Day 12 - Cannes 2015

As far as I remember this is the first time that the day of the closing ceremony ALL films in competition have a final screen that seems is open to all audiences. That's a great idea that hope will be a norm for the future.

Maybe will tweet live the winners but for sure will update LIVE the post with the list of award winners and of course will watch live the red carpet hoping to see who is really in Cannes and who is not.  So expect me complaining or being happy via twitter (lol).

Before getting into more news or comments, let's talk about yesterday Un Certain Regard awards ceremony that I deeply regret was not stream live (not even by Cannes TV or Canal +) as this year I would have liked to see it because Isabella Rossellini was the head of the jury and as expected seems she did a good speech before the awards. But today there is an official video with the ceremony; this is the English version video, but there is also a video in French that doesn't have the not-nice voice over translation.



Can help but to share that I saw live the stream of Macbeth red carpet and yes, all that are in this ceremony were there, so imagine that they had to be rushed from the Palais to Theater Debussy (lol!). Rossellini did a nice short speech. I'm truly impressed by Tahar Rahim English!!! Very good! Best speech winner goes to Dalibor Matanić!

This section gives awards as the jury wishes as the only "official" award is one called Un Certain Regard Award. Each year we have different awards given and some with unusual names. Perhaps is time to open section to more awards and keep them fixed for future use of jurors so they don't have to come up with creative names to reward films that they consider worthy of being honored.

Here is a photo of the jury with all award winners plus Thierry Fremaux and Pierre Lescure.



Talking about awards, the winner of this year Cannes Soundtrack award is Lim Giong for the music in 聂隐娘 Nie Yin niang (The Assassin), Hou Hsiao Hsien! This is the jury that this year had the task of selecting the winner.



Actually there were sixteen jurors and here they are.
- Thierry Méranger – Les Cahiers du Cinema - Théo Ribeton – Les Inrockuptibles
- N.T. Binh – Positif - Bruno Cras – Europe 1
- Rhonda Richford – The Hollywood Reporter - Caroline Vié – 20 minutes
- Pierre Murat – Télérama - Pierre Vavasseur – Le Parisien
- Jacques Mandelbaum – Le Monde - Anne Claire Cieutat – Bande A Part
- Gilles Médioni – L’Express - Mélanie Carpentier – Grand-ecart.fr
- Gérard Delorme – Première - Benoit Basirico – Cinezik.org
- Thomas Baurez – Studio / CinéLive - Marie-Pauline Mollaret – Ecrannoir.fr

At the official site there is a large list of people In Attendance at Cannes today, May 24. I wonder why they published the list, maybe they did it to confuse everyone that is trying to guess who is in Cannes today. Check the list here.

According to that list almost everyone is in Cannes... but what calls my attention are the ones that are not mentioned in list like everyone from Carol, Son of Saul, The Assassin and think you get what I mean, people from the movies that many think will win awards.  So, let's assume that list is worth nothing!

Then to my surprise, photo services also have nothing interesting that could help us to find who is back in Cannes. Getty images last photos are from Macbeth red carpet, no matter how you search their data base. So perhaps the only way we will learn who is back is when we see LIVE the red carpet.

Perhaps the worst news is that anyone from Carol was last night in attendance to receive the Queer Palm and many took it as a sign that all left. Sigh. But I want to be positive and think about other years that top awards were given to films where there was no one from film and French distributor (if available) or anyone received the award. All this rambling to say that I still hope Carol wins more awards.

There must be much to talk about Cannes but this is all for today.  Now let's talk about some predictions.

For the first time will share in a post the tally by UK Screendaily magazine and the Film Français magazine that groups a series of French press film critics. Here are the last one from each of them with scores for all films in the competition.





As you can clearly say UK magazine top scores go to two films, Carol by Todd Haynes with 3.5 and with the same score, The Assassin by Hou Hsiao-Hsien. But when you see the French press chart you will see that the most golden palms are for Mia Madre by Nanni Moretti that has seven (7); no other film comes close to have as many palms as Moretti's film.

Then if you browse the net for predictions in as many languages you understand things get complicated but in general could say the following.

-French written press predictions go to Mia Madre BUT other media predictions talk about Maiwenn's Mon Roi as the top contender. Grand Prix and Jury Prix is between The Assassin or Son of Saul. Also believe that Best Actress is between Isabelle Huppert and Cate Blanchett. Clearly prefer Vincent Lindon for Best Actor. Best Director is between Jia Zhangke, Jacques Audiard or Maiwenn. Best Screenplay between Sicario and The Lobster.

-UK press in general has as top winner Carol or The Assassin. Cate Blanchett and/or Rooney Mara, Zhao Tao for Best Actress but there are some that mention Marion Cotillard. Grand Prix and Jury Prix between Carol, Son of Saul or Tale of Tales. Best Director to Garrone or Nemes. Best Actor: and UK actor... ie Michael Caine, Tim Roth, Colin Farrell (?!)
Best Screenplay to Maiwenn or The Lobster.

-Variety (USA) film critics go for The Assassin or Carol for top award. Grand Prix and Jury Prix: Son of Saul, Mon Roi or Mia Madre Best Director: Denis Villeneuve or Laszlo Nemes Best Actor: Vincent Lindon or Michael Caine, Best Actress: Cate Blanchett and/or Rooney Mara, or Zhao Tao. Best Screenplay: The Lobster

Seems that not even critics can get a consensus when predicting Cannes winners and is no surprise as it's almost impossible to guess what a group of very different people could like to honor. So I expect or hope for surprises.

In the end what film critics are saying is that awards should go to films like Carol, The Assassin, Mia Madre, The Lobster, Sicario, Son of Saul, Tale of Tales, Youth, Mountains May Depart, Mon Roi. Dheepan and well one movie with Isabelle Huppert. So we are talking about 12 out of the 19 films in competition, lol!

No, will not predict Cannes winners as is useless. Want to be surprised as like when I was VERY surprised with what the jury headed by Steven Spielberg selected. Maybe it happens this year again... or maybe not and film critics expectations become reality.

In a couple of hours the closing ceremony red carpet will start. Expect post with links. See you soon.

Photo of the Day

I LOVE black and white photos.   A beautiful example of a digitally manipulated B&W photo with Marion Cotillard.