2015 Cannes Film Fest: Main Comp 1st Timers Include Kurzel, Lanthimos, Donzelli, Villeneuve, Brize, Joachim Trier & Laszlo Nemes

Returnee former Palme d’Or winners and their latest in Nanni Moretti (Mia Madre), Gus Van Sant (Sea Of Trees) are joined by several Main Comp first timers in Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster), Joachim Trier (Louder Than Bombs), Justin Kurzel (Macbeth), Valerie Donzelli (Marguerite et Julien) (see pic above), Denis Villeneuve (Sicario), Stephane Brize (A Simple Man) and feature directing debut and Bela Tarr assistant Laszlo Nemes (Son Of Saul).

The remaining films in the Main Comp are made by former Grand Prix (2nd place) and Jury Prize (3rd place) winning filmmakers in Hou Hsiao-Hsien (The Assassin), Jacques Audiard (soon to be retitled Dheepan), Maiwenn (My King), Hirokazu Kore-eda (Our Little Sister), Matteo Garrone (The Tale Of Tales) and Paolo Sorrentino (Youth). This leaves us with a a pack of eighteen films when you also include two filmmakers who have yet to win any of the three major film prizes with Todd Haynes’ Carol (his third trip to the fest) and the surprise film of sorts with Jia Zhangke (he won for Best Screenplay) who made it to the finish line with Mountains May Depart. We’ll of course be at the festival next month and be covering all of the Main Comp entries and several other titles in the Un Certain Regard section listed below.

Official Comp
“The Assassin” (dir. Hou Hsiao-Hsien)
“Carol” (dir. Todd Haynes)
“Dheepan” (dir. Jacques Audiard)
“The Lobster” (dir. Yorgos Lanthimos)
“Louder Than Bombs” (dir. Joachim Trier)
“Macbeth” (dir. Justin Kurzel)
“Marguerite et Julien” (dir. Valerie Donzelli)
“Mia Madre” (dir. Nanni Moretti)
“Mountains May Depart” (dir. Jia Zhangke)
“My King” (Maiwenn)
“Our Little Sister” (dir. Hirokazu Kore-eda)
“Sea Of Trees” (dir. Gus Van Sant)
“Sicario” (dir. Denis Villeneuve)
“A Simple Man” (dir. Stephane Brize)
“Son Of Saul” (dir. Laszlo Nemes)
“The Tale Of Tales” (dir. Matteo Garrone)
“Youth” (dir. Paolo Sorrentino)

Un Certain Regard
“The Chosen Ones” (dir. David Pablos)
“Fly Away Solo” (dir. Neeraj Ghaywan)
“The Fourth Direction” (dir. Gurvinder Singh)
“The High Sun” (dir. Dalibor Matanic)
“I Am A Soldier” (dir. Laurent Lariviere)
“Journey To The Shore” (dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa)
“Madonna” (dir. Shin Suwon)
“Maryland” (dir. Alice Winocour)
“Nahid” (dir. Ida Panahandeh)
“One Floor Below” (dir. Radu Muntean)
“The Other Side” (dir. Roberto Minervini)
“Rams” (dir. Grimur Hakonarson)
“The Shameless” (dir. Oh Seung-Uk)
“The Treasure” (dir. Corneliu Porumboiu)

Out Of Competition
“Inside Out” (dir. Pete Docter & Ronaldo Del Carmen)
“The Little Prince” (dir. Mark Osbourne)
“Mad Max: Fury Road” (dir. George Miller)
“Standing Tall” (“dir. Emmanuelle Bercot) — opening film

Special Screenings
“Amnesia” (dir. Barbet Schroeder)
“Asphalt” (dir. Seamuel Benchetrit)
“A Tale Of Love & Darkness” (dir. Natalie Portman)
“Hayored Lema’ala” (dir. Elad Keidan)
“Irrational Man” (dir. Woody Allen)
“Panama” (dir. Pavle Vuckovic)
“Oka” (dir. Souleymane Cisse)

Midnight Screenings
“Amy” (dir. Asif Kapadia)
“Office” (dir. Hong Won-Chan)