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Monday, May 14, 2012

Cannes 2012 Official Selection Preview - Cosmopolis by David Cronenberg


Thanks to the absurd huge media coverage I have to constantly remember myself that Cosmopolis is a David Cronenberg film and NOT a Robert Pattinson movie especially when I consider Pattinson a mediocre actor that his only acceptable role is as a vampire. Recently watched Bel Ami and honestly he's terrible, the only good moments the film has is when Uma Thurman and Kristin Scott-Thomas are in the screen dwarfing even further Pattinson pathetic performance. I'm hoping that maybe in the hands of Cronenberg Pattinson can deliver as from what I imagine he will be in almost every Cosmopolis scene.

No doubt that movie will make money but most viewers will come from an audience that is not familiar with David Cronenberg glorious storytelling style which trailer and film stills suggest is all over the film.

The synopsis clearly states a theme that fascinates Cronenberg; how the organic and the psychological are inextricably intertwined, society's anxieties and phobias, and letting repressed impulses and paranoia run wild. Film addresses the alarming global financial crisis of today's world; it is a hauntingly prophetic fable that turns the future into history and suggests that the archaic might be our eerie future.

New York is in turmoil, the age of capitalism is drawing to a close end. Eric Packer, a high finance golden boy, dives into a white limousine. While a visit from the President of the United States paralyses Manhattan, Eric Packer has one obsession: getting a haircut at his barber’s at the other end of the city. As the day goes by, chaos sets in, and he watches helplessly as his empire collapses. Also he is sure that someone is going to assassinate him. When? Where? He is about to live the most decisive 24 hours of his life



As you can tell my expectations are very low especially when I learned that Juliette Binoche just did 2 days filming which I translate into very little time in the screen, probably only one scene that will be glorious but too short for sure.

Obviously will watch film as Cronenberg is one of my favorite directors but can't deny that I'll break my golden rule and as soon as film reviews from reliable sources start to appear will read them, just to find if Pattison improves here or not. Sigh.

Cronenberg in Cannes

Out of his 39 films in his eclectic career, Croneberg has been in Cannes three times before. First came in 1996 with Crash in competition for the Palme d'Or and went to win the Special Jury Prize; came back in 2002 with Spider in competition followed by A History of Violence also in competition and in 2007 with his short in Chacun son Cinema (To Each His Own Cinema) that was out of competition. Also in 1999 he was the Official Selection jury president.

Cronenberg has a significant history with Cannes but I doubt this film will get more than huge attention during the fest. Only IF Pattinson delivers then film could have some opportunities to be honored.

Film specs
Directed by David Cronenberg
Written by David Cronenberg
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche, Mathieu Amalric, Samanta Morton, Paul Giamatti
Language: English
Nationality: Majority Canadian (France and Canada)
Runtime: 1h 48m
Production year: 2012

End Notes
Cronenberg at Cannes go here.
Cosmopolis at Cannes official site go here.
Unifrance go here.

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Monday, May 05, 2014

2014 Cannes Check #7: The Canadians


A group with two directors, one was not born in Canada but grew up there and another is a true Canadian. Both have movies that I like and many more that I do not particularly like.

#7.1 Atom Egoyan

Born in Egypt to Armenian parents and raised in Western Canada, he began shooting short films at the University of Toronto until in 1984 his first feature film, Next of Kin traveled the festival circuit and became known to critics plus world audiences. Is in 1989 with Speaking Parts that he first comes to Cannes in a parallel section and in 1994 with Exotica is his first time in competition

The Captive is his tenth time in Cannes and sixth in competition; he already has won awards: in 1994 Exotica wins the FIPRESCI Award and in 1997 wins the same award again but also the Grand Prix with The Sweet Hereafter, a movie that truly impressed me and one of the few I really like, as for example his previous film, The Devil's Knot, was truly unbearable to watch, not for the story but for the Egoyan's storytelling style.

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Saturday, May 26, 2012

Day 10 at 2012 Cannes


Yesterday was not an easy day for me as was really hard to learn everything I learned about Reygadas film. I suppose you can say that I'm a director passionate fan and reading the negative press reactions was not pleasant at all. The great news is that after the Grand Theatre Lumiere premiere the film got a long standing ovation, suggesting that critics and audiences are on different sides of the like scale. I'm really glad and congratulate the director.

I do this intense daily fest coverage for very personal reasons as is a way to force me to learn something about every single film in the fest. I want to learn about films because these films is what I'll be watching during the next calendar year, the ones that make me very happy when I finally watch them and the ones in the top of my watching queue. It's an exercise that I have been doing for a long time, before I started this blog, when was relatively easy to read print materials and the few available net articles; then everything exponentially exploded when the fest opened their web site and every year they have been adding more and more great information.

But this year things got really crazy thanks to Twitter as critics' and almost anyone that is in Cannes or not had something to say about the fest. People have become really comfortable using Twitter and is great to be able to read critics' spontaneous reactions that later are rationalized (and many times changed) when they write the article. I simply love it as makes me feel that I'm following a process, a "creative" process, an experience that in my wildest dreams never imagined I will be able to have. Of course you need to establish a criteria -very fast- as not everything you see in Twitter is reliable.

I'm exhausted but very happy with my learning experience that, yes had a few drawbacks. This year it was impossible for me to learn about the many short films in the fest, but as soon as I recuperate my strength after next Sunday, I'll go back to learn something and maybe will share with you all.

I thank all my loyal readers from always as well as the new ones, including those that come just to grab a photo, and let's start today daily coverage. Cheers!

Main Competition

Cosmopolis by David Cronenberg

I do enjoy films by David Cronenberg, a director I follow no matter what movie he does as I have several films that I didn't liked and somehow disappointed me but didn't made stop watching his films. His last film before Cosmopolis, A Dangerous Method was a movie that I did not enjoyed much plus did not liked actors' performances. An introduction that I think was missing from what I said in my spontaneous expectations regarding this film that you can read here.

I delayed as much as possible watching movie videos as imagined that great Juliette Binoche was not going to be in them. I was right. Sigh. Photocall is noisy as expected so lower the volume and watch only to see the known actors and meet new -to me- actors. Oh! just realize that the two women are Sarah Gandon and Emily Hampshire the winners of the first Birks Canadian Diamond award.

TVFestival de Cannes has the group which also includes Cronenberg, Pattinson and Giamatti. Cronenberg dark prediction: film became a documentary. Expectation is confirmed, Pattinson is in every scene of the film. Oh gosh, Pattinson rambling answers are as bad as when he is performing (and I'm being very objective), Cronenberg comes to his help with clear precise answer. Gandon shines, can't remember her from A Dangerous Method. Giamatti is good as always, Cronenberg asked him not to read the book. Watch for entertainment purposes as you will learn very little from the movie.

Press conference has more people, two producers, novelist Don DeLillo and the screenplay writer. DeLillo has nothing to do with the script, so I ask, why is he in Cannes? Then Cronenberg says the book and the film are two different things. Oh gosh, gossip say that Stewart is awkward -awkwardness that I like, but Pattinson is worst and not in a positive way. Pattinson answers improve, become more interesting, with more info, good... but then his mind wanders, his mouth rambles and the awkwardness prevails. True, Gandon was also in Brandon Cronenberg film, she talks about similarities and differences. Like DeLillo comments about the white limousines in Manhattan. Suddenly got the impression that Pattinson hasn't grown from his Harry Potter times, odd. You will learn a few things about movie and I believe no matter what you hear or read, nothing will give you an accurate idea -or spoiler- to what you'll see in film. Suggest to watch video, mainly to "meet" Mr. DeLillo.

