The 59th International Film Festival in Cannes, held May 17 to 28 2006, awarded the Palme d'Or to British director Ken Loach for THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY, an incisive look at strife in Ireland circa 1920. Two animated shorts, CONTE DE QUARTIER (URBAN TALE) by Florence Miailhe, and MR. SCHWARTZ, MR. HAZEN & MR. HORLOCKER, a student film by Stefan Mueller, amongst the 55 films from 30 countries in competition.
Mueller won second place in the Cinefondation Jury Awards for his seven-minute MR. SCHWARTZ, MR. HAZEN & MR. HORLOCKER an animation about grotesque disputes between neighbors. Created in 1998 and dedicated to the search for new filmmaking talent, the Cinéfondation presents each year about 15 shorts and medium-length motion pictures from film schools the world over.
CONTE DE QUARTIER received a Special Mention from the Short Film Jury. Released by France's Les Films L'Arlequin and distributed internationally by the National Film Board of Canada, CONTE DE QUARTIER is a 15-minute montage of urban scenes that blur the line between reality and fantasy, the film looks like surreal finger-painting animated to music. The film was animated by Catherine Ginape and Francis Desharnais.
