The 66th annual Festival de Cannes is less than a month away, and the star-studded line-up of films released this past week has created a stir in the world of film. The two-week-long festival is arguably the most prestigious and important film festival of them all, considering the caliber of the international contestants every year. The films are judged by sets of juries assigned to specific categories, and the president of one jury this year is none other than American film director Steven Spielberg.
Everyone is wondering whose film will snag the coveted Palme d’Or, or Golden Palm, the highest prize awarded to a film at the festival. Previous winners of the coveted award include “Pulp Fiction,” “Apocalypse Now” and “Fahrenheit 911.” This year is filled with returning Palme winners and A-list actors, making for an interesting competition.
It’s not just the festival itself that creates the persona of those yearly two weeks on the French Riviera, but also the extracurricular activities that come with it. The press, the after parties, the invasion of Hollywood celebrities and huge corporate names – these all contribute to the grandeur of Cannes.
The festival is going to be kicked off with the world premiere of Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby,” which is appropriate considering the prestige and glamour of the festival. “Gatsby” also marks the only Aussie film being screened in Cannes this year; however, it will be hard to miss considering the anticipation of the remake.
Steven Soderbergh is set to unveil his widely anticipated HBO film “Behind the Candelabra,” based on the autobiographical novel recounting Liberace’s love affair with Scott Thorson, starring Michael Douglas and Matt Damon. One can hardly watch an episode of “Game of Thrones” or “Girls” without viewing the trailer for it, and the film is making waves with the media since it will mark Matt Damon’s first gay role.
Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi, the French-Italian actress, is the only female director in the Cannes Competition this year, screening her film “A Villa in Italy.” Nicholas Winding Refn will show “Only God Forgives,” starring Ryan Gosling, and the Coen brothers are bringing “Inside Llewyn Davis,” featuring Carey Mulligan, Justin Timberlake and John Goodman, to name a few films.
Although seemingly unrelated, The University of Alabama and Cannes are not worlds apart. Last year, UA student Alex Beatty screened a short film in the festival, and every year The University of Alabama usually has at least a few students intern with different companies at Cannes. This year, at least four students are interning through The American Pavilion, which has become a regular occurrence following years past.
Overall, it’s looking to be a great year for the Cannes Film Festival. The upcoming films are already generating buzz about which will beat out the rest as the film industry prepares to migrate to southern France. However, the true crux behind the attention and publicity on the festival comes down to one question: Who will win the Palme d’Or?