Got curious about novel and read a bit; learned that was received with mix reviews, most are negative. Hmm, maybe I'll read the novel, as yes story is interesting for me.

Red carpet HAS Juliette!!! OH!!! Great!! Stop showing Pattinson, go to Juliette please! Oh! Thank you!!! Every time I see her she looks younger, marvelous. Can't wait to see the photos and you know who has to be at the bottom of this post. He, he very emotional but sincere comments. Sigh. Watch to see the cast/crew plus very elegant Juliette Binoche; also young actresses look remarkably good.

We know that Cronenberg has a long history with Cannes, but lately his films have been more honored by being in the official selection than winning awards; so I don't know if this film will follow the trend or will win him another award and don't feel like speculating before watching the film.

If I believe Twitter pulse then probably will have to eat all my words regarding Pattinson as reliable critics' are saying he is good in here.  Nevertheless film seems to be on the lower side of acceptance, but then maybe critics' are just tired, as their reactions are different to premiere audiences reactions.

V Tumane (In the Fog) by Sergei Loznitsa

I have a love/hate relationship with this director as I would simply LOVE to see his films and I truly HATE the fact that I haven't seen any. His films are impossible to find near me and I'm still "dying" to be able to see 2010 My Joy with those breathtaking images that I know are also in his newest film.

I expect not to be able to watch film for years and to miss what seems like extraordinary storytelling style telling interesting stories that to my eyes and imagination seem to belong to Russia and other countries of the old USSR. This is the synopsis.

Western frontiers of the USSR, 1942. The region is under German occupation, and local partisans are fighting a brutal resistance campaign. A train is derailed not far from the village, where Sushenya, a rail worker, lives with his family. Innocent Sushenya is arrested with a group of saboteurs, but the German officer makes a decision not to hang him with the others and sets him free. Rumours of Sushenya’s treason spread quickly, and partisans Burov and Voitik arrive from the forest to get revenge.
As the partisans lead their victim through the forest, they are ambushed, and Sushenya finds himself one-to-one with his wounded enemy. Deep in an ancient forest, where there are neither friends nor enemies, and where the line between treason and heroism disappears, Sushenya is forced to make a moral choice under immoral circumstances.

Suggest to watch clips here and use the link to the director's site to explore his magnificent body of work.

Photocall introduces me to the cast, but not to the director that I knew from his 2010 visit to Cannes with My Joy. TVFestival de Cannes is interesting for answers from Loznitsa like, (paraphrasing) I've seen the film with eyes of a director... today will see film for the first time with regular spectator eyes... hope I understand it; which is perhaps the best answer I heard from all directors in fest and ever. Actors praise director. Suggest you watch it even when there is a question about the first scene that I tried not to listen.

Press conference also has the producer. Director continues to give great answers, this is not a war movie is a people movie. Oh! book writer story, interesting. Loznitsa does not want to comment about the political situation, which is highly appropriate in this venue and/or relating to the movie. I'm starting to understand the language... and directors great answers continue. German producer also gives sharp answers. Gosh, what a great answer to a journalist that wants to know what film is about. Grrr film has everything I like in films, very frustrating to know that won't see it fast. Suggest you watch this video and also the red carpet to meet more cast/crew.

Needless to say that film is Must Be Seen. Loznitsa history with Cannes is short but covers all his 2 feature films as he used to do only documentaries. If one director I wish will win the Palme is Loznitsa that really can use the Cannes exposure to promote his films.

Un Certain Regard

Gimme The Loot by Adam Leon

Film seems to me like good representative of American indie cinema, a cinema with many films that I don't like and a few that positively surprise me when I dare to watch them. Don't know if this film will surprise me or if I'll dare to watch, but somehow the graffiti element in the story calls my attention. The synopsis.

Malcolm and Sofia, two determined teens from the Bronx, are the ultimate graffiti-writers. When a rival gang buffs their latest masterpiece, they must hatch a plan to get revenge by tagging an iconic NYC landmark, but they need to raise $500 to pull off their spectacular scheme. Over the course of two whirlwind, sun-soaked summer days, Malcolm and Sofia travel on an epic urban adventure involving black market spray cans, illicit bodegas, stolen sneakers, a high wire heist, and a beautiful, rich girl’s necklace that is literally their key to becoming the biggest writers in the City.

Unfortunately film stills plus clips make me think that film will be one of the last in my watching queue.

11・25自決の日 三島由紀夫と若者たち 11.25 Jiketsu no Hi: Mishima Yukio to Wakamonotachi (11.25 The Day He Chose His Own Fate) by Kōji Wakamatsu

Clips and film stills allow me to know that visually I'll enjoy this film, but story absolutely calls my attention. The synopsis.

"If we value so highly the dignity of life, how can we not also value the dignity of death No death may be called futile." - Yukio Mishima

On November 25th 1970, a man committed ritual suicide inside the Tokyo headquarters of the Japanese Ministry of Defence, leaving behind a legacy of masterpieces and a controversy that echoes to this day. The man was Yukio Mishima, one of Japan’s greatest and most celebrated novelists. With four members of his own private army - the Tatenokai - Mishima had taken the commandant hostage and called upon the assembled military outside the Ministry to overthrow their society and restore the powers of the Emperor. When the soldiers mocked and jeered Mishima, he cut short his speech and withdrew to the commandant’s office where he committed seppuku - the samurai warrior's death - tearing open his belly with a ceremonial knife before being beheaded by one of his colleagues.
What was Mishima truly trying to express through his actions? And what did he witness during his final moments?

Will watch film the moment it comes near me.

Closing film: Renoir by Gilles Bourdos

I'm always concern with movies about painters as most of them have not pleased me with directors' vision on how to blend the bio part with the painter magnificent oeuvre. Can't deny that I'm concerned with this film but as always I'll be watching especially when is a biopic from one of my most admired painters. Not really familiar with director but film stills stimulate my visual imagination and just hope that when stills move the magic will still be there. The synopsis.

The Côte d’Azur. 1915. In his twilight years, Pierre-Auguste Renoir is tormented by the loss of his wife, the pains of arthritic old age and the terrible news that his son Jean has been wounded in action. But when a young girl miraculously enters his world, the old painter is filled with a new, wholly unexpected energy. Blazing with life, radiantly beautiful, Andrée will become his last model, and the wellspring of a remarkable rejuvenation.
Back at the family home to convalesce, Jean too falls under the spell of the new, redheaded star in the Renoir firmament. In their Mediterranean Eden - and in the face of his father's fierce opposition - he falls in love with this wild, untameable spirit... and as he does so, within weak-willed, battle-shaken Jean, a filmmaker begins to grow.

Film closes the section but winners will be known on Sunday, unless Twitter allows to learn them before.

Out of Competition

Hemingway & Gellhorn by Philip Kaufman

Great news that the director of films that I highly have enjoyed has a new movie, as his last one -that I didn't particularly liked- was released in 2004; but who can forget The Unbearable Lightness of Being or Henry & June? Not me as both are in my collection to visit and revisit.

Hemingway & Gellhorn is a TV movie, an HBO production which only makes me really happy as know will be watching very soon as film will premiere May 28th at 9:00pm EST on HBO. Great!

I'm curious about this movie because not only want to know why movie is in Cannes -believe is the second TV movie in recent times (or ever?) after Carlos- but also because Nicole Kidman stars in a role that she agreed yesterday at press conference, is the opposite to the one she played in The Paperboy. Then story seems interesting as stated in the synopsis.

