The Cannes Film Festival will bring together the industry’s biggest stars to the South of France tomorrow to celebrate cinema. This year’s festival is the 77th edition of the glitzy event on the French Riviera packed full of premieres, star-studded press conferences and glamorous parties.
The Cannes Film Festival rarely passes without cacophony but this year’s edition may be more raucous and uneasy than any edition in recent memory. This edition of the festival will unfurl against a backdrop of war, protest, potential strikes and quickening #MeToo upheaval in France, which for years largely resisted the movement.
The Israel-Hamas war, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the rise of AI is expected to spark protests.
Below are some facts about the Cannes Film Festival and this year’s contenders.
What is the Cannes Film Festival?
Cannes is the world’s biggest film festival, first conceived in 1939 as an alternative to the then-fascist-influenced Venice Film Festival. It has been held annually since 1946 except in 1948 and 1950, when it was cancelled due to lack of funds.
The festival is known for its carefully selected programme of films that have gone on to Oscar glory or launched the careers of directors like Quentin Tarantino.
Date and time of the Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Film Festival 2024 will take place on May 14 and will conclude on May 25, 2024. According to the Festival De Cannes official website, the opening hours of the event are — May 13 to May 14, from 8 am to 8 pm (11:30 am to 11:30 pm IST) and from May 15 to May 25, from 9 am to 6 pm (12:30 pm to 9:30 pm IST).
Which film will open the festival?
This year, the French-language comedy “The Second Act” by director Quentin Dupieux starring Lea Seydoux and Vincent London will kick off the festival.
Where to watch?
The official website reported that those keen on tuning in to watch the event, can do so on the film festival’s YouTube channel and official sites. The live stream will encompass a wide array of content, including the glamorous red carpet, exclusive interviews, press conferences and other events.
Who is on the Cannes Jury?
The Killers of the Flower Moon” breakout Lily Gladstone, Palme d’Or-winning Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda, and French stars Eva Green and Omar Sy on Monday are among the members of the Cannes Film Festival Competition jury panel, headed by “Barbie” filmmaker Greta Gerwig.
According to the festival website, the nine-member jury will also include Turkish screenwriter and photographer Ebru Ceylan (co-writer of 2014 Palme d’Or winner “Winter Sleep”), Lebanese director and screenwriter Nadine Labaki of “Capernaum” fame, “Society of the Snow” director Juan Antonio Bayona from Spain, and Italian actor Pierfrancisco Favino.
With Gerwig at the helm, the panel comprises five women and four men.
The American filmmaker will award the Palme d’Or, the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival, to one of the 22 films in Competition at the closing ceremony on May 25.
Celebs to watch out for on the Cannes red carpet
Bollywood is all set to grace the Cannes 2024 red carpet. Notable Bollywood faces like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Aditi Rao Hydari and Sobhita Dhulipala will be seen at the festival. Many influencers and digital creators will be making their Cannes debut this year. Some new faces to watch out for are RJ Karishma, Nancy Tyagi, Niharika, Ankush Bahuguna, Vitiligo, and Ankush Bahuguna and many others. Singer-songwriter and rapper King is also gearing up for his debut at the festival. Other Hollywood stars set to attend include George Lucas, Meryl Streep and Demi Moore, among many others.
Indian films to watch out for:
With an entry in almost every major section, never before in history have Cannes and its sidebars found space for eight Indian, or India-themed, films. As many as six of these will be in contention for awards. One notable aspect of the Indian films in Cannes this year is that they are all either helmed by female directors or are women-centric with the exception of one. Leading the Indian charge is Payal Kapadia’s India-
French-Dutch co-production “All We Imagine as Light”, a film in Malayalam and Hindi. It competes for Palme d’Or, the festival’s top prize, the first Indian film to do so in three decades.
Indian-British filmmaker Sandhya Suri’s “Santosh” and Bulgarian director Konstantin Bojanov’s “The Shameless”, in which Nepal stands in for India, are in the running for awards in the Un Certain Regard section.
FTII alumnus Chidananda S Naik’s “Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know…” is in the La Cinef competition for film school entries.
La Cinef has Indian filmmaker Mansi Maheshwari representing the UK. The Meerut-born animation director is in the line-up with “Bunnyhood”, a self-reflexive graduation film made at the National Film and Television School (NFTS), London.
Karan Kandhari’s “Sister Midnight”, an India-British noir drama starring Radhika Apte, is in the Directors’ Fortnight selection.
“In Retreat” is an austere meditation on the notion of home conducted through the minimalistic story of a man who, in his 50s, returns to Leh after a long absence and baulks at the idea of reconnecting with the place he drifted away from many years ago.
Rounding off India’s presence in Cannes this year is a 4K restored version of Shyam Benegal’s 1976 crowdfunded film “Manthan”. Written by the director in collaboration with playwright Vijay Tendulkar and shot by Govind Nihalani, the film is in Cannes Classics.
