THE OSCAR-WINNING SCREENWRITER, PRODUCER AND DIRECTOR PAUL HAGGIS CHAIRS THE JURY OF THE 19th MONTE CARLO FILM FESTIVAL DE LA COMÉDIE

The acclaimed director, screenwriter and movie producer, two-time Oscar winner, Paul Haggis has been appointed as President of the Jury of the 19th Montecarlo Film Festival de la Comédie, taking place from the 25th to the 30th of April in the Principality of Monaco. As for this year as well, the Grimaldi Forum of the Principality of Monaco is ready to welcome audiences and international guests in compliance with the rules for the containment of the emergency.
Following prestigious guests and jurors such as Claude Lelouch, Emir Kusturica, Nick Vallelonga and Raoul Bova, just to name a few, this year Paul Haggis will be the President of the Jury, Oscar-winning world famous filmmaker for “Crash”.
Designed and directed by Ezio Greggio, Monte-Carlo Film Festival, one of the most important Film Festival dedicated to Comedy, will be hosted in the prestigious venue of the Grimaldi Forum of the Principality of Monaco also for this edition, where screenings, masterclasses with International, Italian and French movie stars will take place, culminating with the usual Gala award ceremony on Saturday April 30.

Ezio Greggio: “The presence of Paul Haggis, director, screenwriter and producer, two-time Oscar winner, confirms Monte Carlo Film Festival tradition to have great Presidents of the Jury. Major cinema expert, ironic and wit, Paul loves comedy as we love him, and we are thrilled to welcome him here in the Principality with movies coming from Canada, Columbia, Spain, Italy, Germany, Sweden and other countries.”

Paul Haggis: “I have often been asked to list my favorite films, and I always refuse. It is impossible. As soon as I list ten, I think of twenty more, so, I just don’t do it. That said, if I really truly had to make a list, I think some people would be surprised that comedies would be at the very top of the top. (…) “Long way of saying I am thrilled to be president of this year’s jury and I really look forward to laughing my ass off with others in a dark room all week. Thanks for allowing me to do it, and allowing me to add to the list that I will never make (…)”

High-profile standing, Paul Haggis (“Million Dollar Baby”, “Casino Royale”, “In the Valley of Elah”, “The Next Three Days”) can count on a long list of movie productions during his career as screenwriter and director in “Crash”, three-time Oscar winning movie for best movie, best original screenplay and best editing.
Monte-Carlo Film Festival mainly aims at promoting and spreading comedy in its different facets through competing and non-competing movie premieres. A unique occasion in the international scenario for this beloved movie genre, often wrongly considered of minor importance by critics, which thanks to Ezio Greggio and the lamented maestro Mario Monicelli (co-founder of the Festival) endeavors contributed in its revaluation also among other international festivals as Cannes, Rome and Venice.

As it happened last year, The Montecarlo Film Festival de la Comédie, considered one of the most important and peculiar Film Festival exclusively dedicated to Comedy, in the years has achieved a growing estimation from the audience and critics worldwide, opens after the enormous success of last edition, a section all dedicated to Short Films, The Short Comedy Award, aimed to directors, actors, producers who make short film comedies. All information and registration are available through “ Filmfreeway “ , one of the largest international Festival sites.

The event, in collaboration with EFG Bank ( Monaco), has always been held under the High Patronage of S.A.S. Prince Albert II de Monaco and of the Italian Embassy. Like last year, Radio Monte Carlo is the official Radio of the Festival.