Hemingway & Gellhorn recounts one of the great romances of the last century - the passionate love affair and tumultuous marriage of literary master Ernest Hemingway and the trailblazing war correspondent Martha Gellhorn - as it follows the adventurous writers through the Spanish Civil War and beyond. The combined magnetism of Hemingway and Gellhorn ushered them into social circles that included the elite of Hollywood, the aristocracy of the literary world and the First Family of the United States. As witnesses to history, they covered all the great conflicts of their time, but the war they couldn't survive was the war between themselves.

Film suggest to be more a Gellhorn than Heminway tale, which if true, could be a fascinating biopic about a remarkable and brilliant woman, a journalist/war correspondent that covered many important history events; like for example, the civil wars of Central America or the US invasion of Panama when she was 81-years-old.

I have not liked all Nicole Kidman movies but I'll watch everything with her in it, let's hope that this is one performance I like, the Cannes credentials make me think that film has to have something special. Then also hope that is not in the Official Selection only to honor Philip Kaufman work. I'll find what this movie is all about in a few days which will make it my first Cannes movie of the year. Great.

Suggest to watch Red Carpet video if just to watch Nicole Kidman, Clive Owen and Rodrigo Santoro. Nicole looks a bit tired but then she has worked hard for two days in a row.

Special Screening

Le Serment de Tobruok (The Oath of Tobruk) by Bernard-Henri Lévy and Marc Roussel

I'll be perhaps too honest about this movie that to me seems is included in the official selection more as a well-intended political statement than because of the quality of the movie. I say this because IF Cannes is willing to every year include a well-intended political statement -which I do approve-, THEN I might be wrong about what I feel and already said about Cannes absence of women directors.

IF Official Selection is partial to real awful political situations around the world, THEN the selection could be partial to women directors' and create a space to screen movies not because movie-quality but to improve women directors' exposure. Even if is only ONE movie, the void, the vacuum will be filled and the much needed women directors' exposure will start to be present in the fest.

With all this out of my system, let's talk about movie that has impressive credentials behind the making. What absolutely captures my attention is the possibility of watching "something" that has French philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy vision, but know that film -or better said: intellectual/historic document- will be visually hard-to-watch and that will not come near me easily.

Cinéfondation

Short Films Program 4 with the last three shorts, Derrière-moi les oliviers (Behind Me Olive Trees) by Pascale Abou Jamra, Los Anfitriones (The Hosts) by Miguel Angel Moulet, and Tambylles by Michal Hogenauer

Winners will be announced today. If you wish to 'meet' this year directors' suggest to watch video here. Winners have been announced by Jean-Pierre Dardene, jury president, see post to learn them.

Cannes Classics

A Great Day in Harlem by Jean Bach

An interesting documentary dedicated to Art Kane's legendary photography with all the greatest names in jazz in the 1960s. Suggest to read fascinating story of that 1958 day and the background behind Bach's 1994 documentary. A brief summary is here.  This is the synopsis.

In August 1958, the young photographer Art Kane made his first photo report and cover for Esquire. He managed to mobilize the big names of jazz artists in Harlem for a photo shoot. 57 jazzmen and jazzwomen are for ever in this historical picture. The film A Great Day in Harlem is about this event.

As a huge jazz lover and photography fanatic this documentary joins two of my most intense passions, thus is a Must Be Seen for me. Documentary screening is preceded by two short films, All Colored Vaudeville Show by Roy Mack and Jammin' The Blues by Gjon Mili.

Cinéma de la Plage

Red Tails by Anthony Hemingway

Film was released last January but I'm not really interested in watching another version of the famous Tuskegee Airmen. But if you are interested, suggest to read article here.

Around the Selection

Masterclass with Philip Kaufman

Usually Cannes has only one Masterclass and is only this year that there were three. The usual lesson is about directing and this year is American director Philip Kaufman turn. If you wish to read more about Kaufman go here.  As we know his latest film, Heminway & Gellhorn is screened today out of competition.

Quinzaine

Closing Film: Camile Redouble (Camille Rewinds) by Noemi Lvovsky

The fifth film by 2003 prestigious Prix Louis-Delluc winner, 1999 Prix Jean-Vigo winner and her 1994 debut film was screened at the Berlinale; impressive directorial credentials for this also well-known actress that I last saw in Bonello's L'Apollonide - souvenirs de la maison close and I'm looking forward to watch in 17 Filles, plus much awaited by me Les Adieux Les Adieux à la reine.

With the above introduction you have no doubt that this film is Must Be Seen for me so even when is not necessary will tell you that I'm also attracted to film story and don't really mind if film is a comedy. The synopsis.

Camille was sixteen years old when she met Eric. They fell madly in love and had a daughter… 25 years later: Eric is leaving Camille for a younger woman. That’s New Year’s Eve, and Camille suddenly finds herself back in her past.
She is sixteen again and has returned to her parents, her girlfriends, her childhood… and Eric. Will she flee and try to change the course of their lives? Will she fall in love with him again, even though she knows how their story will end?

I know that synopsis will probably make you think about an American movie, Peggy Sue Got Married; but I can assure you -before watching- that if stories are similar, in the hands and head of a French director will be told very differently.

Awards ceremony

As we know the parallel section does not have awards to films in the selection; but besides some films competing for the Camera d'Or, section sponsors present awards. So tonight during the closing ceremony and before the screening of the closing film, we will learn the Art Cinema (CICAE) award, the SACD prize, the Europa Cinemas Label and the Illy Prize winners. If you wish to learn more about these awards go here.Winners are in the Quinzaine main post.

Semaine de la Critique

Today section screens all award winner films.

L'ACID

The last film in the section, Stalingrad Lovers by Fleur Albert with a synopsis that describes a style I like but doubt will watch because story essence. The synopsis.

A neorealist film noir that makes us discover the real life of crack dealers and users. From dealers chasing customers to addicts waiting for product, everyday life on the street is about surviving, or dying.

If you wish to learn more about film suggest you watch clip here.   Again films in this section never come near me as most does not get distribution. There are no awards in this section as surely the "award" for any film here is finding buyers; nevertheless tonight there is a closing event with a concert by Jean-François Pauvros, the musician that composed Stalingrad Lovers score.

There are some films that I skipped but will come back after Sunday to check them, but if you wish to learn about all films go here.

Cannes News

Today the Institut national de l'audiovisuel (INA) honored Nanni Moretti with a "Distinction Numérique", an award that gives him the totality of his broadcast and radio appearances in France and has more than 20 hours from almost 90 sources. INA's archive is one of my favorite reference sites that I suggest you to check, link is the first column.

The most fun Cannes award has been announced! This year Palme Dog goes to Banjo and Poppy, two Terriers in Ben Wheatley's Sightseers, screened at the Quinzaine.

Not-so-serious comments

Very wealthy people attended the amfAR's Cinema contre le sida gala as the foundation registered an historic record when 9 millions of Euros were pledged. The foundation was created by Elizabeth Taylor and yes there are two guests that pledged 850,000 Euros each to star in Karl Lagerfeld short but also an hour of tennis with Novak Djokovic got a significant pledge.

French press plays and takes their crystal ball to predict winners; le Figaro predicts Audiard will get the top award and Mungiu the grand prix; Nicole Kidman and Mads Mikkelesen with actors' awards. Actually predictions sound good to me.

Very FUN to read today's post by Steve Butterworth with the up-to-date results of his "Cannes Twitter Awards", the result of tracking Twitter news about Cannes for the last couple of weeks. Suggest you check post here.  Here are some highlights.

