Cannes 2009 Day 6: Shattered Lives in Franco’s Daniel & Ana

Perhaps the most disturbing film you’ll find at Cannes this year (yes more disturbing than Antichrist) is the debut film from Mexican helmer Michel Franco. Because of the added shock value and photo treatment, I expect many will make comparisons between Daniel y Ana and the work from fellow directors Carlos Reygadas and Amat Escalante. Gael Garcia Bernal’s brother Dario Yazbek Bernal and television actress Marimar Vega play a pair of siblings who are part of an affluent family and who get abducted, but it is what occurs during their abduction and more specially the moment after they get released where Franco goes into some fairly difficult to watch territory. The troublesome portrait should make waves on the film festival circuit due to the subject matter (that I was unaware of 90 minutes before the screening) but its treatment. Here are some pics from the press conference at the Director’s Fortnight tent.

Director and lead actress.

Marimar Vega

Vega and poster one sheet.