Pillion writer and director Harry Lighton and Locarno Golden Leopard winner Saulė Bliuvaitė are among six filmmakers selected for La Residence du Festival de Cannes, the development programme of the Cannes Film Festival.
Aimed at young filmmakers, the Residence line-up also includes Ireland’s Oliver McGoldrick, the Netherlands’ Emma Branderhorst, Spain’s Joecar Hanna and India’s Mansi Maheshwari.
The six filmmakers will participate in the 51st edition of the Residence, which began on March 16 and will run until July 31. Based in Paris, they will receive a personalised screenwriting residency programme and meetings with film professionals.
Lighton‘s debut feature Pillion won the best screenplay prize at Cannes’ Un Certain Regards last year. “Getting a spot in La Residence is beyond exciting,” said Lighton. “Other filmmakers I know who’ve done it rave about it. It means I can block out five months to knuckle down to writing my next script, and getting to do that in Paris… are you kidding me?! Magnifique. I hope to come away with a script, some new filmmaker pals, and a Parisian husband.”
Bliuvaitė’s debut feature Toxic won the Golden Leopard in international competition at Locarno in 2024, and she also co-wrote Isaac, Lithuania’s submission for the Oscars in 2021.
Amsterdam-based Branderhorst’s short films Under The Skin, Spotless and Ma Mère Et Moi have been selected for the Berlinale. She is currently developing her debut feature This Will Not End Well.
New York-based Hanna is a Spanish filmmaker of Chinese-Lebanese descent. His short Deliver Me premiered at SXSW 2023 and was acquired by Canal+. His second short Talk Me, executive produced by Spike Lee, premiered at Cannes 2025 and won best short at TIFF.
Indian animation director Maheshwari, a graduate of the UK’s National Film and Television School, premiered her graduation short film Bunnyhood at Cannes, winning third prize in La Cinef Selection competition.
Ireland’s McGoldrick’s short Three Keenings premiered at Venice 2024, and his next short, Melter, executive produced by Spike Lee, is currently in post-production. He is in development for his debut feature Barnyard, through the Munich Film Up Program and La Residence of the Festival de Cannes.
No comments yet