Which Films got the most BUZZ: In first place with 10,243 mentions, On The Road.
Which Film got the most LOVE: In first place with 94% positive sentiment, On The Road; but interesting is to find that overall positivity rating for Cannes has been very high averaging 84% positive sentiment.
People that got the most BUZZ: Not surprising for me (lol), with 14,894 mentions is Kristen Stewart. If you wonder, Pattinson is the fifth in the list.

Then the social media craze for celebrities is confirmed when out of 320K tweets, 67% are celebrity mentions versus 33% film mentions.

Photo of the Day

Impossible to find a free Julitte Binoche photo where she is alone, so here are some couples from tonight Cosmopolis premiere.

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Showing posts sorted by relevance for query david cronenberg. Sort by date Show all posts

Monday, May 19, 2014

Day 6 at Cannes 2014


I thought it was only me having the impression that this year the festival had a weak in-competition selection but no, it is not only me who is "concern" with the quality of the films. Fest has been like a roller-coaster, one day is great with mood going up, next is not good with mood going down and you can feel everything from the brief writings of Twitter to the headlines of film reviews.

Of course there are some exceptions and according to me up-to-today, with four days to go, the only exceptions are Nuri Bilge Ceylan's film and perhaps the only Italian film in competition, both films fit what used to be the high festival standards. Still hope that there are a couple of more films with those standards.

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Friday, March 09, 2012

32nd Genie Awards Winners


Last night the Academy had the awards ceremony and big winners are Monsieur Lazhar with six trophies and A Dangerous Method with five. To learn winners in all categories go here. Winners are in *BLUE.

--//--
1/17

A few minutes ago the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television announced their nominations for the Genie Award and was streamed live here from Montreal. Jean-Marc Vallée’s Café de Flore leads the nods with 13 followed by David Cronenberg’s A Dangerous Method with 11.

Best Motion Picture
A Dangerous Method, David Cronenberg
Café de Flore, Jean-Marc Vallée
*Mosieur Lazhar, Philippe Falardeau
Starbuck, Ken Scott
The Whistleblower, Larysa Kondracki

Achievement in Direction
David Cronenberg for A Dangerous Method
Steven Silver for The Bang Bang Club
Jean-Marc Vallée for Café de Flore
*Philippe Falardeau for Mosieur Lazhar
Larysa Kondracki for The Whistleblower

Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Catherine de Léan in Nuit #1
Pascale Montpetit in The Girl in the White Coat
*Vanessa Paradis in Café de Flore
Rachel Weisz in The Whistleblower
Michelle Williams in Take This Waltz

Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
*Fellag in Monsieur Lazhar
Garret Dillahunt in Oliver Sherman
Michael Fassbender in A Dangerous Method
Patrick Huard in Starbuck
Scott Speedman in Edwin Boyd: Citizen Gangster

To check nominees in all categories go here. The Awards ceremony will be in Toronto on March 8 at 8:00pm and will be broadcast on CBC Television.

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Sunday, May 20, 2012

Day 4 at 2012 Cannes


Today's program is fantastic with great recent and older films.

Main Competition

După dealuri (Beyond the Hills) by Cristian Mungiu

Extremely excited that one of my favorite directors, the one that made learn a new language and introduced me to Romanian New Wave cinema, has a new film.

I expect an intense emotional experience and outstanding visuals, more great visuals than what we got from his masterpiece Palme d'Or winner 4 luni, 3 săptămâni şi 2 zile (4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days) as story allows him to create fantastic outdoor compositions, check impressive clip here. If you wish to learn more about my expectations go here.

Photocall introduces me to the cast and only if wish to meet them watch video. TV Festival de France interviewer says that's a "love story" oh, my hopes improve, even do I know that lesbian interest is absolutely non-essential for me to be excited about this movie, still it is a big plus. Interview -in general- confirms that my expectations are in this film, there are some little spoilers moments that I didn't mind learning, suggest to watch if you wish to learn more about movie.

Press conference allows me to learn that story is more about "intimate friendship" between two women, which definitively motivates me to stop thinking about this non-essential issue, great as this expectation was starting to annoy me. Answers about tech specs are very exciting... perhaps I should not watch more as I'm raising even more my expectations. They're starting to asks questions about "the meaning" and no, I don't want to learn anything about Mungiu's (or any other) story interpretation before watching film. Better stop watching but I was highly enjoying Mungiu's very concrete answers. Watch only if you do not mind spoilers.

Red carpet was during day time, so looks and feels informal, there is an interview with Mungiu that gives more spoilers (sigh). We can see the Dardenne brothers who are film co-producers. Upsets me that there are very few press photographers as this is a film that really deserves media exposure.

Have to admit that checked in Twitter reactions to this film. English press comments are divided, some say is good while others call it a disappointment; Romanian comments tend to be positive, French comments also are positive, while Spanish comments tend to follow English reactions. My net take away, if I consider these reactions, is that I will like this film that has to have more European style than Mungiu's first film, which to me is just excellent!

Think will share something I already know about the story told in this film which probably is generating some not-positive reactions. This film is inspired on a true story that happened in Romania and yes, includes an exorcism that was done in the real life story. So, no surprises -in this sense- for you and me when we watch film.

Obviously film is Must Be Seen for me.

Lawless by John Hillcoat

Trailer (here) and good cast excited me and gave me hopes to have a good entertainment escape moment, let see if what I'll be learning today change my expectations.

Watch photocall only to see the fantastic cast this movie has, great Jessica Chastain, Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeouf, and Guy Pearce. TV Festival de Cannes is dry as interviewers did not changed his usual style and this group told him he already answered whatever he was asking, which I think is true. Only exception is Jessica that tries harder to answer, lovely and Guy Pierce. Video is kind of entertaining but nothing else, so if you skip will not miss much.

Press conference starts quite animated and as expected -after interview- is entertaining with more silly/funny answers than serious ones. Director is about the only one that gives interesting answers. But then press questions are not that good. Hillcoat gives very interesting comments about the state-of-the-cinema business in America. Finally Jessica and Mia are talking, both give good answers. Yes is true, Jessica was last year with two films and again this year with two films, quite an accomplishment for a young actress, isn't? Impressive, Jessica and Mia intervention changed the press conference mood that turned more serious and interesting. Video is entertaining with some irrelevant moments and some serious moments; yes think I'll recommend seeing both for entertaining purposes as well as for learning interesting aspects about film.


Red carpet video is worth watching just to see how beautiful Mia and Jessica are. Have to admit that I'm kind of disappointed by the performance the male cast/crew gave in Cannes, perhaps is their first time in fest or maybe in real life they're arrogant, but they have to know that they're working and the many eyes that watch Cannes deserve their respect as is not only the media who are watching them.

After all I have seen my expectations did not changed a bit, still expecting more an entertaining escape moment; which makes me wonder why this film is in the selection. Well let's hope there is more than what I expect.

My Twitter exploration mostly takes me into English comments that approve film for being "gripping, bloody and characterful", but there are some with sarcastic comments like "doesn't deserve to be part of the competition... wait, producer is Harvey Weinstein" ... reliable critics' comments tend to be not positive "cocktail of violence and sentimentality", "macho-sentimental violence".

Un Certain Regard

Les Chevaux de Dieu (God's Horses) by Nabil Ayouch

First time in Cannes director has a film that seems to have quite impressive visuals (trailer) but surely story will not be that easy to watch as was inspired by the terrorist attacks on May 16, 2003 in Casablanca, Morocco. This is the film synopsis.

