Artistic Director Julien Rejl is poised to draw major crowds this year, as the selection committee makes a compelling case that the Théâtre Croisette at the JW Marriott will be one of the festival’s key showcases. With a lineup featuring new works from renowned auteurs such as Kantemir Balagov, Radu Jude, July Jung, Lisandro Alonso, Clio Barnard, Dominga Sotomayor and Quentin Dupieux, the section shapes up as what is undoubtedly the strongest Directors’ Fortnight slate in years. This is not hyperbole folks!
Following in their mandate of discovery (6 debut feature films are present), among the names to watch out for we have the likes of Sompot Chidgasornpongse, Jorge Thielen Armand, Eivind Landsvik, Sarah Arnold, Lila Pinell, Maxence Voiseux, and Kohei Kadowaki. 19 features selected from 1,800 submissions, the section will also include 94 year-old Alain Cavalier‘s last document, NEON’s recent acquisition of Nigerian filmmaker cinema in Clarissa and they programmed what was arguably the best film coming out of Sundance in Once Upon A Time In Harlem.
After seeing his first two features films programmed in the Un Certain Regard section, Balagov will open the 58th edition of Cannes Directors’ Fortnight with Butterfly Jam (pictured above) — it stars Barry Keoghan, Riley Keough, Harry Mellin and newcomer Talha Akdoganv in the lead role. Why and how was this film not included the Palme d’Or competition is the biggest head-scratcher for the time being. Alonso and Barnard return to the section that has been very kind to them over the years. In a way it makes total sense that La libertad doble (which is not a sequel, but a quasi remake) would premiere here because 2001’s La libertad was showcased here. I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning counts as Barnard’s third time in the Quinzaine. We also find new third feature films from South Korean’s Jung with Dora and Chile’s Sotomayor with La Perra. Dupieux who will bring Full Phil to Cannes and comes packaging the closing film of the section in Le Vertige – an animated motion capture film with Alain Chabat and Anaïs Demoustier. Here is the line-up.
Butterfly Jam (opening film) Dir: Kantemir Balagov
9 Temples To Heaven – Sompot Chidgasornpongse*
Atonement* – Reed Van Dyk
Clarissa – Arie Esiri & Chuko Esiri
Death has no master – Jorge Thielen Armand
The Diary of a Chambermaid – Radu Jude
Dora – July Jung
La libertad doble – Lisandro Alonso
Gabin – Maxence Voiseux*
I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning – Clio Barnard
Low Expectations – Eivind Landsvik*
Once Upon A Time In Harlem – William Greaves & David Greaves
La Perra – Dominga Sotomayor
Shana – Lila Pinell
Thanks for Coming (Merci d’être venu) – Alain Cavalier
Too Many Beasts (l’Espèce Explosive) – Sarah Arnold*
Viva Carmen – Sebastian Laundenbach
We Are Aliens – Kohei Kadowaki*
Le Vertige – animation (Closing Film) – Quentin Dupieux
* DEBUT FEATURE
