criterionforum.org

Cannes' Asian selections set to be strongest in years
Mike Goodridge in Hong Kong
21 Mar 2007 22:00

With the Cannes Film Festival pulling out all the stops for a glittering 60th edition, the Asian selection promises to be the strongest in years.

New titles from Jiang Wen, Lee Chang-dong, Kim Ki-duk, Im Kwon-taek, Takeshi Kitano and Wang Xiaoshuai could line up next to Hou Hsiao-Hsien's first French-language film Le Ballon Rouge and Wong Kar-wai's first English-language effort My Blueberry Nights.

While the Cannes selection is not officially announced until April 19, a host of high-profile films are expected to unveil there including Jiang Wen's The Sun Also Rises, his first feature since Devils On The Doorstep won the Grand Jury Prize in Cannes 2000, Lee Chang Dong's Milyang, his first film since the internationally acclaimed Oasis (2002) and Im Kwon-taek's 100th film as a director Beyond The Years. Im has been in competition only twice before – in 2000 with Chunhyang and in 2002 with Chihwaseon.

Wang Xiaoshuai's latest Left, Right will also likely be ready for the Croisette where he won a jury prize for Shanghai Dreams two years ago and the prolific Kim Ki-duk, who was first in Cannes in 2005 when The Bow played in Un Certain Regard, could be there again with his latest Breath starring Taiwanese superstar Chang Chen as a death-row inmate.

From Japan, Takeshi Kitano, last in competition in 1999 with Kikujiro, will be ready with his latest Kantoku Banzai in which he himself plays a film director, and Shinji Aoyama, in competition in 2000 with Eureka and in 2001 with Desert Moon, could be back with Sad Vacation.

Other possibilities include the crime triptych Triangle directed by Tsui Hark, Ringo Lam and Johnnie To, To's latest stand-alone feature The Sparrow, Stephen Chow's science-fiction comedy A Hope, Alexi Tan's directorial debut Blood Brothers and Pen-ek Ratanaruang's Ploy.

Hou's Le Ballon Rouge starring Juliette Binoche and shot in Paris late last year seems like a shoo-in while Wong's My Blueberry Nights starring Norah Jones, Jude Law and Rachel Weisz is being tipped for an out-of-competition slot.

Ironically, several of these directors will be in Cannes anyway presenting three-minute short films they have made for the festival's Chacun Son Cinema project, a feature composed of 33 shorts made by some of the world's greatest film-makers to screen on May 20. Among those who have made shorts are Hou Hsiao-Hsien, Takeshi Kitano and Wong Kar-wai, as well as Chen Kaige, Tsai Ming Liang and Zhang Yimou.

**********

There's some titles missing in the list above, but otherwise a good summary.

So far, the only officially announced title is Ocean's 13, screening out of competition.

There is already a thread dedicated to the omnibus film being created for the festival here.

Hou's Le Ballon Rouge starring Juliette Binoche and shot in Paris late last year seems like a shoo-in while Wong's My Blueberry Nights starring Norah Jones, Jude Law and Rachel Weisz is being tipped for an out-of-competition slot.

Why out of competition?

I don't speak a bit of French, but this seems to insinuate that My Blueberry Nights will be the Opening Night film, and Zodiac will be the Closing Night film. If I'm not mistaken, these big premieres are always "out of competition" slots.

Makes sense, although it's not a hard-and-fast rule that the opening film plays out of competition (cf. Lemming and Moulin Rouge).

Glad to see Jiang Wen have another film, considering the "response" Devils on the Doorstep received in China. Wong, Kitano, and Hou are always a must-see. Can't wait to hear what else is coming to the festival.

If only there was a new Tran Anh Hung...

I've heard rumors that Bela Tarr's The Man From London and Gus Van Sant's Paranoid Park will be in competition this year...

I can't wait as I am heading over there with a couple of friends. Booked an apartment near the beach which is much cheaper than a hotel.

here in Sweden there are rumors that our own Roy Andersson will premier his new film in Cannes this year, this is his first film in seven years, his last movie (Songs from the second floor) was in cannes 2000 and won the jury-prize. The new film is titled "Du levande", somthing like "You, the living" in english. i guess we have to wait and see if it will show up.

The Fanciful Norwegian wrote:Why out of competition?

Jury.

Cold Bishop wrote:Glad to Jiang Wen have another film, considering the "response" Devils received in China. Wong, Kitano, and Hou are always a must-see. Can't wait to hear what else is coming to the festival.

If only there was a new Tran Anh Hung...

He's working on something...finally.

Other rumoured in/out-of-competition films: Francis Ford Coppola's Youth Without Youth, David Cronenberg's Eastern Promises, Coen brothers No Country for Old Men, Carlos Reygadas' Luz silenciosa and Sicko by Michael Moore.

alfons416 wrote:here in Sweden there are rumors that our own Roy Andersson will premier his new film in Cannes this year

This rumour is a fact. It will be seen in Cannes, if it's in or out of competition, is still unconfirmed (my bet is "in"). Great to see a new Andersson film, how long was it in the making? Four, five years?

Six, I think.

I've also heard rumors that I'm Not There will be screening, although I don't know whether or not it will be in competition.

In case it hasn't been noted elsewhere, Stephen Frears is heading the jury this year. As far as I can tell, no one else has been announced yet.

This article has a nice compilation of various rumors (namely that My Blueberry Nights will open the festival and Zodiac will close it) and other bits of info about films that may or may not be appearing.

I'm pretty sure Harmony Korine's Mister Lonely will be playing in competition this year.

If even half the rumors are true, it should be an incredible year. I'm eagerly anticipating pretty much every film on the list.

Variety confirms No Country for Old Men and James Gray's We Own the Night and continues the speculation on many titles already mentioned here (no mention of Eastern Promises though, which I think is actually rumored to premiere at Toronto).

From IMDB:

Scorsese To Depart for Cannes

Martin Scorsese will have a full slate of activities laid out for him at the Cannes Film Festival this year. Scorsese, who finally won an Oscar this year (for The Departed) will present a lecture to film students on May 24; present the Camera d'Or prize for best film by a first-time director; announce the creation of the World Cinema Foundation for preserving and restoring classic films; and participate in the odd press conference and media interview to promote Shine a Light, his documentary on The Rolling Stones, which will be seeking a buyer at the Cannes Market.

Has any info about Shine A Light been released yet? I loved Scorsese's Dylan documentary from a few years back but how many Stones documentaries does the world need?

patrick wrote:Has any info about Shine A Light been released yet? I loved Scorscese's Dylan documentary from a few years back but how many Stones documentaries does the world need?

there's a plus here... and a minus
the plus: it features cinematography from Emmanuel Lubezki (The maestro behind Children of Men and The New World)
the minus: it's a documentary following their last tour.

I'm eagerly awaiting Kim Ki-Duk's, Takeshi Kitano's, and Pen-ek Ratanaruang's new films.

miless wrote: there's a plus here... and a minus
the plus: it features cinematography from Emmanuel Lubezki (The maestro behind Children of Men and The New World)
the minus: it's a documentary following their last tour.

Yeah, I feel pretty much the same way. I'd love to see a No Direction Home style doc from Scorsese on the Stones, say from the origin of the band up through Altamont.

Tomorrow all will be revealed