Yachine is 10 years old, he lives with his family in the slum of Sidi Moumen in Casablanca. His mother, Yemma, leads the family as best as she can. His father suffers from depression, one of his brothers is in the army, another is almost autistic and the third, Hamid, 13, is the boss of the local neighborhood and Yachine’s protector. When Hamid is sent to jail, Yachine takes up jobs after jobs, though empty, to get free from the doldrums of violence, misery and drugs. Released from prison, Hamid, now an Islamic fundamentalist, persuades Yachine and his pals to join their "brothers". The Imam, Abou Zoubeir, their spiritual leader, starts to direct their long-standing physical and mental preparation.
One day, he tells them they have been chosen to become martyrs.

Not my kind of movie mainly because story; but visuals and great visual compositions definitely call my attention. If comes near me and I find the right mood maybe I'll watch it.

Antiviral by Brandon Cronenberg

I imagine that being David Cronenberg's son is not easy, especially when son follows the father steps; consequently I'm trying to be fair and forget the connection. Is not until this moment that I'm able to watch a clip from this movie at Cannes site and definitively I'm impressed with Cronenberg's storytelling style but what tells me that this could be a "crazy" movie is the synopsis.

Syd March is an employee at a clinic that sells injections of live viruses harvested from sick celebrities to obsessed fans. Biological communion - for a price. Syd also supplies illegal samples of these viruses to piracy groups, smuggling them from the clinic in his own body. When he becomes infected with the disease that kills super sensation Hannah Geist, Syd becomes a target for collectors and rabid fans. He must unravel the mystery surrounding her death before he suffers the same fate.

Twitter tells very funny comments that tell approval like "Brandon Cronenberg definitively was not adopted"; but serious reviewers tend to not spontaneously give something about movie, "I'm still not sure" says one -which I don't really know how to interpret it as there are two possibilities: be careful what you write as is about Cronenberg son or is a film that stays with you and later will become clear. But in general seems there is film approval in English for those that stay the whole film as seems some left theater.

My expectations rotate around great visuals in a horror story that could be crazy/creepy. As some of you know I do not enjoy horror films, so am I going to skip this film? Are you kidding, there is no way I'll skip this film by David Cronenberg's son, have to see it even if I get repulsed by story.

Out of Competition

The Sapphires by Wayne Blair

I'm very curious about this film that trailer plus synopsis made me wish I had to learn about the real story and the play, which immediately I did. Afterwards my curiosity was risen even more.

Film is based on an award winning play with the same name written by Tony Briggs about a singing group of four Koori women who tour Vietnam during the war, a story that's inspired in the true story of Briggs mother and aunt. Briggs co wrote the movie screenplay which is directed by Wayne Blair, who was an actor in the play. The group, the play and how they did the movie are very fascinating stories, but Blair's movie seems destined to captivate world audiences as seems like a feelgood movie. Check the film synopsis.

1968 was the year the planet went haywire. All around the globe, there were riots and revolution in the streets. There were hard drugs, soft drugs, free love and psychedelic music. There was the shock of Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy’s assassinations. And dominating every other news story. There was Vietnam. For four gorgeous young women from a remote Aboriginal mission, 1968 was the year that changed their lives forever. Sisters Gail, Julie and Cynthia, together with their cousin Kay, are discovered by Dave, a down-on-his-luck Irish musician with attitude, a taste for Irish Whiskey and an ear for Soul Music. Dave steers the girls away from their Country & Western origins then flies them to the war-zones of South Vietnam, where they sing Soul Classics for the American Marines. On tour in the Mekong Delta, the girls sing up a storm, dodge bullets. And fall in love.

I strongly suggest you read this Cannes site article as briefly tells about movie historical context. Yes this is women-centered story about what Australia was like in 1968 and which Blair sees as a way of paying homage to his Aborigine grand-mother, a passionate fan of soul music, who died in 1966 as a foreigner in her own country.

Think I like too much the story and I hope the movie is as good as the story and the award-winning play reviews are.

Red carpet video is available if you wish to meet/see the actors in this film, especially well-known Chris O'Dowd. Twitter very active Mister Thierry Fremaux after premiere was over twitted that audience gave an interminable applause.

Special Screenings

Today Dario Argento's Dracula 3D by the master of Giallo with his daughter Asia Argento and Rutger Hauer that no, I have no interest in watching as Giallo is not my cinema genre at all. But know that genre and director fans will like to watch this film.

Cannes Classics

Today Cannes Classics screens two movies that are really classics in my book.

The Ring by Alfred Hitchcock

"One of the first full-length movies directed by the master of suspense: a silent film where a love triangle tears itself apart against a background of boxing and the fairground" That is how the article at Cannes site starts, which I suggest you read it.

Master filmmaker Hitchcock deserves that this digitally restored by the British Film Institute is released in Blu ray so it can end up in my collection.

Lawrence of Arabia by David Lean

To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the film Cannes is screening in restored print by Sony Pictures Entertainment one of the greatness film in cinema history and undoubtedly David Lean's masterpiece. Restored version was made from the Director's Cut in 1989 and includes 21 minutes of unreleased footage, bringing the total running time to 3 hours 42 minutes. Hope they release a Blu ray as this is a version I would simply LOVE to see even when I still remember the story and the absolutely impressive Peter O'Toole performance, but film also have other great performances by Anthony Quinn, Omar Sharif, Alec Guinnes, Jose Ferrer and more.


Around the Selection

Leçon de Musique Masterclass by Alexandre Desplat

Today in a packed room Alexandre Desplat gave his Masterclass about a personal history of film music. Interesting is to learn that Desplat has composed the music to all Jacques Audiard films. If you wish to learn more go here.

Cinéma de la Plage

Today Le Farceur (The Joker) by Philippe Broca a light French film that I saw a long-long time ago with very young Anouk Aimée and Jean-Pierre Cassel. Suggest you read more here and watch movie clip.

Quinzaine

La Sirga by William Vega

Trailer gives you the idea that film will be very visual with glorious slow pace but synopsis tells you that not all will be enjoyable in this film, check synopsis

Alicia is helpless. Fleeing the armed violence that has claimed the lives of those dearest to her, she ends up in La Sirga, at the guesthouse of Oscar, the only family she has left. Here, on the shores of a great lake in the Andes, she tries to rebuild her life. But this place, where she feels safe, is not spared by the fighting. The return of Freddy, the son that Oscar has been awaiting for years, his enigmatic intentions and his possible link with the warring factions bring La Sirga what Alicia fears the most.

Spontaneously this Colombian, French and Mexican production gave the impression that I was watching a Reygadas film but probably is only because trailer has a very good scenes edition. Check trailer here.

Film calls my attention and will watch when comes near me.

El Taaib by Merzak Allouache

After finally watching clips, film seems like a movie to watch because the story it tells and don't particularly find story interesting. This is the synopsis.

Algeria region of the high flatlands. As Islamist groups continue to spread terror, Rashid, a young Jihadist, leaves the mountains to return to his village. In keeping with the law « of pardon and national harmony », he has to surrender to the police and give up his weapon. He thus receives amnesty and becomes a « repenti ». But the law cannot erase his crimes and for Rachid it's the beginning of a one-way journey of violence, secrets and manipulation.

La Noche de Enfrente by Raoul Ruiz

As a special screenings Raoul Ruiz first posthumous oeuvre that I'm sure is screened to honor the prolific director. Can't say that I enjoyed all his films but this one was his going-back-to-Chile film which makes it more interesting for me. This is the film synopsis:Three ages of a man who sees death approach overlap. Raoul Ruiz's film testament.

What do I expect from film? Lots of fantasy presented as reality and lots of reality presented as fantasy, which is what director does in many of his films plus short stories in which film is inspired suggest magic could be also in film. Also expect an exploration of death, dying.

