BROKER
A new Hirokazu Kore-eda film premiering at Cannes cannot be missed. The Japanese master behind Shoplifters, Like Father, Like Son and Our Little Sister returns to the main competition with his new feature about “baby boxes”, set in South Korea. Starring the great Song kang-ho, Broker seems like the perfect thematic return for Kore-eda, revolving around the delicate ground of parenthood. Our hopes are high for this one!
ALL THAT BREATHES
In what is a purple patch for the Indian documentary scape, Shaunak Sen’s All that Breathes is the only Indian entry this year at Cannes. It premiered at the Special Screening section after winning the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival this year. Based on siblings Mohammad Saud and Nadeem Shehzad’s attempts to save injured black kites, All that Breathes has already been acquired by HBO.
CRIMES OF THE FUTURE
David Cronenberg’s Crimes of the Future is certainly the title with the most buzz at the festival this year. Returning to sci-fi horror territory after 1999’s eXistenZ, Crimes of the Future stunned Cannes with both walkouts and a seven-minute standing ovation. Starring Cronenberg-regular Viggo Mortensen, alongside Lea Seydoux and Kristen Stewart, this one’s high up on the list of most anticipated films of the year.
THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING
George Miller follows Mad Max with sci-fi epic fantasy Three Thousand Years of Longing, where a literature professor named Alithea Binnie (Tilda Swindon) trades wishes with a djinn (Idris Elba). Reviews have been unanimously positive, with the film reportedly receiving a six- minute standing ovation after its premiere.
JOYLAND
Director Saim Sadiq’s Joyland is the first Pakistani film to premiere at Cannes. Playing at the Un Certain Regard category, Joyland revolves around a soft-spoken man whose life takes a turn when he finds himself cast as a background dancer in an underground theatre act led by a transgender woman. We are extremely excited for this one!
TRIANGLE OF SADNESS
Robert Ostlund’s The Square took home the Palme d’Or way back in 2015. This year, he is back with a satirical, dark comedy that revolves around a celebrity couple who are invited on a luxury cruise, where things go pretty much off the rails. It received a thunderous eight-minute standing ovation, with critics hailing it as a strong contender for one of the top prizes in the closing ceremony.
CLOSE
Lukas Dhont, whose debut feature took home the prestigious Camera d’Or for Girl, is back with his next feature titled Close, premiering at the main competition. It deals with two 13-year-olds named Leo and Remi, whose friendship is tested as adolescence looms. The synopsis reads, “A film about boys about to become men. A film about friendship and responsibility.” Count us excited!
DECISION TO LEAVE
After The Handmaiden, Thirst and Oldboy, Cannes is trusting this south Korean master Park Chan-wook to deliver another shocker. We are expecting nothing less than fireworks from Park Chan wook’s new murder mystery thriller. Early reviews have hailed it as a delicious return to form, with seductive twists and turns that will leave the audience gasping for breath.
R.M.N
From the Romanian auteur Cristian Mungiu who took the Palme d’Or back in 2007 for 4 months 3 weeks and 2 days, and followed it up with winners like Beyond the Hills and Graduation, comes R. M. N, his new competition entry. Hailed as a gritty, powerful vision of xenophobia set in modern times, R.M.N promises to be an unmissable entry from one of the most important film-makers working today.
GOD’s CREATURES
The great Emily Watson gets a meaty lead role in this Irish drama directed by Anna Rose Holmer and Saela Davis. Normal People’s Paul Mescal stars as her son who returns to the village after a long absence and unsettles the tranquility. Screening at the Director’s Fortnight section, God’s Creatures sounds like one of those quiet stunners that will sustain till the best-of-year lists.