Iris Knobloch, new president of the festival, and Thierry Frémaux, its general delegate, revealed Thursday the names of the 19 films selected in competition for this 76th edition, chaired by the Swede Ruben Östlund.
The official selection of the 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival was unveiled on Thursday April 13 in Paris, in the presence of Iris Knobloch, president of the event, and Thierry Frémaux, general delegate. A total of 19 films were selected.
They could be joined by a 20th, Killers of the Flower Moon by Martin Scorsese. This film is for the moment planned out of competition but the festival would like to see it compete for the Palme d’Or. “The request has been made” to producers Paramount and Apple TV, “the essential being that we have an answer before the festival starts”, underlined Thierry Frémaux at the opening of the press conference.
The 76th official selection of the Cannes Film Festival “mixes young filmmakers and veterans”. “When it comes to art, there is no expiry date for filmmakers or for works”, he added. Franceinfo summarizes what to remember from the announcement of the 2023 vintage.
Regulars named Anderson, Loach, Moretti…
As for the regulars, the films of Wim Wenders (a very Japanese Perfect Days), Ken Loach (The Old Oak, his last film?), Marco Bellocchio (Rapito), Nanni Moretti (Il Sol Dell’Avvenire), Todd Haynes (May December) or Hirokazu Kore-eda (Monster) will be screened to festival-goers. Also eagerly awaited by the Cannes public, the new film by Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan (Palme d’or 2014) with Dry Herbs.
We will also find Wes Anderson. His film Asteroid City will be one of the events on the Croisette with a cast of more than 100 actors (including Tilda Swinton, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks…) who will walk the red carpet. Finnish filmmaker Aki Kaurismäki, despite his intention to quit the cinema, will be back with his new feature film Fallen Leaves,
Young shoots and filmmakers to rediscover
As every year, the Croisette also gives pride of place to young people and experienced filmmakers, but who are rarely seen. Austrian Jessica Hausner will present Club Zero, Briton Jonathan Glazer will come with The Zone of Interestst. Brazilian director Karim Aïnouz will climb the steps alongside Jude Law and Alicia Vikander, Simon Russel Beale and Sam Riley for the historic film fire brand
This edition will unveil some first works like Banel and Adama of the Senegalese Ramata-Toulaye Sy and for the first time, the Chinese director Wang Bing will be in Cannes with his documentary entitled Youth.
Six directors in the running for the Palme d’Or
Six directors will be in the running for the Palme d’Or, a record in the history of the festival. Among them are two French women: Catherine Breillat and Justine Triet.
The young Senegalese filmmaker Ramata-Toulaye Sy will present her first film there. Tunisian Kaouther Ben Hania, whose previous film was presented in the Un certain regard section in 2017. They accompany Jessica Hausner, member of the jury in 2021, and Italian Alice Rohrwacher, a Cannes regular despite her young career. Member of the Cannes jury in 2019, his film Wonders won the Grand Prix in 2014, and Happy as Lazzaro (Lazzaro Felice) the Screenplay Prize, tied with Nader Saeivar and Jafar Panahi.
In the history of the festival, only two directors have won the Palme d’or: the Frenchwoman Julia Ducournau in 2021 for Titanium and New Zealander Jane Campion in 1993 for The Piano Lesson.
Three French films in competition
Three French films will be in competition for the Palme d’Or. Catherine Breillat will present Last summer with Lea Drucker, Samuel Kircher and Olivier Rabourdin. Ten years after his last film, Abuse of weaknessbased on her eponymous autobiographical novel, the director ofAn old mistress finds the Croisette with the story of a mother whose life changes following an affair with her stepson.
Justine Triet, already noticed with Victoria (2016) and Sibyl (2019), will present this year Anatomy of a fall with Sandra Hüller, Swann Arlaud and Milo Machado Graner. His fourth feature film tells the story of Sandra, Samuel and their 11-year-old visually impaired son, Daniel, who have been living far from everything in the mountains for a year. One day, Samuel is found dead at the foot of their house. A suspicious death investigation has been opened. Sandra is soon charged despite the doubt: suicide or homicide? A year later, Daniel attends his mother’s trial, a true dissection of the couple.
The passion of Dodin Bouffant, the new movie from Franco-Vietnamese director Tran Anh Hung, noted director of The smell of green papaya (1993), Cyclo (1995) and Eternity (2016) will be screened on the Croisette. A historical romance carried by Juliette Binoche and Benoît Magimel.
Note that thea France is also represented with the film Jeanne du Barry directed by the French Maïwenn who will open the festival. The feature film starring Johnny Depp will be presented out of competition and released simultaneously in theaters.
“The list of films is not yet completely stopped”, said Thierry Frémaux in conclusion. Among the other expected highlights of this 76th edition: the presentation of the fifth installment of Indiana Jones, with a planned tribute to its actor Harrison Ford.
The 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival 2023 will be held from May 16 to 27.