Deauville (AFP)

The winners of the American film festival in Deauville (Calvados) are expected on Saturday evening, after an edition marked by a return of the Americans, and often crowded screening rooms, without the 2020 restrictions linked to Covid-19.

"We have recovered the attendance before Covid. We will end up around 60,000 (spectators, editor's note) as in 2019, even with masks and health passes", rejoiced Friday at the end of the day Carine Fouquier, director General of the CID, the auditorium headquarters of the festival, interviewed by AFP.

Last year, the size of the festival's three screening rooms had to be reduced by a third.

Nearly 38,000 spectators had made the trip, according to the management of the festival with a constant budget of 2 million euros.

Charlotte Gainsbourg on September 10, 2021 at the Deauville American Film Festival, where she chairs the LOIC VENANCE AFP jury

The jury chaired by Charlotte Gainsbourg must announce the winners during a ceremony which begins at 6:00 pm with a tribute to actor Michael Shannon ("Take shelter").

This 47th edition also saw the return of American directors and actors, almost absent from the 2020 edition because of the Covid-19.

Through the 13 films in competition that they came to defend, they often painted a picture of an America in the throes of violence.

Michael Sarnoski, a young 33-year-old director of "Pig", with Nicolas Cage in the title role, spoke of the "crimes" of the mafia of truffle dealers, who sometimes hide behind the large kitchen.

American director Michael Sarnoski on September 7, 2021 in Deauville LOIC VENANCE AFP / Archives

Tim Sutton, who signs a western titled "The Last Son", has despaired of the "central role" of weapons in "the continuing cycle of violence" in his country.

The American director of Polish-Japanese origin Josef Kubota Wladyka, 39, in competition with "Catch the fair one" denounced to him the trafficking of young Amerindians, kidnapped before being subjected to prostitution.

- "Very grand cru Lelouch" -

Alana Waksman has witnessed a surge in anti-Semitism since the election of Donald Trump in 2016, "like never before in my life".

She competes with her film "We burn like this", the story of a young Jewish woman in search of identity in a medium-sized town.

American director Alana Waksman on September 10, 2021 in Deauville Sameer Al-DOUMY AFP

Sean Baker spoke to him about these men in the pornography industry who "don't even realize how toxic their behavior is" with women.

He is in competition with "Red Rocket" who also competed in Cannes.

His film underlines in the background the misery of the backgrounds from which his characters come, former porn actors.

Ninja Thyberg for his part evoked the "fear of putting their career in danger" of porn actresses which pushes them to never say no.

The young director presented her first film, forbidden to under 18s, "Pleasure".

Out of competition, this 47th edition will, as expected, be marked by the arrival of Johnny Depp.

“Hollywood wasn't for me,” said Jack Sparrow of Pirates of the Caribbean.

American director Oliver Stone on September 4, 2021 at the Deauville American film festival LOIC VENANCE AFP / Archives

Another expected personality, the director Oliver Stone denounced the "lies" of his country on the assassination of Kennedy and on the war in Vietnam.

As for the few unseen French films that the festival now presents, the impressive ovation from a room of 1,500 people, which was the subject of Claude Lelouch, will remain in the annals of this edition.

The filmmaker presented "Love is better than life".

This comedy, with Sandrine Bonnaire and Gérard Darmon in the main roles, invites you to laugh in the face of death to better enjoy life.

Director Claude Lelouch (C) arrives with his team at the American film festival in Deauville on September 9, 2021 for the screening of his film "Love is better than life" LOIC VENANCE AFP

"Claude, it's a bit like wine. There are some very good vintages. And some vintages where there was a little frost and good, it's a little less sweet than usual. has unclassifiable very, very great wines. I have the impression of having participated in a very, very grand cru ", declared Gérard Darmon during the presentation of the film.

In the early evening, Claude Lelouch, 83, paid tribute to Jean-Paul Belmondo who died on Monday.

© 2021 AFP