The Berlin Film Festival begins today and in typical IONCINEMA.com fashion, I've decided to unveil my predictions for the 2011 edition of the Cannes Film Festival. I've taken the liberty at breaking down the predictions by what should logically fit into what sections: Main Comp, UCR and the Director's Fortnight sidebar.
This November, we profile first-time filmmaker Damien Chazelle whose micro-budgeted Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench has charmed critics and found itself on several Best Undistributed Films Lists of 2009. Via Variance Films, his film is finally receiving its theatrical debut this November 5th at the Cinema Village in New York City. Below, you'll find Damien's top ten list as of November 2010 -- a nice mix of films of retro and contemporary films ranging between studio films and obscure short film titles.
Over 295 films - this includes shorts, fiction and documentary, animation, retrospectives, tributes, professional panels, outdoor interactive installations, the festival which takes place between the 13th to the 24th of October, furiously promotes not only world talent, but local French Canadian filmmakers. Among the notable titles, we have Michelangelo Frammartino's Le Quattro volte, Olivier Assayas' Carlos and Alex de la Iglesia's The Last Circus and Wang Bing is doing a Master Class for Venice-winning The Ditch. His epic 9 hour film Tie Xi Qu: West of the Tracks will also be shown as part of a retrospective.
I don't think the title of head programmer for any festival is an easy job, but I'd argue that Marco Müller has it "easy" this year. With so many of the world's best auteurs having not been ready to deliver at the Cannes deadline, the 67th edition of the Venice Film Festival (which will run 1st to 11th September 2010) is going to be loaded in premium titles. With many items having already been mentioned and speculated on before, here is an updated predictions list with a good helping of new names.
The French sales/production company is supplying this year's Cannes fest with a trio of titles, but you might find me doing cartwheels more for a project that hasn't even began lensing in Marjane Satrapi's Waiting for Azrael.