Last month, the section of the Cannes International Film Festival known as the Semaine Internationale de la Critique held its fortieth edition. Officially founded during the Cannes Festival of 1962, the Semaine was organized by the Union of French Film Critics to focus attention on emerging directors worldwide, selecting significant first or second features for acknowledgment. This concentration on the discovery of young talent extended to the American cinema as well, and the Semaine soon became a major venue for each new wave of our own independents—Emile de Antonio and John Sayles, Jim McBride and Paul Morrissey, Shirley Clarke and Philip Kaufman. When the Caméra d’Or award for best first feature was instituted in the late 1970s, it was such American independent features in the Semaine as Alambrista and Northern Lights that won this new honor.

On the occasion of the 40th International Critics’ Week, the Harvard Film Archive joins a number of international archives and festivals in mounting an homage to this uniquely important event. Each program will be introduced by a Boston-area film critic. Special thanks for their advice go to José María Riba, General Delegate for the 40th Semaine, and to Klaus Eder of Fipresci. Next fall we will be pleased to present a touring version of the Semaine 2001 international selections.