Dora Maar Film Festival 2025
First edition

2025 – A Successful First Edition

From August 29-31, 2025, the village of Ménerbes hosted the first edition of the Festival, welcoming audiences, filmmakers and guests for three days of screenings, discussions and shared experiences dedicated to cinema and the arts.

The Festival brought together 500 participants and presented six films, each represented by its filmmaker. Screenings were followed by conversations and public discussions, allowing audiences to engage directly with the creative processes behind the works.

Immediate Recognition

From its inaugural edition, the Festival received enthusiastic responses from figures in cinema, culture, and the arts:

Thierry Frémaux
Director of the Institut Lumière & General Delegate of the Cannes Film Festival
“A remarkable initiative for the arts and cultural life in the Luberon.”

Ava Cahen
Journalist and Film Critic
“The programme was rich and comprehensive — a beautiful contemporary journey.”

Margy Kinmonth
British Filmmaker, Producer and Author
“A brilliant Festival. A truly wonderful experience.”

Filmmakers and critics praised the intimacy of the setting, the quality of exchanges and the intellectual openness of the program.

Margy Kinmonth, Virginie Chardin, Lee Shulman, Karolina Ziębińska, Alexandra Strauss

Filmmakers and Guests

PARTICIPANT FILMMAKERS PRESENTING THEIR WORK

• Sabine Weiss: One Century Of Photography, Historian Virginie Chardin (France)
• Capturing Lee Miller, Director Teresa Griffiths (UK)
• War Paint Women At War, Director  Margy Kinmonth (UK)
• I Am Martin Parr, Director Lee Shulman (UK/France)
• Ernest Cole Lost & Found,  Editor Alexandra Strauss (France)
• Dora Maar Between Light & Shade, Director Marie-Eve de Grave (France)

PARTICIPATING WRITERS, CURATORS & ACADEMICS

• Film Journalist, Broadcaster & Author Mark Kermode (UK)
• Professor of Film, Exeter University Linda Ruth Williams (UK)
• French Arts Journalist Véronique Godé (France)
• Photography Curator & Dora Maar Fellow Yasufumi Nakamori (Japan)
• Dora Maar Exhibition Curator  &  Director of Warsaw Museum Karolina Ziębińska (Poland)

FILMMAKERS ATTENDING IN SUPPORT OF THE FESTIVAL

• James V. Hart – Writer & Producer (USA)
• Caroline Goodall – Actress, Writer & Producer (UK/Australia/Italy)
• Samantha Morton – Actress, Writer, Director & Producer (UK)
• Mary McGuckian – Writer, Producer, Director (Ireland/France)
• Harry Holm – Director, Editor & Photographer (UK)

“Warm and inspiring encounters and discussions, full of generosity. These few days will remain etched in our memories.” — Virginie Chardin

Lucy Darwin, Alexandra Strauss, Virginie Chardin, Lee Shulman, Margy Kinmonth, Mark Kermode

Meetings and Conversations

The Festival’s public Meetings brought together filmmakers, critics, historians and curators for conversations on cinema, art and contemporary creativity.

Conversations / Themes:

CECI N’EST PAS UNE MUSE: Reconsidering the First Women Photographers

WAYS OF SEEING: Photographie de rue

LOST & FOUND: À la découverte des archives photographiques

Films Presented

A Warm and Inviting Atmosphere

From the screenings at Domaine du Fortin to the discussions at Hôtel de Tingry, the Festival created a warm, welcoming atmosphere that encouraged exchange and dialogue. Even with occasionally unpredictable weather, moments of conversation, reflection and shared experiences shaped the rhythm of these three days.

Looking Ahead

Building on the success of its first edition, the Festival now enters a new chapter as the Provence Arts Festival du Film, continuing its mission to celebrate cinema and the arts through thoughtful, ambitious programming, rooted in dialogue and artistic presence.

Thank you

Festival Team – Dora Maar Film Festival 2025

Lucy Darwin – Co-founder & Curator ★ Natasha Bhatia – Co-founder ★ Gwen Strauss – Director of the Dora Maar Cultural Center ★ Alexandre Alajbegović – Logistics ★ Katy Driscoll – Communications & PR ★ Elise Hamon Ruller – Coordinator & PR ★ Fiona Leishman – Production & Photographer ★ Social Media – Gemma Pecorini-Goodall ★ Technical Team – Edouard Heneman, Grégory Vera, Fabien Cartalade ★ Dora Maar Cultural Center Team – Laurence Varenik, Camille Bergagnini, Céline Beyssier ★ Transport – Dave & Laura Banks ★ Website & Design – Mathilde Damour, Thomas Delepière, D’Eau Fraîche ★ Logo & Posters – Frances Darwin ★ Photographer – Clément Puig ★ Videographer – David Subileau.

Special thanks :

• Le Domaine du Fortin – Philippe Andrieux & César Sanchez 
• Maison Victoire Immobilier – Victoria Templeman & équipe 
• La Strada – Projectionnistes : Mathieu Marignan & Jean-Paul Chastel 
• Maison de la Truffe et du Vin & équipe
• Le Domaine de la Citadelle & équipe
• Restauration : La Cuisine de Mapie & son équipe, les bières “l’Aptésienne”, les Mousses du Luberon, Une Glace en Luberon 
• Champagne Louis Roederer Collection 245 et la Fondation Louis Roederer

Founding Patrons

Natasha Bhatia & Philippe Thenard, Lucy & Andrew Darwin, Jeanne & Mervyn Davies, Kate Gavron, Winkie & David Meen, Victoria & Simon Robey

Chair Fund Donors

Jenny Van Stroud, Jennifer Chen, Andrea F. Cannistraci, Anita Baer, Walter Negley, Robert Rees & Deborah Lawrenson, John & Karin Carver, Miriam Margolyes, Caroline Goodall

Volunteers

Philippe Thenard, Catriona MacColl, Robert Rees, Deborah Lawrenson, Dawn Michelle Baude, Alex Baude, Chantal Boneto, Baudoin, Isabelle Pritzy, Mirjana Pillsbury Barbulovic, Beth Dillard, Elie Feroussier, Nicki Dingwall-Main, Patricia Damato, Frédéric Buhr, Martin Marie-Joseph, Chloe Fonge, Pierre et Noah Strauss-Jenkins.

Supporters

Jane Bagwell, Audrey Bazin, Kathleen & Frédéric Buhr, Patrick Canac, François Canse, Jean-Paul Chastel, Bruno Chatelin, Virginie Cornet-Butcher, Eva Erdmann, Véronique Escande, Thierry Frémaux, Michel Knoll, Ebba Lopez, Mathieu Marignan, Jean-Jacques Naudet*, Nancy Nightingale, Matthew Prince, Annie Rey, Thomas Sisteron, Daniel Weinzweig, Valérie Zanchi.

* We were all saddened to hear of the death on 18 January 2026 of our friend and great supporter of the Festival, Jean-Jaques Naudet. His passion for photography and his pursuit of the highest artistic values will never be forgotten.

Contribute

You can support future editions of the Provence Arts Festival du Film – please visit our fundraising page whydonate.com for more information – we’d love you to join us!