On May 13th, for the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, the curtain will rise on the Croisette. Between iconic directors, rising stars, and daring propositions, the world of cinema will convene there until May 24th, with a program as prestigious as it is varied.
This year, nineteen films are vying for the Palme d’Or, the festival’s ultimate symbol. Among them are several highly anticipated works: Wes Anderson returns with The Phoenician Scheme, while Ari Aster presents Eddington, blending drama and absurdity. The Belgian duo Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne offer Jeunes Mรจres, and Julia Ducournau, the 2021 Palme d’Or winner, presents Alpha, an organic thriller.
The competition also reflects a great geographical diversity, from Sirat by Galician รliver Laxe, to O Agente Secreto by Brazilian Kleber Mendonรงa Filho, passing through Woman and Child by Iranian Saeed Roustaee or Sound of Falling by German Mascha Schilinski.
“Un Certain Regard”: Showcasing the New Voices of Cinema
Faithful to its ambition to bring the talents of tomorrow to light, the Un Certain Regard section will highlight original works, often first or second films. Among them, Love Me Tender by Anna Cazenave Cambet, Urchin by Harris Dickinson, and Eleanor the Great, the directorial debut by actress Scarlett Johansson.
The public will also be able to discover highly anticipated films out of competition, starting with Partir un jour by Amรฉlie Bonnin, which will be the festival’s opening. The new installment of Mission: Impossible directed by Christopher McQuarrie, La Femme la plus riche du monde by Thierry Klifa, and Highest 2 Lowest by Spike Lee will also be screened.
Cannes Premiรจre, Midnight Screenings and Tributes
The Cannes Premiรจre section will feature new films like Amrum by Fatih Akin, Connemara by Alex Lutz, and Orwell: 2+2=5 by Raoul Peck. For thrill-seekers, the Midnight Screenings will offer Dalloway by Yann Gozlan, Exit 8 by Japanese Genki Kawamura, and Fฤnglรญn Huวshฤn by Juno Mak.
Several exceptional screenings will punctuate this edition. Among them are Bono: Stories of Surrender, a musical documentary by Andrew Dominik, and Marcel et Monsieur Pagnol by Sylvain Chomet, an animated tribute to the master of Provenรงal cinema.
The festival will also pay tribute to Robert De Niro. He will receive an honorary Palme d’Or for his entire career during the opening ceremony. Actress Juliette Binoche, an icon of auteur cinema, will preside over the official competition jury. Laurent Lafitte will have the task of humorously hosting the traditional opening and closing ceremonies of this 78th edition of the Cannes Festival.
