The Cannes Film Festival rarely goes by without cacophony, but this year’s edition could be louder and more volatile than any in recent memory.
When the red carpet is rolled out on Tuesday at the Palais des Festivals, the 77e Cannes Film Festival will take place against a backdrop of war, protests, potential strikes and the acceleration of the #MeToo uprising in France, which has largely resisted the movement for years.
Festival workers threaten to strike. The war between Israel and Hamas, hard felt in France because of its large Jewish and Arab communities, will not fail to trigger demonstrations. Russia’s war in Ukraine remains on many people’s minds. Add to that the anxieties that can be expected at Cannes – the still uncertain future of cinema, the rise of artificial intelligence – and this year’s festival should not be short of twists and turns.
Being prepared for everything has long been a useful habit in Cannes. Befitting such tumultuous times, the film lineup is full of intrigue, curiosity and question marks.
Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof, just a few days before the presentation of his latest film, The Seed of the Sacred Fig, in competition at Cannes, was sentenced to eight years in prison by the Islamic Revolutionary Court. The film remains on the Cannes program.
The most anticipated feature film is undoubtedly Francis Ford Coppola’s self-financed film, Megalopolis. Coppola himself is no stranger to twists and turns at Cannes. An unfinished version ofApocalypse Now earned him, tied, his second Palme d’Or more than four decades ago.
Even the next American presidential election will not be far away. In competition is the film The Apprentice by Ali Abbasi, with Sebastian Stan in the role of young Donald Trump. There will also be new films from Kevin Costner, Paolo Sorrentino, Sean Baker, Yorgos Lanthimos and Andrea Arnold.
Another highly anticipated film is Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (Furiosa: A Mad Max saga). The film, an apocalyptic dystopia, returns director George Miller to the festival he has become a regular at as a juror.
“I got hooked on it just because it’s like a movie camp,” said Miller, who became fascinated by the global cinema gathering at Cannes and the impeccable film presentations.
“It’s really a kind of optimal cinema. The moment they said, “Okay, we’re happy to show this film here,” I jumped at the chance. »
The festival will officially open with the film The Second Act, a French comedy by Quentin Dupieux starring Léa Seydoux, Louis Garrel and Vincent Lindon. During the opening ceremony, Meryl Streep will be presented with an honorary Palme d’Or. During the closing ceremony, George Lucas will also receive one.
The #Metoo movement in the spotlight
The spotlight also risks being focused on Judith Godrèche. The French director and actress claimed earlier this year that filmmakers Benoît Jacquot and Jacques Doillon sexually assaulted her when she was a teenager, allegations that shook French cinema. Jacquot and Doillon have denied these allegations.
Although much of the French film industry was previously reluctant to embrace the #MeToo movement, Godrèche has reignited the discussion. She spoke passionately about the need for change at the César ceremony, the French equivalent of the Oscars, and before a French Senate committee.
During the same period, Godrèche also directed the short film Me too at a Paris gathering of hundreds of people who wrote to him with their own stories of sexual assault. On Wednesday, he will open the “Un Certain Regard” section of Cannes.
“I hope to be heard, in the sense that I’m not interested in being some sort of representation of someone who just wants to pick on everyone in this industry,” she explained before the festival. I’m just fighting for some kind of change. It’s called a revolution. »
It’s the latest chapter in how #MeToo resonated at the world’s largest film gathering, following a protest by 82 women on the steps of the Palace in 2018 and a commitment to parity men-women in 2019. The festival has often been criticized for not having invited more women filmmakers in competition, but the festival provides its full support to Godrèche while anticipating the possibility of new #MeToo type revelations during the festival.
“For me, having these faces, these people – everyone in this film – gives them this place of celebration,” said Judith Godrèche.
“There’s something about this place that has so much history. In a way, this forever mystifies the films. Once your film was in Cannes, it was in Cannes. »
The return of Paul Schrader
Some of the filmmakers present at the festival this year are already firmly anchored in Cannes history. Paul Schrader was at the festival almost 50 years ago to Taxi Driver by Martin Scorsese, which he wrote. After a notoriously controversial reaction, the film won the Palme d’Or in 1976.
“It was a different place. It was much more collegial and discreet,” Schrader recounted during a break after packing. I remember very clearly sitting on the terrace at the Carlton with Marty (Scorsese) and Sergio Leone and (Rainer Werner) Fassbender came with his boyfriend and joined us. We were all talking and the sun was setting. I thought, “This is the best thing in the world.” »
For the first time since his tragedy Patty Hearst of 1988, Schrader returned to what he describes as “the main show” – competing for the Palme d’Or – with Oh, Canada. The film, adapted from a novel by Russell Banks, stars Richard Gere (who reunited with Schrader decades later American Gigolo as a dying filmmaker who tells his life story in a documentary. Jacob Elordi plays him in 70s throwbacks.
After the Cannes lineup was announced, Schrader shared an old photo on Facebook of himself, Coppola and Lucas – all major characters in New Hollywood – with the caption “Together again.”
“I will be there at the same time as Francis. The question arises whether any of us will be invited back for the closing ceremony,” Schrader emphasized, referring to when award winners are invited to stay for the closing ceremony.
“I hope Francis or I can come back on closing night for the George thing. »
Whoever walks away with the Palme d’Or will be decided by a jury chaired by Greta Gerwig, fresh from the colossal success of barbie.