For 12 days this week, the eyes of the movie world will be on the
The Cote d鈥橝zur spectacular will play host 鈥� starting on Tuesday 鈥� to some of the most anticipated movies of the year in a constant parade of red carpets and megawatt premieres. This year, Hollywood studios are . But for more than 78 years, Cannes has been an unparalleled showcase, and sun-dappled circus, for some of the best in cinema.
Last year that included Oscar nominees like 鈥淭he Secret Agent鈥� and This year is just as likely to produce a crop of contenders. In recent years, movies like and have launched at Cannes and gone on to win best picture at the Academy Awards.
Presiding over the jury deciding the Palme this year is South Korean filmmaker . At the opening ceremony Tuesday, Cannes will also bestow an honorary Palme d鈥橭r on Peter Jackson. Later, Barbra Streisand will get one, too.
So there will be much to keep an eye on at this year鈥檚 Cannes, including 鈥淭he White Lotus.鈥� The HBO series has come to the Croisette 鈥� the Mediterranean city’s famous promenade 鈥� to shoot its fourth season.
On the screen, these are some of the movies that should stir Cannes.
鈥楬辞辫别鈥�
Na Hong-jin isn鈥檛 as well known as some of his fellow Korean filmmakers, but he may be poised for a breakout moment this year. His latest is a long-gestating sci-fi thriller that Cannes artistic director Thierry Fremaux said 鈥渃onstantly changes genres.鈥� The cast has both Korean and Hollywood stars, including Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Jung Ho-yeon, Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander and Taylor Russell.
鈥楶aper Tiger鈥�
Though not initially announced as part of the festival competition slate, James Gray鈥檚 latest Queens-set drama was subsequently added. And it instantly became one of the most anticipated and star-studded American films at the festival. Gray, the filmmaker of and 鈥淭he Immigrant,鈥� tells a story about two brothers (Adam Driver, Miles Teller) who become mixed up with the Russian mafia. Scarlett Johansson co-stars.
‘贵箩辞谤诲鈥�
The Romanian director Cristian Mungiu is a heavyweight of European cinema because of films like the 2007 Palme d鈥橭r winner 鈥�4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days鈥� and 2022鈥檚 鈥淩.M.N.鈥� Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve star in his latest as a Romanian-Norwegian couple who move to the wife鈥檚 remote Norwegian hometown.
鈥楾eenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma鈥�
has quickly established themselves as a vital voice in contemporary American film with 2024鈥檚 鈥淚 Saw the TV Glow鈥� and 2021鈥檚 鈥淲e鈥檙e All Going to the World鈥檚 Fair.鈥� Playing in the Un Certain Regard section, Schoenbrun鈥檚 new one stars Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson in a movie about the making of a slasher film.
鈥楩补迟丑别谤濒补苍诲鈥�
Polish filmmaker Pawel Pawlikowski is best known for a pair of black-and-white, powerfully succinct period dramas: 鈥淚da鈥� and His latest makes it three. It stars Hanns Zischler as the German author Thomas Mann on a road trip following World War II. Accompanying him is his daughter, played by .
鈥楢ll of a Sudden鈥�
The Japanese auteur Ryusuke Hamaguchi makes his French-language debut. Hamaguchi鈥檚 2021 opus made history as the first Japanese film nominated for best picture. His 2023 follow-up, was also acclaimed. 鈥淎ll of a Sudden,鈥� starring Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto, is about a nursing home director and a terminally ill Japanese playwright.
鈥楽heep in the Box鈥�
Long revered for his delicate humanism, the Japanese filmmaker will unveil his latest. Kore-eda has already won the Palme d鈥橭r, for 2018鈥檚 鈥淪hoplifters.鈥� But his three decades of moviemaking have made him a never-to-be-missed filmmaker of exquisite tenderness. The sci-fi 鈥淪heep in the Box鈥� is about a couple, grieving the loss of their son, who adopt an infant humanoid robot.
鈥楾he Man I Love鈥�
Before Gray鈥檚 film entered the competition, 鈥� 鈥淭he Man I Love鈥� was the sole American selection. Coming quickly on the heels of Sachs鈥� 鈥淧eter Hujar鈥檚 Day,鈥� with Ben Whishaw, 鈥淭he Man I Love鈥濃�� stars Rami Malek as a an actor with a life-threatening illness in 1980s New York, preparing for what could be his final performance.
鈥楾he Unknown鈥�
The French filmmaker Arthur Harari three years ago co-wrote the Palme d鈥橭r winner with his partner, Justine Triet. In 鈥淭he Unknown,鈥� Harari directs and cowrites a film about a photographer who, after photographing a woman at a party and then following her, wakes up in her body. Starring .
鈥楳颈苍辞迟补耻谤鈥�
The Russian filmmaker Andrey Zvyagintsev has been behind some powerfully potent dramas, including 2014鈥檚 鈥淟eviathan鈥� and 鈥� both of which were Oscar nominated. After a near-death experience during the pandemic, Zvyagintsev returns to Cannes with a business executive in crisis in rural Russia.
鈥橨ohn Lennon: The Last Interview鈥�
鈥檚 documentary about John Lennon鈥檚 final interview, granted at the Dakota in New York just before he was killed, drew headlines after Soderbergh acknowledged using artificial intelligence to illustrate some of Lennon鈥檚 more philosophical musings. But the film, playing in Cannes as a special screening, promises to lend unparalleled intimacy with the great Beatle.
鈥楤itter Christmas鈥�
is among the most regular filmmakers in Cannes. This festival, he’ll debut 鈥淏itter Christmas,鈥� a multilayered melodrama about filmmaking, grief and aging. After making his English-language debut with starring Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore, Almodovar is back in his native Spain with one of his most personal films yet.
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