The Cannes Film Festivalhas selected 18 filmmakers to participate in the second annual Atelier duFestival.

Under the aegis of theCannes Cinefondation, the workshop began last year in an effort to aide youngfilmmakers with their projects. During the festival, May 17 28, the selectgroup will meet with producers and distributors in order to help completefinancing on their films.

This year's crop is:Teboho Mahlatsi (South Africa), Santiago Palavecino (Argentina), ChristinaAndreef (Australia), Bernard Bellefroid (Belgium), Jose Luis Torres Leiva(Chile), Wang Bing (China), Goran Rusinovic (Croatia), Luiso Berdejo (Spain),Cruz Angeles (US), Richard Press (US), Fabrice Genestal (France), MichelangeQuay (Haiti), Dev Benegal (India), Dover Kosahvili (Israel), Cristi Puiu(Romania), Ilya Khrzhanovsky (Russia), Ursula Meier (Switzerland) andApichatpong Weerasethakul (Thailand).

Of the group, bothApichatpong Weerasethakul and Cristi Puiu have been to Cannes before; theformer with his film Tropical Malady which took the Jury prize in 2004 and the latter with The Death OfMr. Lazarescu which won the UnCertain Regard prize last year.

The 2005 edition helpedPaz Encina of Paraguay, Gerardo Naranjo of Mexico and Imunga Ivanga from Gabonfinish their films while three other projects are currently shooting and sevenfurther will go into production during 2006.