Films competing in various categories:
Here are the 22 films competing for the Palme d’Or, the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
“The Apprentice” by Ali Abbasi
“Motel Destino” by Karim Ainouz
“Bird” by Andrea Arnold
“Emilia Perez” by Jacques Audiard
“Anora” by Sean Baker
“Megalopolis” by Francis Ford Coppola
“The Shrouds” by David Cronenberg
“The Substance” by Coralie Fargeat
“Grand Tour” by Miguel Gomes
“La Plus Precieuse Des Marchandises” (“The Most Precious of Cargoes”) by Michel Hazanavicius
“Marcello Mio” by Christophe Honore
“Feng Liu Yi Dai” (“Caught By The Tides”) by Jia Zhang-Ke
“All We Imagine As Light” by Payal Kapadia
“Kinds Of Kindness” by Yorgos Lanthimos
“L’amour Ouf” (“Beating Hearts”) by Gilles Lellouche
“Trei Kilometri Pana La Capatul Lumii” (“Three Kilometres to the End of the World”) by Emanuel Parvu
“The Seed Of The Sacred Fig” by Mohammad Rasoulof
“Diamant Brut” (“Wild Diamond”) by Agathe Riedinger
“Oh Canada” by Paul Schrader
“Limonov – The Ballad” by Kirill Serebrennikov
“Parthenope” by Paolo Sorrentino
“Pigen Med Nalen” (“The Girl With The Needle”) by Magnus Von Horn
Which films are screening out of competition?
Films screening out of competition include George Miller’s “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth, and Kevin Costner’s “Horizon, An American Saga.”
There are also categories for short films and the art-house film-focused “Un Certain Regard” sidebar section.
What are the top prizes and who won in the past?
Cannes’ top prize is the Palme d’Or, or Golden Palm, whose past winners include “Taxi Driver”, “Apocalypse Now”, “Pulp Fiction”, “The Pianist” and “Parasite”.
Jane Campion became the first female director to win in 1993 with “The Piano,” followed by a nearly three-decade gap until Julia Ducournau received the award for “Titane” in 2021.
Justine Triet became only the third female director to take the prize last year with “Anatomy of a Fall”.
There is also an honorary Palme d’Or, which is awarded in recognition of notable bodies of work, with past recipients including Harrison Ford, Jane Fonda and Clint Eastwood.
There are two honorary winners this year: George Lucas of “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” fame, and Japanese animation legend Studio Ghibli, the first group to receive the prize.
Other awards include the Grand Prix, jury prize, best director, best actor, best actress, best screenplay and best short film.
The Cannes Film Festival rarely passes without cacophony but this year’s edition may be more raucous and uneasy than any edition in recent memory. This edition of the festival will unfurl against a backdrop of war, protest, potential strikes and quickening #MeToo upheaval in France, which for years largely resisted the movement.
The Israel-Hamas war, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the rise of AI is expected to spark protests.
Below are some facts about the Cannes Film Festival and this year’s contenders.
What is the Cannes Film Festival?
Cannes is the world’s biggest film festival, first conceived in 1939 as an alternative to the then-fascist-influenced Venice Film Festival. It has been held annually since 1946 except in 1948 and 1950, when it was cancelled due to lack of funds.
The festival is known for its carefully selected programme of films that have gone on to Oscar glory or launched the careers of directors like Quentin Tarantino.
Date and time of the Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Film Festival 2024 will take place on May 14 and will conclude on May 25, 2024. According to the Festival De Cannes official website, the opening hours of the event are — May 13 to May 14, from 8 am to 8 pm (11:30 am to 11:30 pm IST) and from May 15 to May 25, from 9 am to 6 pm (12:30 pm to 9:30 pm IST).
Which film will open the festival?
This year, the French-language comedy “The Second Act” by director Quentin Dupieux starring Lea Seydoux and Vincent London will kick off the festival.
Where to watch?
The official website reported that those keen on tuning in to watch the event, can do so on the film festival’s YouTube channel and official sites. The live stream will encompass a wide array of content, including the glamorous red carpet, exclusive interviews, press conferences and other events.
Who is on the Cannes Jury?
The Killers of the Flower Moon” breakout Lily Gladstone, Palme d’Or-winning Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda, and French stars Eva Green and Omar Sy on Monday are among the members of the Cannes Film Festival Competition jury panel, headed by “Barbie” filmmaker Greta Gerwig.
According to the festival website, the nine-member jury will also include Turkish screenwriter and photographer Ebru Ceylan (co-writer of 2014 Palme d’Or winner “Winter Sleep”), Lebanese director and screenwriter Nadine Labaki of “Capernaum” fame, “Society of the Snow” director Juan Antonio Bayona from Spain, and Italian actor Pierfrancisco Favino.
With Gerwig at the helm, the panel comprises five women and four men.
The American filmmaker will award the Palme d’Or, the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival, to one of the 22 films in Competition at the closing ceremony on May 25.
