By There was a press conference in Paris earlier today, where Cannes Film Festival director Thierry Fremaux and president Pierre Lescure unveiled the official lineup for this years festival – where we can find established auteurs, as well as newcomers.
It may be the most prestigious film festival in the world, and although most of us will never attend, it is always fun to see who does and which movies they present. To put it in perspective for those who may not be in the know, movies like Taxi Driver, Apocalypse Now, Wild at Heart, The Piano, Pulp Fiction, The Child, The Tree of Life, Amour and Blue is the Warmest Color are all recipients of the Palme d’Or award. It’s quality movies, more oft than not, and the names on this years program seems to keep this tradition alive.
You can see the full lineup here
In competition, people like Jacques Audiard, Maïwenn, Matteo Garrone, Hsiao-Hsien Hou and Paolo Sorrentino are back for their second – or more – time, while Joachim Trier makes his debut in this lineup, with his first English language movie, Louder Than Bombs. Audiard won the Grand Prize of the Jury for A Prophet in 2009, while his 2012′ movie, Rust and Bone, was nominated for the Palm d’Or. Maïwenn, who most people will know for her roles in Léon: The Professional and The Fifth Element, returns to the competition with Mon Roi, with a cast consisting of Vincent Cassel (Irreversible), Louis Garrel (The Dreamers), and Emmanuelle Bercot, the latter was mesmerising in Maïwenn’s 2011′ masterpiece, Polisse.
It may seem like nationalism, but I’m most excited for Joachim Trier’s Louder Then Bombs. Not (only) because he’s the best my country (Norway) has to offer when it comes to movies, but to see him make his first english language movie, with Eskil Vogt still by his side as co-writer, I hope this will give him the recognition he deserves.
Denis Villeneuve is also back with yet another english language movie, post-Prisoners and Enemy, and with the cast he’s line up, Sicario becomes an immediate curiosity. It will also be fun to finally see the reception to Justin Kurzel’s Macbeth – who will move on to direct the Assassin’s Creed adaptation with his Macbeth actors – as well as whatever it is Gus van Sant’s The Sea of Trees brings, albeit I’m not a Sant-fan myself.
Outside of competition we find Woody Allen with Irrational Man, George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road, and Disney’s Inside Out.
I’ve already talked too much about this in a simple news post, but you can check out the entire program here.