There are a handful of big projects headed for the AFM from France - including one that could provoke a bidding war - but some sales agents are holding back on announcing new projects, for the moment at least.

Yohann Comte of Roissy Films says: "The AFM is a market where we must limit the films we present and avoid the overly arthouse. It's best for genre films and those with a link to current events."

Roissy is screening Marco Amenta's La Sicilienne, based on the true story of the first woman to testify against the Mafia. It is also presenting Mohamed Al Daradji's Son Of Babylon, which was developed at the Sundance Screenwriters' Lab, and is in post-production. Al Daradji was Paul Greengrass' artistic advisor on The Green Zone.

The comedy Safari, starring Welcome To The Sticks' Kad Merad and produced by Richard Grandpierre, is on Pathe's AFM line-up. Pathe will also be showcasing Costa-Gavras' Greece-set immigration drama Eden Is West, which is now in post, and Farewell, Christian Carion's follow-up to Merry Christmas, starring Guillaume Canet and Emir Kusturica. The break-up-of-the-Soviet-bloc drama is produced by Christophe Rossignon.

Vincenzo Natali's Splice, starring Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley, is Gaumont's big international title for 2009. A promo reel will be screened for selected buyers.

Pyramide International will be introducing buyers to The Mission Of The Human Resources Manager from Lemon Tree director Eran Riklis and Catherine Corsini's Leaving starring Yvan Attal, Sergi Lopez and Kristin Scott Thomas.

Coach 14 has just acquired Jean Baptiste Leonetti's drama Carre Blanc. The $3.8m dark futuristic tale stars Sami Bouajila and Julie Gayet.

Wild Bunch is showcasing Jerome Salle's directorial debut Largo Winch. Sales chief Vincent Maraval hopes the screening may provoke a bidding war. The $25.5m action thriller is based on a graphic novel by Philippe Francq and was shot mostly in English.

"What is suffering are auteur films," says Maraval of what he sees as the dominance of comedies and action films in production in France right now.