Cinephiles have unwrapped the presents put under the Cannes Film Festival Christmas tree this morning, with organizers unveiling their impressive lineup for the 2012 festivities. And this is the gift that will keep on giving. Over the next four weeks in the lead up to the fest, an array of stills and footage will be released for the films headed to the south of France, and things are off to a good start already. The brand new trailer for David Cronenberg's "Cosmopolis" arrived a few hours before it was officially confirmed for Cannes, and now a couple of fresh images for some In Competition movies are out of the gate.
First up is a look at at Matteo Garrone's "Reality" (previously known as "Big House"). Starring Claudia Gerini, Aniello Arena and Loredana Simioli, exact plot details are still under wraps, but the as the title hints, this time around the writer/director is taking a look at reality television, and at the very least, this image suggests a lighter movie than the excellent but heavy "Gomorrah." This will be the director's second trip to the Croisette and certainly audiences will be eager to see what he's brought this time around. "Reality" is slated for an August release in France, and there is no U.S. distributor at the moment.
Next is a peek at Im Sang-soo's "The Taste Of Money." The director returns to Cannes after screening his talked-about remake of "The Housemaid" in 2010, this time with another tale where loyalties are at play. The story focuses on Youngjak, the secretary of Mrs. Baek, who is the leader of a powerful Korean industrial giant. Tasked with looking after the affairs of this private and morally questionable family, Youngjak is soon caught in a spiral of domination and secrets, lost between his principles and the possibility of rapid career advancement to a more comfortable life. Youngjak must choose sides to survive in this world where money, sex and power are kings. Kim Gang-woo, Baek Yoon-sik, Youn Yuh-jung, Kim Hyo-jin, On Ju-wan and Maui Taylor star and overall, it sounds very promising. The film is slated for an October release in France, and is also looking for a U.S. distributor.
The Cannes Film Festival runs from May 16-27.