Not looking forward to watch film but know that eventually I will.

Semaine de la Critique

God's Neighbors by Meni Yaesh

Know too little about this film to have an opinion as only have seen a few scenes, some film stills and the following synopsis.

Rules must be followed. For the “supervisors” of a Bat Yam neighborhood in Israel, this means ensuring that women are dressed appropriately, that people respect Shabbat, or that Arabs from Jaffa don’t enter the neighborhood with music blaring from their cars. Avi, Kobi and Yaniv are young and know how to fight. Avi is their leader. The group’s dynamic is challenged when Avi threatens a young woman that doesn’t follow their rules, a woman he’s about to fall in love with…

Hard to believe that film is only a love story but until a trailer or more information are released is all that I know from Yaesh debut film competing for the Camera d'Or.

Augustine by Alice Winocour

Special screening of Winocour film that from clip here seems to be a very classic French film but being in La Semaine tells me that surely I'm wrong as this section usually screens very hard-to-watch and unusual films.

Still not sure why film is competing for the Queer Palm as synopsis does not suggest anything related to this award; this is the synopsis.

1885. In Paris, at Pitié Salpêtrière hospital, Professor Charcot is trying to understand an illness, hysteria, the causes of which as yet unknown. Augustine, a young woman just out of childhood, presents all the symptoms of the illness. It isn’t long before she attracts his attention. From object of study, Augustine soon becomes an object of desire, and the exclusive subject of his research, his obsession. Augustine does everything she can to seduce the Professor when he carries out experiments on her. Over the course of his examinations, their intimacy grows: the closer Charcot comes, the more he desires her; and the more he looks at her, the sicker she becomes

Film has well-known actors like Chiara Mastroianni and Vincent Landon; but it is singer Soko (aka Stéphanie Sokolinski - she also is in Despentes' Bye Bye Blondie ) that plays Agustine who gets my attention from clip.

Actually I really do not need to know more about this film that I know will watch as soon as comes near me. Expect a very French film like that ones that disturb me but are quite emotional cinematic experiences.

Short Films Program 1

Today the first short films program that screens the following shorts: Ce n’est pas un film de cow-boys by Benjamin Parent, Un dimanche matin by Damien Manivel, Hazara by Shay Levi, O Duplo by Juliana Rojas, and Yeguas y Cotorras de Natalia Garagiola.

L'ACID

Today Ini Avan by Asoka Handagama a Sri Lanka production that has the following synopsis: After the war in Sri Lanka, an ex-militant of the Tamil Tigers returns home in hope of starting a new « normal » life. Don't know much about this film and story does not call my attention, so I think I'll skip it.

Cannes News

Not many news today so will tell you about a Swedish project directed by Daniel Fridell that will bring to the big screen the biopic of Swedish porn king Berth Milton Jr.

Music Box Films picked up all North American rights to Sean Baker's Startlet with Dree Heminway (Mariel's daughter).

Other Activities

There were several parties last night and tonight there are many more, so is no surprise to find Cyndi Lauper, Ron Wood, Lyle Lovett, Boy George in Cannes.

The source of my in Cannes today is Getty Images that keep me informed about the celebrities but today I found not many photos of newcomers, so list is brief with Gerard Butler, Robert Rodriguez, and Michelle Rodriguez. Also Jane Fonda left Cannes.

Photos of the Day

Jessica Chastain and Mia Wasikowska today best photos from Lawless photocall and Red Carpet.

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Thursday, April 14, 2022

75th Festival de Cannes Line Up



Update May 11th, with only six (6) days to the opening day post has been updated with several news. Most interesting are the Honorary Palme d'or to Forest Whitaker, some extraordinary films in Cannes Classics section plus more movies in the Cinéma de la Plage section.

Post will be kept In Progress as official site hasn't upload any info regarding the many films in current edition; consequently, will become final when organizers release info and after list is check to confirm films, add and/or correct info.

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Saturday, May 24, 2014

67th Festival de Cannes Award Winners


In about six hours the red carpet will start followed by the awards ceremony, then the closing tribute to the western or better, the spaghetti western with Quentin Tarantino presenting For a Fistful of Dollars by Sergio Leone.

Nice closing ceremony with great award winners speeches that unfortunately chose to speak in English as the voice-over translation was loud, annoying and couldn't let you hear anything. Sigh. But imagine most will soon appear as clips all over the net. My predictions were as all Cannes predictions a futile exercise but can't deny that with one or two exceptions I approve who won the awards.

We have to realize that this year we have traditional winners but for those that wanted "fresh blood" we also have it and just for reference the youngest director in this edition, Xavier Dolan, tied with the oldest director in this edition, Jean-Luc Godard, but Alice Rohrwacher won the second top award.

So this is the end of the Cannes coverage and the end of the Festival.

À l'année prochaine!

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Wednesday, October 24, 2007

10th British Independent Film Awards


Yesterday the nominations for the BIFA were announced and here are some of the nominations that include quite a few for Notes on a Scandal, but fest favorite Control leads with ten nominations.

Best British Independent Film
And When Did You Last See Your Father?
Control
Eastern Promises
Hallam Foe
Notes on a Scandal

Best Actress
Anne Hathaway for Becoming Jane
Tannishtha Chatterjee for Brick Lane
Sophia Myles for Hallam Foe
Kierston Wareing for It's a Free World...
Judi Dench for Notes on a Scandal

Best Actor
Jim Broadbent for And When Did You Last See Your Father?
Sam Riley for Control
Viggo Mortensen for Eastern Promises
Jamie Bell for Hallam Foe
Cillian Murphy for Sunshine

Best Supporting Actor or Actress
Colin Firth for And When Did You Last See Your Father?
Tony Kebbell for Control
Samantha Morton for Control
Armin Muehler Stahl for Eastern Promises
Cate Blanchett for Notes on a Scandal

Most Promising Newcomer
Imogen Poots for 28 Weeks Later
Matthew Beard for And When Did You Last See Your Father?
Sam Riley for Control
Bradley Cole for Exhibit A
Kierston Wareing for It's a Free World...

Best Screenplay
David Nicholls for And When Did You Last See Your Father?
Matt Greenhalgh for Control
Steve Knight for Eastern Promises
Ed Whitmore, David MacKenzie for Hallam Foe
Patrick Marber for Notes on a Scandal

Best Director
Anand Tucker for And When Did You Last See Your Father?
Sarah Gavron for Brick Lane
Anton Corbijn for Control
David Cronenberg for Eastern Promises
David MacKenzie for Hallam Foe

Best Achievement In Production
Black Gold
Control
Exhibit A
Extraordinary Rendition
Garbage Warrior

The Douglas Hickox Award (Best Debut Director)
Mark Francis, Nick Francis for Black Gold
Anton Corbijn for Control
Oliver Hodge for Garbage Warrior
David Schwimmer for Run, Fat Boy, Run
Steve Hudson for True North

Best Foreign Independent Film
Zwartboek (Black Book), Paul Verhoeven, Holland, Germany and Belgium, 2006
La Vie en Rose
Once, John Carney, Ireland, 2006
Tell No One (Ne le dis à personne)
The Lives of Others

The Raindance Award
Exhibit A, Dom Rotheroe
The Inheritance, Charles Henri Belleville
Tovarisch: I Am Not Dead, documentary

The Richard Harris Award goes to Ray Winstone

The Variety Award goes to Daniel Craig

BIFA's new jury is comprised of professionals and talents from across the British film industry including: actresses Hayley Atwell, Archie Panjabi and Kathy Burke, actors Tony Curran, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Matthew Macfadyen, directors Annie Griffin, Menhaj Huda, Neil Marshall and Peter Webber, LFF Artistic Director Sandra Hebron, producer Mark Herbert, cinematographer Brian Tufano, distributor Will Clarke and musician Nitin Sawhney.

