CANNES FESTIVAL, Palais — I was on the press balcony sitting at a table, with a friend, on the last Friday of the festival. I was half-working, half-resting, until the next screening. Some colleagues were nearby, taping an on-camera interview. To my left, a handsome, elderly man sat writing on a sheet of paper with a pen, a contrasting sight to this Mac-toting journalist. He looked a little more ... more >
FESTIVALS | CANNES
CANNES FESTIVAL – The Michel Ciment incident
France's greatest film critic uses pen and paper when he writes about cinema
BREAKING NEWS: THE SQUARE wins the Palme D’Or
In a short ceremony on Sunday the jury of the Cannes Festival, which marks its seventieth birthday this year, announced the winners, with Ruben Oestlund winning the Palme D'Or for his film "The Square." This year the jury's choices seemed more in line with those of the press than in years past. Many of us present at Cannes this year were hoping that "The Square" would get the top prize, or that ... more >
Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof gets Un Certain Regard prize
Last night the Un Certain Regard prizes were awarded during a ceremony in the Debussy Theater. UCR, an unwieldy hodgepodge of decent and lesser films, is the non-competition program of the Cannes Festival's official selection. But it's not without the occasional gem. Filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof's "A Man with Integrity," a dark portrait of a man standing up against the corruptive influence of a ... more >
CINEFONDATION awards prizes in ceremony on Friday
This program marks two decades in existence this year
The Cinefondation, which this year marks its twentieth anniversary, awarded prizes and money to three student filmmakers in a simple ceremony on Friday which was followed by a screening of the three winning films. Oscar winner Barry Jenkins was a part of a jury presided by Cristian Mungiu, recipient of the Palme D’Or in 2007. Other members of the jury included French actress Clotilde Hesme, ... more >
CANNES FESTIVAL, competition closes with Lynne Ramsay’s “You Were Never Really Here”
Joaquin Phoenix
Directed by Lynne Ramsay
Joaquin Phoenix is in full beast mode in Lynn Ramsay’s “You were never really here,” a head-scratching drama whose action begins in Cincinnatti, curiously, and moves to New York City. Phoenix is muscular, wears a scowl for much of the film, a glint of evil in the stare. There’s a little bit of something for everyone in this film: a sexually-deviant governor, murders with a hammer, underage ... more >
CANNES FESTIVAL, Diane Kruger the surefire winner of the acting prize for “In The Fade”? We say yes!
A film about sorrow and justice
Diane Kruger and Numan Acar
Directed by Fatih Akin
The characters in director Fatih Akin’s movies are flawed, they use drugs, they take a contrarian approach to life, they survive life rather than live it (and they listen to fantastic music). While studying the humanities in college Katja (Diane Kruger, in a very strong performance) enjoyed the instant gratification of chemicals and fell for her drug dealer, the virile and handsome Nuri ... more >
CANNES FESTIVAL, Safdie Brothers aim for Palme D’Or with GOOD TIME
New York City breaks bad again
Robert Pattinson and Benny Safdie
Directed by Josh and Benny Safdie
A24, an independent film studio, is like Weinstein or Focus but for the millenial set: their films are possessed of an edge and an immediacy, to say nothing of quality, that isn’t seen very often these days in the film market. "Good Time," which debuted this morning, is the latest title to come out of this studio. In this new film directed by Ben and Josh Safdie about a bank robbery gone wrong ... more >
