Cannes Film Festival: What’s everybody speaking about at this yr’s French celebration of cinema?

The Cannes Film Festival is a 12-day whirl of movie premieres, Hollywood stars, champagne receptions and tremendous yachts.

The 76th yr of the competition within the French Riviera metropolis, 2023’s choices embrace massive blockbusters, new expertise, and only a splash of controversy.

So far, we have seen a standing ovation for Johnny Depp, honorary Palme d’Or’s for Harrison Ford and Michael Douglas, and crimson carpet appearances from stars together with Cate Blanchett, Ethan Hawke, and Dame Helen Mirren.

So, because the competition reaches its midway level, what have the massive moments been to date, and what else ought to we be looking for at Cannes?

The Palme d’Or

This yr is a record-breaking one at Cannes: of the 21 movies competing for the Palme d’Or (the competition’s highest prize), seven of them are from girls – a whacking one third of the entrants.

It’s a stark distinction to this yr’s Oscars race, the place not one feminine filmmaker was nominated in one of the best director class.

With final yr’s Cannes Festival producing three of the eventual Oscar greatest image nominees, we will solely hope this yr’s spectacular providing will spotlight just a few feminine filmmakers’ names for subsequent yr’s Academy choice.

Jeanne Du Barry

All eyes had been on Johnny Depp in the beginning of the competition, as his interval movie Jeanne Du Barry opened proceedings.

His massive comeback following the high-profile US courtroom case in opposition to his ex-wife Amber Heard, which he received, noticed him obtain a standing ovation.

The movie sees the star taking part in King Louis XV, whereas the drama’s director, a French filmmaker generally known as Maiwenn, performs the titular position.

She not too long ago admitted to spitting in a journalist’s face following reviews accusing her ex-husband, the director Luc Besson, of rape (the French courtroom of attraction dismissed all of the allegations in opposition to Besson in May final yr).

A considerably controversial option to kick off proceedings, the competition was glad to miss any raised eyebrows – and it actually bought folks speaking.

The Idol

Away from Depp senior, there may be Depp junior – his daughter Lily-Rose.

She is starring in The Idol, the extremely anticipated sequence by Euphoria creator Sam Levinson and musician The Weeknd additionally premiering at Cannes.

Lily-Rose stars as an aspiring pop star who enters a posh relationship with a self-help guru performed by The Weeknd.

With reviews of a pricey overhaul halfway by way of manufacturing, all eyes will likely be on the response to the Cannes premiere earlier than the present airs on Sky Atlantic within the UK.

Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny

While not a part of the competitors, Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny has premiered at Cannes.

It’s been an emotional trip for its star Harrison Ford, who will not be solely saying goodbye to the position of Indy, but additionally bagging an honorary Palme d’Or whereas showing on the competition.

Directed by James Mangold, whose earlier work consists of Logan and Ford v Ferrari, the movie stars Ford in his ultimate outing as the long-lasting archaeologist whereas Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge performs his god-daughter.

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It’s the primary movie within the franchise to not be directed by Steven Spielberg or written by George Lucas, and has been a very long time coming – its preliminary supposed launch date was 19 July 2019.

Due out in cinemas on 30 June, it is anticipated to be a summer time blockbuster hit for Disney.

Killers Of The Flower Moon

Killers Of The Flower Moon is a Western crime drama from Martin Scorsese with a really starry solid together with Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Jesse Plemons and up to date Oscar winner Brendan Fraser.

It’s primarily based on a e book a couple of sequence of murders of members of the Osage tribe in Oklahoma in the course of the Twenties after oil was found on tribal land.

Reported to have price £160m, and never out in cinemas till October, the drama is anticipated to be an awards contender.

It has performed out of competitors at Cannes, and whereas it is resulting from finally come out on Apple TV+, Scorsese has described it as a “big screen movie”.

Asteroid City

A latest on-line pattern has seen movies imitating the distinctive and extremely stylised look of Wes Anderson movies.

So, what higher time for a brand new movie from the director himself?

As normal, he is pulled collectively an enormous ensemble solid – this one consists of Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Adrien Brody, Liev Schreiber, Steve Carell, Matt Dillon, Hong Chau, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie and Jeff Goldblum (to call just some).

Set in 1955, it is a couple of junior stargazers’ conference and is among the many movies at Cannes hoping to take dwelling the celebrated high prize – the Palme d’Or – earlier than it hits cinemas in June.

May December

Director Todd Haynes, identified for work together with Wonderstruck and Dark Waters, has an intriguingly meta providing in competitors on the competition.

May December stars Natalie Portman as an actress who goes to satisfy a girl performed by Julianne Moore that Portman’s character goes to play in a movie.

In actual life, each stars have received Oscars up to now and the movie is but to be bought to a US distributor, so makers are little question banking on nice critiques when it premieres on the competition earlier than popping out on Sky Cinema later this yr.

Occupied City

One of Britain’s most lauded administrators, Sir Steve McQueen has introduced his new documentary Occupied City to this yr’s Cannes as a particular screening.

About Amsterdam – the place he now lives along with his spouse, author Bianca Stigter, who co-produced the movie – beneath Nazi occupation in the course of the Second World War, it has a whopping 262-minute working time.

It’s the primary time McQueen has directed a documentary characteristic, however his doc miniseries Uprising received a TV BAFTA final yr.

Elemental

The newest providing from Pixar is ready in a metropolis the place parts dwell collectively and is concerning the relationship between a fiery lady and a boy constructed from water, who discover that simply because they cannot contact each other does not imply they don’t have anything in widespread.

The animation will premiere out of competitors and can shut the competition on 27 May, earlier than releasing in cinemas subsequent month.

The voice solid consists of Jurassic World star Mamoudou Athie and Nancy Drew actress Leah Lewis.

Inspired by romantic motion pictures together with You’ve Got Mail and Amelie, anticipate it to convey a heart-warming near the competition.

Cannes Film Festival runs from 16-27 May