Alongside the films in Official Selection, Cannes provides numerous initiatives to promote up-and-coming film-makers in both professional and amateur worlds. Village International and Marche du Film run alongside the festival for industry professionals to network and new film-makers to gain crucial contacts. The Short Film Corner also falls into this, with films in and out of Official Competition gaining critical exposure.

The Cinefondation Selection program looks towards promoting the work of students from film schools across the world, with 16 selected in 2011. Shown in blocks over three days before Friday’s awards ceremony, the films provided a mix of animation, drama and comedy.

The prizes were awarded by the Short Film/Cinefondation Jury, comprising of French director Michel Gondry as President as well as director/writers Corneliu Porumboiu (Romania), Joao Pedro Rodrigues (Portugal), Jessica Hausner (Austria), and French actress Julie Gayet.

First prize was awarded to The Letter [Der Brief], a story concerning a pregnant woman and her written thoughts from German filmmaker Doroteya Droumeva.

A scene from The Letter [Der Brief]

Second prize was awarded to Drari by Kamal Lazraq of Morroco, and third to Fly By Night [Ya-Gan-Bi-Hang] by Korea’s Son Tae-Gyum.

Unlucky to miss out was Belgian filmmaker Pieter Dirkx’s Lunchbox Story (27′), an entertaining tale of a woman trying to spice up a failing marriage by turning Japanese.

Droumeva beat representatives from 10 other countries in the final selection and will take home prize money of €15,000. Overall, Der Brief bested 1,588 films from 359 film schools in 81 other countries.

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For more of Katina’s coverage of the 2011 Cannes film festival, click here.

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