A Wealth of Hungarian Helmers Headed to Cannes?

Normally the flag colors of red, white and green would announce a strong cluster of Italian films, but I think this year’s edition of the Cannes Film Festival might include my previously announced predictions of seeing Benedek Fliegauf, Kornél Mundruczo and Béla Tarr, but Cineuropa is adding one more name to their list in helmer Ágnes Kocsis.

As the trade points out, Kocsis showcased her debut film (Fresh Air) in the sidebar down the street (Critics’ Week) in 2006. She would now make a bid for Directors’ Fortnight or the Un Certain Regard section with her second feature entitled Adrienn Pál, which tells the story of a nurse who becomes more insensitive to the illnesses and death around her.

Having presented a film at Cannes on three separate occasions, Béla Tarr will surely receive the red carpet treatment for his rumored final film in the Main Competition section, but the big question is will the film be ready in time – as production had to shut down due to weather. The Turin Horse is freely inspired by an episode that marked the end of philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche’s career.

I also see Kornél Mundruczo’s latest in the Main Comp as Delta was in the section in 2008, but if the competition is filled, The Frankenstein Project would end up in the Un Certain Regard section. Inspired by Mary Shelley’s classic book, this is a re-interpretation of the story with the monster being replaced by a child, who returns home from a boarding school, struggling for the love of his family.

Finally, this one might be a long shot, but I could see Benedek Fliegauf (winner for the Golden Leopard in Locarno for Milky Way) grab a slot from the Un Certain Regard or Director’s Fortnight section for The Womb. When Rebecca (Eva Green) returns to her grandfather’s house, she meets her childhood sweetheart Thomas again. Thomas leaves his girlfriend Rose and their love picks up where it left off, until Thomas dies in a car accident.