Montreal: Canada’s feature film profile is on the rise at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, May 17-28, with five films in the official selection including Robert Lepage’s Le Confessionnal and Charles Biname’s Eldorado in the popular the Directors Fortnight (Quinzaine des Realisateurs) program. Lepage’s film is slated to open the Fortnight, dedicated to film d’auteur movies, on May 18.

About 90 Canadian companies, including Norstar, Malofilm, Alliance, Astral, Cinepix, Allegro, Films Transit and Cineplex Odeon are attending the festival’s international film market, up from 80 last year.

‘There is an increase in the number of medium-sized companies and young filmmakers making the trip to Cannes this year,’ says Michelle Bischoff, Telefilm Canada’s international markets officer.

Other official Canadian selections at Cannes ’95 include Clement Virgo’s first-feature Rude, in the Certain Regard section, produced by Conquering Lion Productions, Toronto and the Canadian Film Centre’s Feature Film Project and distributed by Alliance; Stephen Williams’ Soul Survivor, produced by Miracle Pictures, Toronto, and distributed by Norstar Releasing; and Calgary director Wayne Traudt’s mixed animation and musical short film, Movements of the Body.

Le Confessionnal is coproduced by Cinemaginaire with u.k. and French partners and is being sold internationally by Polygram Film International. Eldorado is produced by Cite-Amerique and exported by Alliance International.