Under its new chief Claire Clouzot, the Critics' Week sidebar of the Cannes festival is to present a tightened-up programme.

With Clouzot as artistic director, Critics' Week (May16-24) will screen seven features and seven shorts. In recent years the event had expanded to take in a number of other films not competing for the Critics' Week prize. But, contrary to previous reports, there will still be room for documentaries selected by the Union of Film Critics or FIPRESCI discoveries.

The event will once again be "godfathered" by a director whose first film got its premiere at Critics' Week. Previous patrons have included Ken Loach and Bernardo Bertolucci.

Submissions remain open until April 10 for short films and April 15 for features. The selection is likely to be announced around 25 April.