Cannes 2010 Predictions (Competition Films): Loach, Tarr, Allen, Malick and Sofia Coppola

It’s always fun to guess how the jury might end up voting and whether the head of juror will indeed sway the final vote. Last year The White Ribbon won and the wave of reactions obviously pointed to Huppert and Haneke’s well-known rapport. The previous year, Sean Penn gave the Palme d’Or to The Class, not a politically-themed picture, but a social drama that represents a common pandemic. This year we have Tim Burton as the master of ceremonies — knowing him he has a taste for noir and fantasy. Here are the final batch of titles that I’m predicting could make the final cut.

Room in Rome – Julio Medem
Medem has only been to Cannes twice before with La ardilla roja (1993) and Tierra (1996) and somehow despite its spicy premise, I’m not sure if this would receive a main comp slot or non comp presence. This is a remake of Chilean Matias Bize’s “En la cama” with a Spanish girl who indulges in a night of casual sex in Rome – two strangers (Elena Anaya and Natasha Yarovenka) meet and spend a passionate physical encounter in a hotel room.

Route Irish – Ken Loach
Perhaps the most celebrated director of the upcoming edition, Palme d’Or winning Loach will most likely show off the story of the most dangerous stretch of road in Baghdad where a British mercenary soldier is killed under mysterious circumstances. 

The Rum Diary – Bruce Robinson
It would be a shame if Tim Burton (head of the jury) is celebrated and the France-based Johnny Depp doesn’t show up for the party and doesn’t come packing this project. This is the adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson’s classic The Rum Diaries and features a love triangle in the tale of a washed-up, hard-drinking journalist named Paul Kemp (Depp).

Shrek Goes Fourth – Mike Mitchell
The first two Shreks actually made it to the festival before, so I’d be surprised to not see the animated green ogre, especially since Dreamworks releases this on the 21st.  

Somewhere – Sofia Coppola
Having already presented Marie Antoinette and The Virgin Suicide, Coppola has a member’s only jacket which Focus will want to exploit for the promotion of her latest film, about a bad-boy A-List actor stumbling through a life of excess while living at Hollywood’s legendary Chateau Marmont Hotel.

The Tree Of Life – Terrence Malick
The most sought after upcoming film release on the planet will receive a big red carpet premiere – so my biggest question is: will the camera shy Malick accompany the film? 

The Turin Horse – Bela Tarr
Having presented a film at Cannes on three separate occasions, Tarr will get to present his rumored last film —  the freely inspired by an episode that marked the end of philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche’s career.

The Way Back – Peter Weir 
It’s been a long time no see for Weir at Cannes (he showed Witness in 1985 and The Year of Living Dangerously in 1983) I think he has the potential for an in comp showing of the fact-based story of the escape of soldiers from a Siberian gulag in 1940.

You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger – Woody Allen
With Carla Bruni and a bunch of big named actors in the cast, and a long standing relationship between the festival and the filmmaker, I think this love story will be a Gilles Jacob prerequisite. I’m putting my money on more than a token opening or closing spot though.

Tune in tomorrow, for some parallel section (Un Certain Regard, Director’s Fortnight, Critic’s Week) predictions.