Although our attention is drawn to the great names in front of the camera, there are just as many personalities behind the scenes whose work deserves recognition. Every year, the Fabienne Vonier Prize is bestowed upon a notable woman in the cinema industry. The award is dedicated to the memory of Fabienne Vonier, cofounder of the Pyramide company.
This year, Brigitte Maccioni, CEO of the UGC (Union générale cinématographique), producer and distributor, will receive the Fabienne Vonier Prize on Thursday, October 14th.
Brigitte Maccioni
Brigitte Maccioni has spent her entire career at the UGC, steadily rising through the ranks, and was appointed Chief Executive Officer in the spring of 2021. She is the first woman to lead this major French enterprise in the sector, which is also well established in Europe, and she has played an instrumental role in its initiatives and successes, from the creation of the ‘Cité-ciné’ line of multiplexes in the mid-1990s (the latest just opened in September at the Part-Dieu, Lyon) to the introduction of the 'unlimited’ cinema pass. In terms of production and distribution, her first major achievement was saving Amélie in 2001, for which director Jean-Pierre Jeunet was unable to find any funding. Her commitment to filmmakers has resulted in four films with Jacques Audiard, and other works with Christian Carion (Merry Christmas), Todd Haynes (Carol), Andrea Bescond and Eric Métayer (Little Tickles), Terrence Malick (A Hidden Life), Florian Zeller (The Father), Bruno Poldalydès (French Tech) and particularly Léos Carax (Annette).
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The Fabienne Vonier Prize
With the support of producer Francis Boespflug, Fabienne Vonier’s husband, and her children, the first Fabienne Vonier Prize was awarded during the 2016 Lumière festival to producer Margaret Menegoz and distributor Régine Vial. Their talents elevated the production and distribution of French and international auteur cinema to the highest levels through their company Les Films du Losange. During the 2017 festival, the prize was conferred upon the founders of production and distribution company Haut et Court, Carole Scotta and Caroline Benjo. In 2018, producer Michèle Ray-Gavras was recognized for her important work in international film production. In 2019, Véronique Cayla, president of Arte and elected to the presidency of the Cesar, received the prize, and, last year, Sophie Seydoux was awarded as the president of the Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé Foundation.
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Fabienne Vonier
Co-founder of the company Pyramide, producer and distributor, Fabienne Vonier was a major figure of French and international cinema. With Pyramide, she accompanied two generations of the most influential filmmakers of her time: Louis Malle (also co-founder of Pyramide), Alain Resnais, Tonie Marshall, Youssef Chahine, Nikita Mikhalkov, Elia Suleiman, Aki Kaurismaki, Fatih Akin, Benoit Jacquot, Claire Denis, Alain Cavalier, Nuri Bilge Ceylan and many others. After her passing in 2013, a prize bearing her name was created to honour female personalities of cinema.
The 2021 Fabienne Vonier, Raymond Chirat and Bernard Chardère Prizes will be awarded during the Lumière festival. Look for further news about the Prize presentations in the Lumière daily newspaper.