The Cannes Film Festival is a 12-day affair of film premieres, Hollywood stars, champagne receptions and super yachts.
76th year of Festival in French Riviera city2023’s offerings include big blockbusters, fresh talent and a bit of controversy.
Helen Mirren walks the red carpet with bright blue hair
So far, we’ve seen a Standing ovation for Johnny Depp, Honorary Palme d’Or for Harrison Ford and Michael Douglas, and red carpet appearances by stars including Cate Blanchett, Ethan Hawke, and Dame Helen Mirren.
So, as the festival approaches its halfway mark, what have been the big moments so far, and what else should we be looking forward to? Cannes,
palme d’or
This year is a record-breaking year at Cannes: Of the 21 films competing for the Palme d’Or (the festival’s highest award), seven are from women – a third of those entrants.
This is in stark contrast to this year’s Oscar race, where not a single female filmmaker was nominated in the Best Director category.
After last year’s Cannes Festival produced three best picture Oscar nominees, we can only hope that this year’s impressive offering will highlight the names of some female filmmakers for next year’s Academy selection.
Johnny Depp doesn’t feel ostracized by Hollywood
jean du barry
all eyes were on Johnny Depp At the start of the festival, his period film Jean Du Barry opened the proceedings.
His big comeback Following the high-profile US court case against his ex-wife Amber Heard, which he won, he received a standing ovation.
The film sees the star playing the role of King Louis XV, while the play’s director, a French filmmaker known as Maven, plays the titular role.
She recently admitted to spitting in a journalist’s face following reports accusing her ex-husband, director Luc Besson, of rape (a French court dismissed all charges against Besson in May last year).
A somewhat controversial choice to start proceedings, the festival was happy to ignore any raised eyebrows – and it certainly got people talking.
Sculpture
Away from Depp Sr., Depp Jr. is his daughter, Lily-Rose.
She’s starring in The Idol, the highly anticipated series from Euphoria creator Sam Levinson and composer The Weeknd also premiering at Cannes.
Lily-Rose stars as an aspiring pop star who enters into a complicated relationship with a self-help guru, played by The Weeknd.
With reports of an expensive overhaul in the middle of production, all eyes will be on the response to the Cannes premiere ahead of the show’s airing on Sky Atlantic in the UK.
Indiana Jones cast attends world premiere
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
While not part of the competition, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny premiered at Cannes.
It’s been an emotional ride for its star, Harrison Ford, who is not only saying goodbye to the role of Indy, but also receiving an honorary Palme d’Or while in attendance at the festival.
Directed by James Mangold, whose previous work includes Logan and Ford v Ferrari, the film stars Ford as the estranged archaeologist, while Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge plays his god-daughter.
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It’s the first film in the franchise not to be directed by Steven Spielberg or written by George Lucas, and it’s been a long time coming – its initial intended release date was July 19, 2019.
Due out in theaters on June 30, it’s expected to be a summer blockbuster hit for Disney.
assassins of flower moon
Killers of the Flower Moon is a western crime drama from Martin Scorsese with a very star cast Leonardo DicaprioRobert De Niro, Jesse Plemons and recent Oscar winners Brendan Fraser,
It is based on a book about a series of murders of members of the Osage tribe in Oklahoma following the discovery of oil on tribal lands during the 1920s.
Reported to have cost £160m, and not shown in cinemas until October, the drama is expected to be an award contender.
It’s out of competition at Cannes, and when it’s finally due to arrive on Apple TV+, Scorsese has described it as a “big screen movie.”
asteroid city
A recent online trend has seen videos copying the unique and highly stylized look of Wes Anderson’s films.
So, what better time than now for a new film from the director himself?
As always, he pulls together a great ensemble cast – it includes Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett JohanssonTom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Adrien Brody, Liev Schreiber, Steve Carell, Matt Dillon, Hong Chow, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie and Jeff Goldblum (to name just a few).
Set in 1955, it’s about a junior stargazers convention and one of the films at Cannes hoping to take home the coveted top prize – the Palme d’Or – before it hits theaters in June.
may december
Todd Haynes, the director best known for his work including Wonderstruck and Dark Waters, has an interesting meta offering in competition at the festival.
may december stars Natalie Portman as an actress who visits a woman played by Julianne Moore that Portman’s character is going to play in a movie.
In real life, both stars have won Oscars in the past and the film has yet to be sold to a US distributor, so the makers are no doubt banking on good reviews when it premieres at the festival before airing on Sky Cinema later this year .
occupied city
One of Britain’s most acclaimed directors, sir steve mcqueen has brought his new documentary, Occupied City, to a special screening at this year’s Cannes.
Set in Amsterdam—where he now lives with his wife, author Bianca Stigter, who co-produced the film under Nazi occupation during World War II—it has a running time of 262 minutes.
This is the first time McQueen has directed a documentary feature, but his doc miniseries Uprising won a TV BAFTA last year.
Original
Pixar’s latest offering is set in a city where the elements coexist and is about the relationship between a fiery girl and a boy made of water, who find that just because they can’t touch each other Doesn’t mean they have nothing in common.
The animation will premiere out of competition and conclude the festival on May 27, before being released in cinemas next month.
The voice cast includes Jurassic World star Mamoudou Athie and Nancy Drew actress Leah Lewis.
Inspired by romantic films including You’ve Got Mail and Emily, it is expected to be a heartwarming closer to the festival.
Cannes Film Festival will run from 16 to 27 May