Cannes, the jewel of the French Riviera, has turned into a cinematic paradise this week with the commencement of the 76th Cannes Film Festival. The event is offering a tantalising mix of big-ticket blockbusters, emerging talents, and a dash of controversy.
A-listers like Indiana Jones, Martin Scorsese’s latest work featuring Leonardo DiCaprio, and a Wes Anderson movie boasting an ensemble cast of stars, are among the highlights of this year’s festival. As noted by Scott Roxborough, European bureau chief at The Hollywood Reporter, this year’s lineup is a ‘feast of cinematic delights.’
Film aficionados will see stars like Pedro Almodovar, Natalie Portman, and Michael Douglas grace the Croisette boulevard, while directors Nanni Moretti, Ken Loach, and Wim Wenders present their latest works vying for the coveted Palme d’Or.
The festival’s curtain raiser is the French-language film ‘Jeanne du Barry’, which sees Johnny Depp returning to the big screen as King Louis XV. Amid criticism for choosing Depp as the star of the opening-night film, Festival director Thierry Fremaux defended the decision, stating Depp’s professional abilities were not under dispute.
In a record-breaking move, seven out of the 21 films competing for the Palme d’Or are helmed by women, including Catherine Corsini’s ‘Homecoming.’ Also in the competition, Ramata-Toulaye Sy, a French-Senegalese director, debuts with her relationship drama ‘Banel & Adama’, set in a Senegalese village.
Jurors this year include Brie Larson of Captain Marvel fame and Julia Ducournau, a previous Palme d’Or winner. They will be led by Swedish director Ruben Ostlund, a two-time Palme d’Or winner himself.
Harrison Ford is set to reprise his iconic role as Indiana Jones after a 15-year gap in the world premiere of ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.’ Another highly-anticipated premiere is ‘Killers of the Flower Moon,’ an adaptation of a best-selling book depicting the tragic murders of the oil-rich Osage Nation in 1920s Oklahoma. Directed by Scorsese, it features a star-studded cast including DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Jesse Plemons, Brendan Fraser, and John Lithgow.
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Despite the festival’s glamour, it’s not entirely detached from real-world issues, with potential disruptions due to protests against French President Emmanuel Macron’s planned pension reforms. However, the festival, running from May 16 to 27, is set to weather these issues with a firm belief in free speech and the right to protest.
The information in this article is based on a news report by asiaone.
