Philippe Avril

Philippe Avril (b. 1954) has lived in Strasbourg since 1974. He began his career as a scientific researcher and worked as a cultural journalist and film critic (1974-1981), before moving into independent production, first with audiovisual works, then films. Keen to support a diversity of forms and talents and to help promote filmmakers and their work worldwide, he focused on international co-production (documentaries, fiction films) from 1992. Initially, he forged links with filmmakers from Central and Eastern Europe such as Dušan Hanák in Slovakia, Petr Václav in the Czech Republic, Valdas Navasaitis in Lithuania and Bakhtiar Khudojnazarov in Tajikistan. Since 1997, he has been drawn to Asia, working with Park Kwang-su and Jeon Soo-il in South Korea, Aoyama Shinji, Suwa Nobohiro and Naomi Kawase in Japan, Garin Nugroho in Indonesia, Sabiha Sumar in Pakistan (KHAMOSH PANI, Golden Leopard, Locarno 2003) and Vimukthi Jayasundara in Sri Lanka, producing his first feature film, THE FORSAKEN LAND (Golden Camera, Cannes 2005).

Additionally, he has accompanied Pedro Costa (Portugal, for COLOSSAL YOUTH), Cristian Mungiu (Romania, for 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS & 2 DAYS, Golden Palm, Cannes 2007), Haile Gerima (Ethiopia for TEZA, Special Jury Prize, Venice 2008), Malek Bensmaïl (Algeria, for CHINA IS STILL FAR), Murali Nair (India, for VIRGIN GOAT), Wang Bing (China, for THE DITCH), Jessica Woodworth and Peter Brosens (Belgium, for THE FIFTH SEASON), Pepe Diokno (Philippines, for ABOVE THE CLOUDS), Monika Borgmann and Lokman Slim (Lebanon, for MASSAKER and TADMOR), Licínio Azevedo (Mozambique, for THE TRAIN OF SALT AND SUGAR), Katsuya Tomita (Japan, for BANGKOK NITES), Natalia Garagiola (Argentina, for HUNTING SEASON), Adina Pintilié (Romania, for TOUCH ME NOT, Golden Bear, Berlinale 2018) Matthias Luthardt (Germany, for LUISE) and Phuttiphong Aroonpheng (Thailand, for MANTA RAY and MORRISON).

Philippe was the national coordinator of the EAVE (European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs) training programme from 1977 to 2011. He is a regular professional speaker at seminars and training workshops in France and Europe, and taught documentary writing and production at the University of Strasbourg during the 2000s. In September 2014, he set up the MA in International Co-production of Cinematographic and Audiovisual Works at the University of Strasbourg’s Faculty of Arts – a training offer then unrivalled in Europe. Since 2022, he has been teaching at ESRA in Paris, developing a consultancy business (script consultations, expert appraisals and project auditions) whilst devoting more and more of his time to passing on his experience and professional knowledge. He hasn’t giving up production however, maintaining his passion for the possible and the unknown.