Coming Up on the Croisette

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Parent Category: Film Festivals

Category: Features

Published on Monday, 05 May 2014 12:14

Written by Marian Masone

Mr. Turner

As soon as the competition lineup is announced for the Cannes film festival, the handicapping begins: Who will win the top prize (Palme d’or); who are contenders for the acting awards; what first feature film will win the coveted Camera d’or? In addition to the above mentioned honors and acting, writing, directing and technical  trophies, the jury can hand out its own prizes, which is a way of honoring films that may have missed out on a larger prize, although more often it seems a way for all jury members to show their favorites some love.

Debate at this point seems premature: There are ten days between Opening and Closing nights and a lot can happen. But a look at some of the repeat visitors on the Croisette is a more interesting concept. Who are making return trips to Cannes?

The most anticipated film for this writer is “Mr. Turner,” Mike Leigh’s film about the life of 19th century English painter J.M.W. Turner. Leigh won the Palme d’or in 1996 for “Secrets and Lies” and is equally at home with his salt of the earth characters as he is with historical (and artistic) figures. Nuri Bilge Ceylan is a great storyteller, so “Winter Sleep” is high on the must-see list. His last Cannes entry, “Once Upon a Time in Anatolia” won the grand prize at the festival in 2011.

Actor Tommy Lee Jones is in the competition as a director with “The Homesman,” which he also stars in alongside Hilary Swank. This is Jones’ second theatrical feature as a director; his first film, “The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada,” also premiered in the Cannes competition in 2005: The film won a screenplay award and Jones walked away with the best actor prize. 

Alice Rohrwacher is in the competition with her second feature, “The Wonders.” Her first feature, “Corpo Celeste” premiered in the Directors Fortnight section of Cannes. She is an intriguing filmmaker; let’s see what she does next. David Cronenberg makes another trip to Cannes with his “Map to the Stars.” In 1996 he was awarded a Special Jury Prize for his film “Crash.”

Any film by the Dardennes brothers is worth a look and Marion Cotillard, who has the lead in “Two Days, One Night” may be the highest profile star ever to appear in their films. They have had numerous films in the competition at Cannes, and their films have garnered many awards, including the top prize two times (“Rosetta” in 1999 and “L’Enfant” in 2005). Jean Luc Godard is in Cannes again (no surprise), this time with a 3D film, “Goodbye to Language.” His films are always controversial, but for that reason they are also required viewing. 

Xavier Dolan is young and prolific. At 25, he’s in the competition (finally!) with “Mommy,” his fifth feature in five years. He made his Cannes debut with a Directors Fortnight screening of “I Killed My Mother” and moved up to the Un Certain Regard section two years ago with “Laurence Anyways.” Ken Loach shows up again, with a historical piece, “Jimmy’s Hall.” He won the 2006 Palme for “The Wind that Shakes the Barley.” 

Naomi Kawase has made a number of trips to the festival. “Suzaku” won the camera d’or for first feature in 1997. Ten years later her film “The Mourning Forest” won the jury’s grand prize. This year she’s in the competition with her latest film “Still the Water.” Cannes veteran Michel Hazanavicius is back with “The Search” – “The Artist” garnered an acting award at the festival before the rest of the hardware (including a couple of Oscars™).

Canadian Atom Egoyan won the Grand Prize in 1997 for “The Sweet Hereafter.” This year he’s back with “Captive.” Olivier Assayas had a few trips up the red carpet with films in the competition. “Clean” won acting honors for Maggie Cheung in 2004. Now he’s back with “Sils Maria,” with Juliette Binoche and Kristen Stewart.

Bertrand Bonello has been to Cannes before, both in the competition (with “House of Tolerance” in 2011) and elsewhere (his film “The Pornographer” won a prize at Critics Week in 2001). This year he arrives with “Saint Laurent,” another take on the famed designer.

“Waiting for Happiness,” by Abderrahmane Sissako, was honored by international film critics when it screened in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard in 2002. His new film “Timbuktu” will screen in the competition this year. And Andrey Szyagintsev, whose film “Elena” won a special jury prize in Un Certain Regard in 2011, now has “Leviathan” in the competition.

This illustrious group will be joined by Bennett Miller, with “Foxcatcher,” and Damian Szifron, with “Wild Tales.” Both are making their first appearance at the festival, but each has a healthy body of work behind them already. More will come for most of these filmmakers, as their films unspool in the Lumiere Theater. The fun is just beginning.

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