BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOUR Abdellatif Kechiche

The winner of last year's Cannes Festival, the film Blue is the warmest colour, has been heralded as one of the most controversial of 2013, but also as one of the best. It received standing ovations at the premiere and subsequently received many awards, including FIPRESCI of the Cannes Jury, Louis Delluc for Best French Film; it was nominated for two BAFTA and three Satellite awards. Although it was not nominated for the Academy Awards due to a procedural mistake, it was nominated for as much as eight French Oscars - the Cesar awards - and was also in the competition for the Golden Globe.

The films greatest achievement is certainly the Golden Palm in Cannes, which was, for the first time in history, awarded to the director and the two lead actresses - Lea Seydoux and Adèle Exarchopoulos. The jury, chaired by Steven Spielberg, insisted on the award being extend to both the actresses and the director, saying "The film is a great love story that made us all feel privileged to be in the position of a fly on the wall, which is able to observe this story about a passionate love and devastating breakup developing from the beginning. The director didn't restrict the narrative and we were completely infatuated with the performance of the lead actresses and especially with the way the director observed his characters and let them breathe." Furthermore, in a men-dominated category, the actresses have helped a precedent to be created, since this is only the second time in history for a female person to win the Golden Palm, albeit an honorary one.

Abdellatif Kechiche was born in Tunisia and raised in France. He started acting in the 80-ih and directing in 2000. From the very beginning, he left a mark among the elite of that profession and until now he has won two César's for the films Games of love and chance and Tajna zrna, which was shown on FEST in 2008.

While he was making his second film, he started thinking about a film that would follow the life of a teacher. His idea got its final shape when he stumbled upon the graphic novel of Julie Maroh under the title Blue is the warmest colour. His film is not an adaptation of the novel; Kechiche only upgraded the love story with his story about the growing up of a girl, whence the original title: "La vie d'Adèle - Chapitres 1 et 2"

It is interesting how Adel obtained the main role. Instead to the casting, the director took her to a pastry shop, in order to observe her in an everyday, natural situation. As he said in an interview, he realized he had found his lead actress when he saw her eat her cake. The actresses said that the shoot wasn't easy at all and that Kechiche is one of the most demanding directors they have worked with. Owing to his unorthodox and devoted style of work, Kechiche managed to make a natural and sincere film about a great love, but also about life itself.