Cinema IN THE SPOTLIGHT

(Flash) lights, cameras, action - there is plenty of it all on the Croisette. But great cinema at the Cannes Film Festival is not only on the Red Carpet but behind closed doors at the film premieres. We take a look at the cinematic highlights of the festival.

At this point, it would be all too easy to indulge in rants about glamour. There is no doubt that the ten-day event in Cannes, founded in 1946 and thus one of the oldest film festivals in Europe, has been a meeting point for the rich and beautiful from the very beginning - and it is quite clear that throughout the perfectly formed liaison of fashion, celebrities and opulence has its appeal. But not only because of the change of mood caused by the shadow of the pandemic, which clouded the usual exuberance a little, it is worth devoting oneself to the actual core of the event: the film!

And action!

Let's roll up the field or, in this specific case, the approximately 60-metre-long Red Carpet: In 2021, the festival was once again directed by Pierre Lescure and the artistic direction by Thierry Frémaux, the general delegate. With Spike Lee as jury president, the festival once again relied on a mixture of Hollywood celebrities and stars of independent film. Thus, the 74th edition of the festival was opened by Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho, who could claim the top prize in 2019 for his film "Parasite". Perhaps more surprising is the choice of the opening title: "Annette" by Leos Carax - a musical movie and "probably the most sought-after rarity in the international festival", as a Frankfurt media noted. In the unequal love story, Adam Driver shines as a misanthropic comedian and Marion Cotillard as an opera diva. Still, criticism may be voiced here as well, because the soundtrack by the 80s band "Sparks" falls short of expectations, and the excess of references and quotations leaves many viewers wondering. Nevertheless, there was thunderous applause and standing ovations at the premiere.

Making the cut

This mixture of Hollywood blockbusters and art films is both an attraction and a point of criticism at the festival. The act of balancing between these two contributes many plots, such as the longawaited "The French Dispatch", in which director-genius Wes Anderson gathers a top-class troupe of his favourites: Adrien Brody ("The Darjeeling Limited"), Tilda Swinton ("Grand Budapest Hotel") and Bill Murray ("The Royal Tenenbaums") are all in the comedy, as newcomers to the Anderson empire Timothée Chalamet and Léa Seydoux. - Highquality, entertaining and imaginative, in short: a successful premiere. Darker, but no less captivating, is the contribution of the French director and screenwriter Julia Ducournau, who took home the Palme d'or for the best film of the festival with the fantasy drama "Titane". The plot is complex throughout: as a little girl, Alexia has a titanium plate implanted after a car accident, and while the visual effects can be concealed, she subsequently develops a physical affection for vehicles and, for instance, caresses the crashed car right after being released from the hospital. What follows is a career as an erotic dancer, several brutal murders that she commits and bondage sex with a racing car that inexplicably impregnates her - the fact that she has engine oil instead of milk seems almost a logical side effect. After fleeing from the police, she assumes the identity of the missing son of a fire chief and starts a new life in the fire brigade. It may come as no surprise, at this point, that the film divided the professional critics: "Disturbing and provocative" was what the press said afterwards, but one must add to their reviews that the break with the conventions of the genre- and Arthouse movie can also be gleaned a lot of positive things.

Switch of scene

From staged shock moments to historical ones: A remarkable number of films were dedicated to socially critical themes and events. Among them "Babi Yar. Context", a documentary by Sergei Loznitsa, which deals with the true story of a massacre in which more than 30,000 Jews fell victim in 1941. Or the feature film "Große Freiheit" (Great Freedom) by the Austrian director Sebastian Meise, which examines discrimination against homosexuals up to the 1968s and was awarded the prize in the prestigious category "Un Certain Regard". These films prove that there is definitely room in the glamour world for relevant topics that are now being brought more and more into the spotlight. Quite rightly, as may be noted at this point.

The mix of Hollywood blockbusters and art films is both an attraction and a criticism of the festival.

The French-belgian co-production “Titane” was awarded the “Golden Palm” for Best Film. Director Julia Ducournau is a household name for cineaste thanks to the horror film “Raw” and once again divided audiences and spirits.

Long-awaited: Wes Anderson’s feature “The French Dispatch”, whose premiere was already planned for last year and was postponed due to the pandemic, did not fall short of expectations.

Opening: The 74th edition of the Cannes Film Festival kicked off with the film “Anette” by Leos Carax starring Marion Cotillard (“La vie en rose”) and Adam Driver (“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”).

Thought-provoking: The Austro-chinese co-production “Moneyboys” by former Haneke student C.B. Yi shows the double standards in dealing with homosexuality in China and deals with the life of a hustler on the edge of criminality and in conflict with his family.

Award winners: In the renowned category “Un Certain Regard”, the film “Great Freedom” was convincing. Apart from director Sebastian Meise, the actors Franz Rogowski and Georg Friedrich are also worth mentioning.

A dark chapter of German history is dealt with in “Babi Yar. Context”, a documentary by Sergei Loznitsa. The Ukrainian director deals with the massacre in 1941, which claimed the lives of 30,000 Jews.