Is horror making its way to the Cannes Film Festival this year? Granted, for many of these films they exist only as a logline and one official image, but prestige horror is seemingly destined to make its mark on the usually sunny usually Croisette. Then again, rain is in the forecast.
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There are a number of interesting trends this year at the French event, including a trio of new American filmmakers in the Un Certain Regard sidebar, semi-old school Hollywood star power (Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, Sylvester Stallone), a slight increase in female directors in competition (a big ol’ four of them), and, as always, filmmakers the festival simply can’t say no too (Pedro Almodóvar, Xavier Dolan, Ken Loach, the Dardennes, etc.). But, the darker aspects are apparent in Jim Jarmusch’s Opening Night selection “The Dead Don’t Die,” Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite,” Jessica Hausner’s “Little Joe” and, seemingly, Kleber Mendonça Filho and Juliano Dornelles’ Brazilian thriller “Bacurau.” And that’s just in competition.
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Keeping all that in mind, here are 21 titles debuting at Cannes that have piqued the interest of anxious cinephiles around the globe.
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1. “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood”
Quentin Tarantino has never failed at Cannes. That’s basically all you need to know. From Palm d’Or winning “Pulp Fiction” to eventual Best Picture nominee “Inglorious Basterds,” there’s hardly been anything close to a misstep on la Croisette for the acclaimed filmmaker. Tarantino even took a full version of “Death Proof” to Cannes (as opposed to the shorter cut in “Grindhouse”) to critical acclaim. Now, Tarantino is reuniting with both Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio, still two of the most recognizable actors on the planet, for the ’60s set drama that might just be a metaphor for changes in Hollywood today. It also goes without saying that if Sony Pictures didn’t think it was good there is no way they would let this reportedly $100 million budgeted picture debut at Cannes over two months before its July 26 release. – Gregory Ellwood
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2. “The Dead Don’t Die”
American indie film pioneer, Jim Jarmusch is no stranger to the French Riviera. Normally, a zombie movie like “The Dead Don’t Die” would certainly be a head-scratching entry for the main competition, if one were to simply hear the premise and the title. But this zombie movie is brought to you from the mind of the man who made “Only Lovers Left Alive,” starring Tilda Swinton, Tom Hiddleston, and cast Kylo Ren as a bus driver who writes poems and only lets himself have one drink at the bar each night (“Paterson”). His newest has also put together an absolutely incredible cast, featuring many of his regulars, poised to be excellent zombies and/or zombie hunters, alongside lead star, Adam Driver. Bill Murray, Iggy Pop, and Tom Waits have all lent their talent to their friend’s newest genre production, as well. Jarmusch’s latest also features Danny Glover, Chloe Sevigny, Steve Buscemi, Rosie Perez, and Selena Gomez. You’d be hard pressed to find a film lover who shouldn’t be excited for what the always idiosyncratic director has in store for us with his take on a would-be B-movie. – Andrew Bundy
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3. “Mattias & Maxime”
It’s been a strange few years for Canada’s infant terrible Xavier Dolan. Following the critical acclaim of 2014’s “Mommy,” he returned to Cannes with “It’s Only the End of the World,” which North American critics panned but it somehow still won the Grand Prix at the end of the festival. Dolan than spent the next two years shepherding his first English language creation, “The Death & Life of John F. Donovan.” Filled with notable names such as Natalie Portman, Jessica Chastain and Kit Harrington and his largest budget to date (reportedly no less than $28 million), Dolan spent months re-editing the film after the #MeToo movement broke in 2017 (Chastain’s character was completely removed). The film finally debuted to not-so-great takes at Toronto in 2018 (it still does not have a U.S. distributor). After that misfire he’s gone small again with a French-language gay-themed love story that puts him back on screen with longtime collaborator, Anne Dorval (“Mommy”). Can the now 30-year-old talent make a critical comeback? Considering the love Cannes has bestowed on him in the past, you shouldn’t bet against it. – GE
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4. “Parasite”
South Korean auteur, Bong Joon-ho is arguably an uncategorizable filmmaker who never does quite what you expect with a given genre. One thing is for certain though, he has an unmistakable cinematic voice and makes some of the most incredibly unique films on the planet (“The Host,” “Mother”). We’re very curious how Cannes will interpret his newest film, “Parasite,” as its creator has expressed doubt over “whether the film could be 100% understood [by foreign audiences]. ‘Parasite’ is full of details and nuances that are specific to Koreans. I think the film’s Korean premiere after Cannes will be the most exciting moment for me.” While the only trailer released so far does not have English subtitles – although two clips were just released – the synopsis and imagery perhaps suggests a cultural horror take along the lines of Jordan Peele’s “Us” – which American audiences are still debating the meaning of, so perhaps Bong’s new film is attempting something similar. As we’ve mentioned, horror seems to be a running theme on the French Riviera in 2019. – AB
https://twitter.com/ThePlaylist/status/1115720916762275841
5. “A Hidden Life”
Formerly known as “Radegund,” the reclusive Terrence Malick returns to Cannes with a piece he’s been tinkering with for at least 3 years. Shot in Europe in the summer of 2016, the WWII-set film is framed around real-life figure Franz Jägerstätter (August Diehl, “Inglorious Basterds”), an Austrian man who refused to fight in the war and was tragically executed by the Third Reich. After a less than lukewarm response to Malick’s last 3 experimental projects, which some like to jokingly dub “the twirling fish-eye trilogy,” the poetic filmmaker claimed that he was going back to working from a screenplay again. “A Hidden Life,” looks a little more “Days of Heaven” than “The Thin Red Line,” judging from these new photographs. A legend such as Malick making his return, after winning the treasured Palme d’Or (for “The Tree of Life”) should be a cause of cinephiles to celebrate (the movie is reportedly 3 hours too), but the film also marks the final performances of late European actors Michael Nyqvist and Bruno Ganz, so the premiere will no doubt be a somber affair as well. – AB
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