EXCLUSIVE: Chanel Partners With Deauville American Film Festival

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LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION: Chanel continues to deepen its links with the world of cinema: The French luxury house has become a partner of the 45th edition of the Deauville American Film Festival, to be held from Sept. 6 to 15.

The event, established in 1975, is the biggest European festival devoted to American cinema. The jury for the Prix de la Révélation, awarded to up-and-coming talents, will be headed this year by French actress Anna Mouglalis, a Chanel brand ambassador, the festival’s organizers revealed last month.

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Meanwhile, Catherine Deneuve — a former face of Chanel No.5 perfume — will head the festival’s main jury. Chanel has longstanding ties to a number of high-profile film events worldwide, in addition to dressing celebrities such as Keira Knightley, Kristen Stewart, Penélope Cruz and Margot Robbie on the red carpet.

“Cinema — its most talented actresses and boldest directors — is intrinsically linked to the history of Chanel and has been since its founder Gabrielle Chanel,” the brand said Tuesday.

The house sponsors the Tribeca Chanel Women’s Filmmaker Program via the Tribeca Film Institute, in addition to organizing an annual dinner during the Tribeca Film Festival in New York. It also hosts an annual pre-Oscars dinner with Charles Finch, and a party with Vanity Fair France at the Cannes Film Festival.

Two years ago, Chanel took over from Chaumet as the official partner of the Césars, France’s equivalent of the Oscars. Every year it sponsors a special event to highlight the young talents competing for the award for most promising actor or actress at the ceremony.

Although it has long attracted top talent, ranging from George Clooney to Meryl Streep, the Deauville festival has been eclipsed in recent years by the Venice Film Festival, which typically runs at the same time. In response, organizers have pushed back the dates of this year’s edition to avoid clashing with the Italian event, which runs from Aug. 28 to Sept. 7.

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