Cannes 2011: Year of the Women

Regardless what larger themes or shifting styles that are discovered or get attached to this year’s Cannes batch, one of the major conversation starters is the prominence of global female filmmakers at the festival. There are 22 feature films by female directors (and I’m not even including the short films) which should be a record for any festival in recent memory. We have renowned auteurs Naomi Kawase and Lynne Ramsay to actress-turned-directors, Jodie Foster, Maiwenn, Nadine Labaki, Eva Ionesco, Hagar Ben Asher. Among the 22, with have a dozen or so from first time filmmakers including Julia Leigh (see below) whose first film is in the official competition and comes with the blessing from fellow Australian and Palme d’Or winner Jane Campion. See the 22 names below.

The Official Competition
Naomi Kawase, Hanezu No Tsuki
Julia Leigh, Sleeping Beauty
Maiwenn, Polisse
Lynne Ramsay, We Need to Talk about Kevin

Out of Competition
Jodie Foster, The Beaver

Special Screenings
Frederikke Aspock, Labrador

Un Certain Regard
Nadine Labaki, Et maintenant on va ou?
Juliana Rojas (co-director), Trabalhar Cansa

Directors’ Fortnight
Urszula Antoniak, Code Blue
Alice Rohrwacher, Corpo celeste
Fiona Gordon, La Fee
Valerie Mrejen (co-director), Iris in Bloom
Rebecca Daly, The Other Side of Sleep
Liza Johnson, Return
Leila Kilani, Sur la planche
Natalia Almada, El Velador
Isabelle Lavigne (co-director), La Nuit elles dansent

Critic’s Week
Valerie Donzelli, La Guerre est Declaree
Eva Ionesco, My Little Princess
Delphine & Muriel Coulin, 17 Filles
Hagar Ben Asher, The Slut
Katia Lewcowicz, Why are you Crying?