(Paris) First and second feature films from Malaysia, Brazil, Serbia and even Jordan will be screened during the 62e Critics’ Week, one of the main parallel sections to the Cannes Film Festival.
In total, eleven feature films are selected, including six shot by female directors. Seven take part in the competition under the watchful eye of a jury chaired by French filmmaker Audrey Diwan (Lion d’Or in 2021 in Venice with The event).
“We have a very demanding selection of eleven films out of a thousand received, which testified to a strong comeback of certain territories brought to a halt by the health crisis, such as Southeast Asia”, explained to AFP the general delegate of Critics’ Week, Ava Cahen.
Among the discoveries are a first Malaysian film in competition (tiger stripes by Amanda Nell Eu), on “the freedom and desire for recreation of young girls”, or the first Jordanian film to be selected (Inshallah a boy of Amjad El Rasheed), on “home help […] who fights like a lioness for her independence.
Only one French filmmaker is in competition (Iris Kaltenbäck for the rapture, a psychological thriller about female friendship with Hafsia Herzi and Nina Meurisse). The others are thrown out of competition.
With the Quinzaine des cinéastes, the selection of which is to be unveiled on Tuesday, Critics’ Week is a section parallel to the Cannes Film Festival, dedicated to the discovery of new talent through their first or second film.
A number of established filmmakers have been discovered there, from Ken Loach (revealed in 1970 at La Semaine with Kesand who is seeking a third Palme d’Or in official competition this year), to Julia Ducournau (Palme d’Or with Titanium in 2021, after presenting his previous film, Severeweekly).
Last year, one of the revelations of Critics’ Week was aftersunwhich earned its actor Paul Mescal an Oscar nomination.