Highlighted by the presence of Jim Jarmusch (who will be receiving a special award called the Carrosse d’Or), the 40th year of the Director’s Fortnight doesn’t look as strong on paper as the previous edition, but the quality of this year’s fair will be better determined in ten days or so. Containing a good amount of French productions, the section offers many first time efforts from filmmakers who get to tell their children that they took part in an event that showcases auteur cinema from the greats. Here are five to look out for.
Boogie (Radu Muntean)
It seems that every year a Romanian film shows up at Cannes andt steals the thunder away from other eastern European producing countries. After her career-defining role in 4 months…, Anamaria Marinca next stars in Radu Muntean’s portrait – think a coming-of-age film for a grown up male who hasn’t got his yeah yeahs out.
Acne (Federico Veiroj)
This is also a coming of age film – but this time for a 13 year-old. Working as a script supervisor for Rebella and Stoll’s 25 Watts and Whiskey, this Latin-American co-production should folow in the same footsteps as the above mentioned titles.
Liverpool (Lisandro Alonso)
Cannes regular Lisandro Alonso returns with a fourth festival offering (not bad for the young Buenos Aires filmmaker whose had his entire career slate shown). What might be perceived as a road trip on water, this is about connecting with one’s roots.
The Pleasure of Being Robbed (Josh Safdie)
The section’s closer has been picking up steam stateside since its SXSW showing and was quickly picked up before the Cannes announcement. This tells the story (via the eyes of Eleonore Hendricks) of a girl curious about strangers.
Tony Manero (Pablo Larrain)
If the name Tony Manero rings a bell it’s because it was John Travolta’s character name and claim to fame Saturday Night Fever. Larrain’s sophomore effort, is set during Pinochet’s rule will probably be favored by the duel characteristics of being a crowd pleaser and a sobering commentary of Chile’s past.
Opening film: Jerzy Skolimowski – Four Nights With Anna (France/Poland)
Jean-Marie and Arnaud Larrieu – Le voyage aux Pyrénées (France)
Bertrand Bonello – De la guerre (France)
Claire Simon – Les Bureaux de Dieu (France)
Nicola Sornaga – Monsieur Morimoto (France)
Rabah Ameur-Zaïmeche – Dernier maquis (France/Algeria)
Joachim Lafosse – Élève libre (Belgium/France)
Bouli Lanners – Eldorado (Belgium/France)
Francesco Munzi – Il resto della notte (Italy)
Albert Serra – El Cant dels ocells (Spain)
Miguel Gomes – Our Beloved Month Of August (Portugal/France)
Radu Muntean – Boogie (Romania)
Juraj Lehotsky – Blind Loves (Slovakia) *
Bakur Bakuradze – Shultes (Russia) *
Lisandro Alonso – Liverpool (Argentina/Spain/Netherlands/France/Denmark)
Federico Veiroj – Acné (Uruguay/Argentina/Spain/Mexico) *
Pablo Aguero – Salamandra (Argentina/France/Denmark) *
Pablo Larrain – Tony Manero (Chile/Brazil)
Saman Salour – Lonely Tune of Tehran (Iran)
Yin Lichuan – Knitting (China)
Raya Martin – Now Showing (Philippines/France)
Closing film: Josh Safdie – The Pleasure of Being Robbed (US) *
* competing for the Camera d’Or
Special Screenings
Olivier Jahan – 40X15 (France)
Robert Kramer and John Douglas – Milestones (US)
Jean-Marie Straub – Le genou d’Artémide (France)
Jean-Marie Straub and Danièle Huillet – Itinéraire de Jean Bricard (France)
Shorts:
The Acquaintances of a Lonely John Benny Safdie (États-Unis)
1st programme:
Easter Morning Bruce Conner
Mes Copains Louis Garrel (France)
Ciel éteint ! (Sky’s Black Out !) F.J. Ossang (France)
Je vous hais petites filles Yann Gonzalez (France)
2nd programme:
Il fait beau dans la plus belle ville du monde Valérie Donzelli (France)
Muro Tião (Brazil)
Kamel s’est suicidé six fois, son père est mort Soufiane Adel (France)
MAN Myna Joseph (USA)
Summer Afternoon Ho Wi-ding (Taïwan)
Vsakdan ni vsak dan (Every Day Is Not the Same) Martin Turk (Slovenia)
Sagan Om Den Lille Dockpojken (The Tale of Little Puppetboy) Johannes Nyholm
(Sweden)
