to the Cannes Film Festival this year, whose projects have been considered particularly promising. Together with their producers, they will be able to meet potential partners, a necessary step to finish their project and start the making of their film. L’Atelier provides its participants access to international co-productions, thus accelerating the film’s completion.

The Cinefondation’s Atelier was created in 2005 to stimulate creative filmmaking and encourage the emergence of a new generation of filmmakers. So far, out of 186 projects selected since the initiative launched, 145 have been completed and 14 are currently in pre-production.

For L’Atelier’s 13th edition, 15 projects from 14 countries have been selected, featuring work from new directors as well as veteran filmmakers. Of note, given this blog’s specific interests, is a project from South African filmmaker Jahmil X.T. Qubeka – whose feature debut, “Of Good Report,” was strongly supported on this blog, but still sadly remains underseen (it didn’t receive much prominent distribution outside of South Africa). Qubeka’s Cannes L’Atelier entry is titled “Sew the Winter to my Skin.” Details on each selected project (synopsis, notably) aren’t made available at this time; but this is most certainly a production we’ll be watching closely going forward. “Of Good Report” was a solid debut for the filmmaker and cinéaste – one that really should have gotten him far more attention than it did. He was on the S&A Filmmakers to Watch list in 2013, so it’s good to see him continue to progress.

The full list of 2017 L’Atelier projects selected follows below.

From May 19 to 25, L’Atelier will arrange meetings with the directors with film industry professionals interested in investing in their projects.

Press packets for each project are expected to be available online at the beginning of April on www.cinefondation.com.

— “Sew the Winter to my Skin,” Jahmil X.T. Qubeka, South Africa

— “Day After Tomorrow,” Kamar Ahmad Simon, Bangladesh

— “Ningdu,” Lei Lei, China

— “Teenage Jesus,” Marie Grahtø Sørensen, Denmark

— “Decompression,” Yona Rozenkier, Israel

— “Go Youth,” Carlos Armella, Mexico

— “Bedridden,” Byamba Sakhya, Mongolia

— “Alam,” Firas Khoury, Palestine

— “Candy Town,” Yanillys Perez, Dominican Republic

— “Otto the Barbarian,” Ruxandra Ghitescu, Romania

— “Summer E5,” Emily Young, The United Kingdom

— “City of Small Blessings,” Chen-Hsi Wong, Singapore

— “The Translator,” Rana Kazkaz & Anas Khalaf, Syria

— “Cu Li Nevers Cries,” Pham Ngoc Lan, Vietnam

— “Taste,” Le Bao, Vietnam