Celebs to watch out for on the Cannes red carpet
Bollywood is all set to grace the Cannes 2024 red carpet. Notable Bollywood faces like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Aditi Rao Hydari and Sobhita Dhulipala will be seen at the festival. Many influencers and digital creators will be making their Cannes debut this year. Some new faces to watch out for are RJ Karishma, Nancy Tyagi, Niharika, Ankush Bahuguna, Vitiligo, and Ankush Bahuguna and many others. Singer-songwriter and rapper King is also gearing up for his debut at the festival. Other Hollywood stars set to attend include George Lucas, Meryl Streep and Demi Moore, among many others.
Indian films to watch out for:
With an entry in almost every major section, never before in history have Cannes and its sidebars found space for eight Indian, or India-themed, films. As many as six of these will be in contention for awards. One notable aspect of the Indian films in Cannes this year is that they are all either helmed by female directors or are women-centric with the exception of one. Leading the Indian charge is Payal Kapadia’s India-
French-Dutch co-production “All We Imagine as Light”, a film in Malayalam and Hindi. It competes for Palme d’Or, the festival’s top prize, the first Indian film to do so in three decades.
Indian-British filmmaker Sandhya Suri’s “Santosh” and Bulgarian director Konstantin Bojanov’s “The Shameless”, in which Nepal stands in for India, are in the running for awards in the Un Certain Regard section.
FTII alumnus Chidananda S Naik’s “Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know…” is in the La Cinef competition for film school entries.
La Cinef has Indian filmmaker Mansi Maheshwari representing the UK. The Meerut-born animation director is in the line-up with “Bunnyhood”, a self-reflexive graduation film made at the National Film and Television School (NFTS), London.
Karan Kandhari’s “Sister Midnight”, an India-British noir drama starring Radhika Apte, is in the Directors’ Fortnight selection.
“In Retreat” is an austere meditation on the notion of home conducted through the minimalistic story of a man who, in his 50s, returns to Leh after a long absence and baulks at the idea of reconnecting with the place he drifted away from many years ago.
Rounding off India’s presence in Cannes this year is a 4K restored version of Shyam Benegal’s 1976 crowdfunded film “Manthan”. Written by the director in collaboration with playwright Vijay Tendulkar and shot by Govind Nihalani, the film is in Cannes Classics.
Films competing in various categories:
Here are the 22 films competing for the Palme d’Or, the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
“The Apprentice” by Ali Abbasi
“Motel Destino” by Karim Ainouz
“Bird” by Andrea Arnold
“Emilia Perez” by Jacques Audiard
“Anora” by Sean Baker
“Megalopolis” by Francis Ford Coppola
“The Shrouds” by David Cronenberg
“The Substance” by Coralie Fargeat
“Grand Tour” by Miguel Gomes
“La Plus Precieuse Des Marchandises” (“The Most Precious of Cargoes”) by Michel Hazanavicius
“Marcello Mio” by Christophe Honore
“Feng Liu Yi Dai” (“Caught By The Tides”) by Jia Zhang-Ke
“All We Imagine As Light” by Payal Kapadia
“Kinds Of Kindness” by Yorgos Lanthimos
“L’amour Ouf” (“Beating Hearts”) by Gilles Lellouche
“Trei Kilometri Pana La Capatul Lumii” (“Three Kilometres to the End of the World”) by Emanuel Parvu
“The Seed Of The Sacred Fig” by Mohammad Rasoulof
“Diamant Brut” (“Wild Diamond”) by Agathe Riedinger
“Oh Canada” by Paul Schrader
“Limonov – The Ballad” by Kirill Serebrennikov
“Parthenope” by Paolo Sorrentino
“Pigen Med Nalen” (“The Girl With The Needle”) by Magnus Von Horn
Which films are screening out of competition?
Films screening out of competition include George Miller’s “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth, and Kevin Costner’s “Horizon, An American Saga.”
There are also categories for short films and the art-house film-focused “Un Certain Regard” sidebar section.
What are the top prizes and who won in the past?
Cannes’ top prize is the Palme d’Or, or Golden Palm, whose past winners include “Taxi Driver”, “Apocalypse Now”, “Pulp Fiction”, “The Pianist” and “Parasite”.
Jane Campion became the first female director to win in 1993 with “The Piano,” followed by a nearly three-decade gap until Julia Ducournau received the award for “Titane” in 2021.
Justine Triet became only the third female director to take the prize last year with “Anatomy of a Fall”.
There is also an honorary Palme d’Or, which is awarded in recognition of notable bodies of work, with past recipients including Harrison Ford, Jane Fonda and Clint Eastwood.
There are two honorary winners this year: George Lucas of “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” fame, and Japanese animation legend Studio Ghibli, the first group to receive the prize.
Other awards include the Grand Prix, jury prize, best director, best actor, best actress, best screenplay and best short film.