The awards ceremony will take place on Wednesday 28 November 2007 at the Roundhouse in London and will be hosted by James Nesbitt. To check the awards site go here.

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Monday, March 04, 2013

2013 Canadian Screen Award Winners


Rebelle (War Witch) by Kim Nguyen (photo) was the big winner of the night as won 10 of the 12 categories for which it was nominated.

Winners are not yet at official site but from news these are the winners for some categories announced last night. If you wish to learn winners in all categories go here if you can't wait until the Academy publishes winners.

Winners are in *BLUE.

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Tuesday, January 29, 2008

33rd César Awards


Recently the L’Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma announced the nominations for these awards and here they are for some categories.

Best Film
La Graine et le Mulet (Abdellatif Kechiche)
La Môme (Olivier Dahan)
Le Scaphandre et le Papillon (Julian Schnabel)
Persepolis (Vincent Paronnaud, Marjane Satrapi)
Un Secret (Claude Miller)

Best Director
Abdellatif Kechiche (La Graine et le Mulet)
Olivier Dahan (La Môme)
Julian Schnabel (Le Scaphandre et le Papillon)
André Téchiné (Les Témoins)
Claude Miller (Un Secret)

Best Actor
Vincent Lindon for Ceux qui restent
Jean-Pierre Darroussin for Dialogue avec mon jardinier
Jean-Pierre Marielle for Faut que ça danse!
Mathieu Amalric for Le Scaphandre et le Papillon
Michel Blanc for Les Témoins

Best Actress
Isabelle Carré for Anna M.
Marina Foïs for Darling
Marion Cotillard for La Môme
Catherine Frot for Odette Toulemonde
Cécile de France for Un secret

Best Female Newcomer
Hafsia Herzi (La Graine et le mulet)
Clotilde Hesme (Les Chansons d'amour)
Adèle Haenel (Naissance des pieuvres)
Louise Blachère (Naissance des pieuvres)
Audrey Dana (Roman de gare)

Best First Film
Ceux qui restent (Jean-Philippe Andraca, Christian Bérard, Anne Le Ny)
Et toi, t'es sur qui ? (Lola Doillon, Saga Blanchard)
Naissance des pieuvres (Céline Sciamma, Bénédicte Couvreur, Jérôme Dopffer)
Persepolis (Xavier Rigault, Marc-Antoine Robert, Vincent Paronnaud, Marjane Satrapi)
Tout est pardonné (Philippe Martin, David Thion, Mia Hansen-Love)

Best Foreign Film
4 mois, 3 semaines, 2 jours (Cristian Mungiu)
De l'autre côté (Fatih Akin)
La Nuit nous appartient (James Gray)
La Vie des autres (Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck)
Les Promesses de l'ombre (David Cronenberg)

This seems to be the best nominations I have seen up-to-date as all the extremely good films are nominated for major awards. Chapeau to the Academy members!!! But this could be very hard, imagine deciding between La Môme, Le Scaphandre et le Papillon, and Persepolis for best film??? Hard. And I know that La Graine et le Mullet is good but haven’t seen it yet and now have to check Un Secret.

Also difficult is the Best Foreign Film, but I know that my favorite is that magnificent Romanian film and I'm glad they included We Own The Night as was a movie that I liked a lot and the Oscars didn't gave any major honors. Easy categories are Best Actress that is Marion Cotillard and Best Director that has to be Julian Schnabel. I’m pleased to find here Naissance des Pieuvres that I’m absolutely “dying” to see!!!

For those that like statistics La Môme has 11 nominations, Le Scaphandre et le Papillon has 7 and Persepolis has 6. To check all categories go here available only in French.

The Awards ceremony will be on Friday February 22 at 8pm and will be telecasted by Canal+, I'll be checking TV5Monde to find the worldwide telecast. Jean Rochefort will preside the ceremony and Antoine de Caunes is the master of ceremony. This year these awards are going to be really exciting and of course I wont miss them.

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Monday, May 14, 2012

65th Festival de Cannes Official Selection Lineup - Update 5


The jury of the Un Certain Regard is announced and posted here. Only 2 days for Opening Ceremony and the cinema feast will start once more, can't wait. Check facebook page for a photo that shows that today the posters are going up. Cheers!!!
---End of Update 5---

5/10
As of today we can check at the fest official site info, photos and/or videos for ALL the films in the Cannes Selection that includes all the films below; go here.
---End of Update 4 ---

5/4
Today organizers announced a new film in the Official Selection Special Screenings section, Le Serment de Tobrouk by Bernard-Henri Levy.

Also you will notice that as of today there are trailers for some short films competing at the Short Film and the Cinéfondation. Since last week I have been searching for trailers of all Cannes 2012 films on daily basis so every day there is at least one new trailer to watch at MOC.

After watching many trailers my first spontaneous impression is that films this year are very visual as many have breathtaking images. Let's hope that stories are as great as the outstanding visuals.
---End of Update 3---

4/30
Today organizers announced new films that will complement the Official Selection, one in the Special Screening, two in Midnight Screenings and three in Un Certain Regard. In Un Certain Regard section there are a total of 20 films. Also a new film in Cannes Classics that will be included in the specific post; this film will close the section on May 25.
---End of Update 2---

4/26
The jury of the main competition has been announced and there are many well-known people for me that surely will color the festival with their presence and hopefully will select the best of the best in the selection.
---End of Update 1---

4/19
Today at the Intercontinental – Le Grand Hotel in Paris Gilles Jacob and Thierry Frémaux announced the much awaited official selection and to my personal joy there are several extraordinary directors with their latest masterpieces. Among them have to mention Haneke’s Amour, Carlos Reygadas’ Post Tenebras Lux, Kiarostami’s Like Someone in Love, Mungiu’s Beyond the Hills, and many more.

Without further comments here is the 2012 Cannes Official Selection

Competition
Opening film: Moonrise Kingdom, Wes Anderson, USA

Amour (Love), Michael Haneke, France, Austria, and Germany
Baad el Mawkeaa (After the Battle), Yousry Nasrallah, Egypt
După dealuri (Beyond the Hills), Cristian Mungiu, Romania
Cosmopolis, David Cronenberg, France, Canada, Portugal, and Italy
다른 나라에서 Da-reun Na-ra-e-suh (In Another Country), Hong Sangsoo, South Korea
De Rouille et d’Os (Rust & Bone), Jacques Audiard, Belgium and France
돈의 맛 Do-nui Mat (The Taste of Money), Im Sang-soo, South Korea
Holy Motors, Leos Carax, France
В тумане V Tumane (In the Fog), Sergei Loznitsa, Germany, Netherlands, Belarus, Russia and Latvia
Jagten (The Hunt), Thomas Vinterberg, Denmark
Killing Them Softly, Andrew Dominik, USA
Lawless, John Hillcoat, USA
ライク・サムワン・イン・ラブ Like Someone in Love, Abbas Kiarostami, France and Japan
Mud, Jeff Nichols, USA
On The Road, Walter Salles, France, UK and USA
Paradies: Liebe (Paradise: Love), Ulrich Seidl, Germany, France and Austria
Post Tenebras Lux, Carlos Reygadas, Mexico, France, and Netherlands
Reality, Matteo Garrone, Italy and France (is this Big House?)
The Angels’ Share, Ken Loach, UK and France
The Paperboy, Lee Daniels, USA
Vous N’Avez Encore Rien Vu (You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet), Alain Resnais, France

