We have some exciting news! Coffee Shift is going to be sponsoring coffee at Cannes Film Festival and our correspondent, Juan Carlos Lemus, who is a prolific Colombian film critic will be filling us in with all the details as the festival progresses!
To begin with, here's a little summary by Lemus on what to expect from Cannes this year:
The time has come for the most important film festival in the world: Cannes Film Festival 74 on an unusual date, from July 6 to 17, for a celebration that was usually held at springtime. Cannes comes like Rambo, with a knife between its teeth, seeking revenge for a 73rd version that could not be. But what can we expect from this version?
It is worth mentioning that the boss of Cannes, Thierry Frémaux, the festival's executive officer, did not behead Spike Lee (Jungle Fever, 1991). The Atlanta-born director and screenwriter will "return" to preside over the main section in this version. The parallel section called Un Certain Regard did not save anything either. Andrea Arnold, the British director of American Honey in 2016, is its president. And of course, the fortnight, the week —Cristian Mungiu, president— and ACID. Each of these parallel festivals with their covered roosters.
From my side I will tell you that the selection of directors for their official competition reminds me of the galacticos of the little-loved Real Madrid by me. Cannes called its headlines and lined them up like few times and these are my most anticipated titles:
- ANNETTE, from French, so far brilliant and surprising and grotesque, Leos CARAX with whom the festival will open.
- From Hungary comes a new addition, the winner of the Berlin Bear in 2017 Ildikó ENYEDI. She goes to the Croisette with her new work A FELESÉGEM TÖRTÉNETE (THE STORY OF MY WIFE). I look forward to a love story that can be very unconventional yet happy.
- BENEDETTA by Paul VERHOEVEN (Netherlands) —yes, the same from Low Instincts, 1992— who resisted the urge to release it last year to reach the French Riviera to tell Benedetta Carlini's lesbian love story over there in the XVII century. Tell me no more.
- BERGMAN ISLAND by Mia HASEN-LØVE was also expected for this date. The French director, L’Avenir (2016), talks about a couple of filmmakers who seek inspiration on the same island where Ingmar Bergman took refuge and inspired many times.
- The Norwegian Joachim TRIER (Louder Than Bombs, 2015) returns to his lands after his time in the Anglo with THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD. A drama of a girl in the moments that define life and work with respect to being.
- RED ROCKET is the new from Sean BAKER. A guy from New York who has walked through Los Angeles and Florida to show without morbid a not so elegant side, and no less human, of the American dream. In this installment he will talk about porn. Safety pin
- Wes ANDERSON for better and for worse — because there will always be someone who finds him vacuous — remains one of the kindest and most appreciated directors for whom this write. AND THE FRENCH DISPATCH has been going around and toiling that he's already out. The time has come.
- Twenty years ago Nanni MORETTI's cinema (Italy) came into my life with La stanza del figlio, and I have not felt the need to remove it. The intimate and familiar dramas of him without bombast or hidden pretensions and with sparks of humor are delicate encounters with oneself and the humanity that we seek. TRE PIANI tells the life of three families in a building. Powerful dramedy, I bet.
- Legend has it that the Thai artist Apichatpong WEERASETHAKUL was invited to the 57 Cartagena Film Festival and that the seed of MEMORY was generated there. Filmed in Colombia with a Colombian cast and the huge Tilda Swinton as a cherry in the leading role.
- A HERO will be the return of the multi-awarded Asghar FARHADI (A Separation, 2011) to his native Iran after the Spanish stumble.
In other sections and simultaneous events
DIÁRIOS DE OTSOGA by the Portuguese Miguel GOMES and Maureen FAZENDEIRO. If you remember the Arabian Nights trilogy, you will know the reason for this urgency. If you haven't seen it yet, don't waste any more time.
FUTURA by Pietro MARCELLO, Francesco MUNZI and Alice ROHRWACHER. The name of the latter and the desire that she had been the one to win the Palme d'Or in 2018 with Lazzaro Felice
JADDE KHAKI (Hit the Road) by Panah PANAHI, a feature debut that I will see because the fruit does not fall far from the stick; And this guy has already worked with his dad, Jafar, as an editor on the beautiful 3 Faces, which I got to see at Cannes in 2018.
The Colombian Simón MESA SOTO, Palma de Oro in 2014 with his short Leidi, will present AMPARO, his first feature film at Critics' Week.
Other …
of which I have no information but their names resonate with me:
FLAG DAY, Sean PENN; PETROV’S FLU, Kirill SEREBRENNIKOV; FREDA, Gessica GÉNÉUS; NOCHE DE FUEGO, Tatiana HUEZO; LA CIVIL, Teodora Ana MIHAI; MON LÉGIONNAIRE, Rachel LANG; SAFE, Ian BARLING; ABAJO EL REY, Diego ONGARO; CANCIÓN FANTASMA, Nicolas PEDUZZI; PEQUEÑA PALESTINA, DIARIO DE UN ASEDIO, Abdallah AL-KHATIB; MUNICIPALE, Thomas PAULOT.
Juan Carlos Lemus
Film critic