The revolt sweeping across the Middle East these last couple of years will figure highly at the Cannes Festival, and it’s no coincidence. “The Sermon at Tobrouk,” a documentary by French philosopher Bernard-Henri “B.H.L.” Lévy (pictured below in Libya in September 2011) shot over the final eight months which led to the downfall of Kaddafi will be shown as a special screening. Levy ... more >
FESTIVALS | CANNES
CANNES FESTIVAL – Jeremy Irons in Special Screenings doc
The "inconvenient truth" of refuse
A recent addition was made to the Sélection Officielle: “Trashed,” a documentary feature by Candida Brady scored by Vangelis, which will be shown as a special screening. Brady is a British filmmaker and journalist whose previous efforts include documenting a breakthrough AIDS treatment over a ten-year period. The participation of Jeremy Irons in “Trashed” help raise the film’s cachet ... more >
Australian aboriginal movie, other new titles added to Cannes roster
It's crowded here
We are fifteen days away from the 65th edition of the Cannes festival—hooray! This year, sixty films will be included in the official sections—six additional features were just added, as follows: A French production, “Renoir” by Gilles Bourdos, which will close the festival, “Djeca” by Aida Begic, and “Gimme the Loot” a first-feature by Leonun Adam, have been added to the ... more >
Directors’ Fortnight poster UNVEILED
The best alt.fest rendez-vous during the Cannes Festival
Directors’ Fortnight (la Quinzaine des Réalisateurs), under the auspices of the French Directors Guild, is among the more vital alternative programming taking place during the Cannes Festival. Today they’ve released the 2012 poster (produced by Michael Welfringer). The girl standing in an unconventional office space (we're guessing it belongs to some pioneering earth explorer who owns a ... more >
CANNES ’12 – Short Film jury announced
Jury members reflect filmmaker pool diversity
Belgian filmmaker Jean-Pierre Dardenne (The Kid with the Bike) and Arsinée Khanjian will be part of the Cinéfondation and Short Film jury this year at the Cannes Festival (Dardenne will be this year’s jury president). The Cinéfondation, the festival's own Bell lab, was created in 1998 as launching pad for new filmmakers, helping them produce and distribute their films. Fifteen filmmakers ... more >
CANNES PLAYBOOK: Anderson and Salles films on tap
Forecast
American cinema has always been prominent in the Cannes Festival’s programming, thanks to Gilles Jacob and Thierry Frémaux, president and programming director respectively, both of whom give our cinema ample screen time (the festival will take place May 16-May 27. Italy’s Nanni Moretti will be president of the jury). Last year, Cannes was the launchpad for two American productions, The ... more >
Habemus Praesidem
Nanni Moretti to head Cannes jury–-we have a president.
Nanni Moretti the genial filmmaker from Rome is a multitasking kind of individual. He’s directed (The Caiman), worked as screenwriter (Habemus Papam) and produced extensively—read some early interviews of him and you’ll find out that he’s hedged his bets this way from the beginning of his career in cinema. And last night, Moretti landed the best job of all. But how will he make use of ... more >