Out of Competition
Closing film: Thérèse Desqueyroux, Claude Miller, France
Io e Te (Me and You), Bernardo Bertolucci, Italy
Madagascar 3, Europe’s Most Wanted, Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath, USA
Heminway & Gellhorn, Philip Kaufman, USA

The Jury
President: Nanni Moretti, director, actor and producer, Italy
Hiam Abbass, actress, Palestine
Andrea Arnold, director and scriptwriter, UK
Emmanuelle Devos, actress, France
Diane Kruger, actress, France
Jean Paul Gaultier, designer, France
Ewan McGregor, actor, UK
Alexander Payne, director, scriptwriter and producer, USA
Raoul Peck, director scriptwriter and producer, Haiti

Un Certain Regard
Closing Ceremony: Renoir, Gilles Bourdos, France
7 Dias en la Habana, 7 directors: Benicio del Toro, Pablo Trapero, Julio Medem, Elia Suleiman, Juan Carlos Tabio,, Gaspard Noé, and Laurent Cantet, France and Spain
11・25自決の日 三島由紀夫と若者たち11•25 jiketsu no hi: Mishima Yukio to wakamono-tachi (11.25 The Day he Chose his own Fate), Kôji Wakamatsu, Japan
*Antiviral, Brandon Cronenberg, Canada and USA
A Perdre La raison (aka Aimer à perdre la raison) (Loving without Reason), Joachim Lafosse, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, and Switzerland
*Beasts of the Southern Wild, Benh Zeitlin, USA
Confession of a Child of the Century, Sylvie Verheyde, France
Después de Lucía, Michel Franco, Mexico
Djeca (Children), Aida Begić, Bosnia Herzegovina
Elefante Blanco (White Elephant), Pablo Trapero, Argentina and Spain
*Gimme the Loot, Adam Leon, USA
*La Playa, Juan Andrés Arango, Colombia
La Pirogue (The Pirogue), Moussa Touré, Senegal and France
Laurence Anyways, Xavier Dolan, Canada and France
Le Grand Soir, Benoît Delépine and Gustave Kervern, France
Les Chevaux de Dieu (God’s Horses), Nabil Ayouch, France, Morocco, Tunisia (?)
Miss Lovely, Ashim Ahluwalia, India
Mystery, Lou Ye, China
Student, Darezhan Omirbayev, Kazakhstan and France
Trois Monde, Catherine Corsini, France

Un Certain Regard Jury
President: Tim Roth, actor and director, UK
Leïla Bekhti, actress, France
Tonie Marshall, director and Producer, France
Luciano Monteagudo, cinema critic, Argentina
Sylvie Pras, Head of Cinemas at Centre Pompidou and Artistic Director of La Rochelle Film Festival

Special Screenings
A Música Segundo Tom Jobim, Nelson Pereira Dos Santos, Brazil
Der Müll Im Garten Eden (Polluting Paradise aka Garbage in the Garden of Eden), Fatih Akin, Germany
Journal de France, Claudine Nougaret and Raymond Depardon, France
Les Invisibles, Sébastien Lifshitz, France
Le Serment de Tobrouk (The Oath of Tobruk), Bernard-Henri Lévy, France
Mekong Hotel, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Thailand
Roman Polanski: A Film Memoir, Laurent Bouzereau, UK and Germany
The Central Park Five, Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, David McMahon, USA
*Trashed, Candida Brady, UK
*Villegas, Gonzalo Tobal, Argentina, Netherlands, and France

Midnight Screenings
愛と誠 Ai To Makoto (The Legend of Love & Sincerity), Takashi Miike, Japan
Dario Argento’s Dracula, Dario Argento, France, Spain and Italy
Maniac, Franck Khalfoun, USA and France
*The Sapphires, Wayne Blair, Australia

65th Anniversary
Une journée particulière, Gilles Jacob and Samuel Faure, France

*First Film, competes for Camera d’Or

Short Films Competition
Ce Chemin Devant Moi, Mohamed Bourokba (aka Hamé), France, 15’
Chef de Meute (Herd Leader), Chloé Robichaud, Canada, 13’
Cockaigne, Emilie Verhamme, Belgium, 13’
في المنافسة Falastein, Sandouk Al Intezar Lil Burtuqal (Waiting for P.O. Box), Bassam Chekhes, Syria, 15’
Gasp, Eicke Bettinga, Germany, 15’
Mi Santa Mirada, Alvaro Aponte-Centeno, Puerto Rico, 15’
Night Shift, Zia Mandviwalla, New Zealand, 14’
Sessiz-be Deng (Silent), L. Rezan Yeşilbaş, Turkey, 14’
The Chair, Grainger David, USA, 12’
Yardbird, Michael Spiccia, Australia, 13’

The Cinéfondation Selection
Fifteen films have been selected out of more than 1,700 submissions from 320 film schools across the globe. For the first time, a Lebanese school features in the selection, which covers fiction and animation and highlights films sharing the same film-making ambition and the expression of a very personal vision.

Abigail, Matthew James Reilly, NYU, USA, 17’
Derriere Moi Les Oliviers (Behind Me Olive Trees), Pascale Abou Jamra, ALBA, Lebanon, 20’
ДОРОГА НА Doroga na (The Road To), Taisia Igumentseva,VGIK, Russia, 32’
Head Over Heels, Timothy Reckart, NFTS, UK, 10’
Les Ravissements (The Raptures), Arthur Cahn, La Femis, France, 50’
Los Anfitriones (The Hosts), Miguel Angel Moulet, EICTV, Cuba, 16’
Matteus, Leni Huyghe, Sint-Lukas Brussels, Belgium, 18’
Pude ver un Puma (Could See a Puma), UCINE, Argentina, 17’
רסן - טריילר Resen (Dog Leash), Eti Tsicko, TAU, Israel, 26’
Riyoushi (The Barber), Shoichi Akio, Tokyo University of the Arts, Japan, 39’
Slug Invasion, Morten Helgeland, The Animation Workshop, Denmark, 6’
Tabăra Din Răzoare (The Camp in Razoare), Cristi Iftime, UNATC, Romania, 22’
Tambylles, Michal Hogenauer, FAMU, Czech Republic, 58’
Terra (Land), Piero Messina, CSC, Italy, 23’
The Ballad of Finn + Yeti, Meryl O’Connor, UCLA, USA, 18’

Short Films and Cinéfondation Jury
President: Jean Pierre Dardene, director, scriptwriter and producer, Belgium
Karim Ainouz, director and scriptwriter, Brazil
Emmanuel Carrere, writer, scriptwriter and director, France
Arsinée Khanjian, actress, Canada
Yu Lik Wai, director of photography and filmmaker, China

Well the Competition has a lot of Hollywood stars that surely will walk the red carpet plus give us full serious and not-so-serious material, just check some names: Zac Efron, John Cusac, Nicole Kidman, Matthew McConaughey, Eva Mendes, Robert Pattinson, Brad Pitt, Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeouf, Jessica Chastain, Reese Witherspoon, Kristen Stewart, Kriisten Dunst, Bruce Willis, etc. But –thankfully- great actors will also grace the red carpet like Isabelle Huppert, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Mads Mikkelsen, Juliette Binoche, and Marion Cotillard.

To check announcement at official site go here or check the press release here.

Watch Main Selection trailers @MOC
Watch Un Certain Regard trailers @MOC
Watch Short Films trailers @MOC
Watch Cinéfondation trailers @MOC
Watch trailers and clips at Cannes Official site.

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