Furiosa Returns to Cannes, as Stylish as Ever
➔ The preferred way to experience the glamour of Cannes is by witnessing it firsthand. But for those spectating from afar, we’ve done our best to capture the glitz and glory of the Croisette. As you dig into our annual preview of the highlights of the fest, remember that there are advantages: We enforce no black-tie dress code for our readers, and selfies with our magazine aren’t banned — they’re encouraged!
As Cannes turns 77, director Thierry Frémaux has delivered a thrilling and adventurous lineup once again, with films from seasoned veterans like David Cronenberg (“The Shrouds”) and Francis Ford Coppola (the much-awaited “Megalopolis”) taking their place alongside relative upstarts of world cinema like Sean Baker (“Anora”), Payal Kapadia (“All We Imagine as Light”) and Ali Abbasi (telling Donald Trump’s origin story with “The Apprentice”). Greta Gerwig, the jury president, will have tough decisions ahead of her. Meanwhile, the red carpet may be the starriest post-strike event yet, with George Lucas and Meryl Streep accepting honorary Palmes d’or.
But there will be no movie with a bigger premiere in Cannes 2024 than “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” starring our cover subject, Anya Taylor-joy. In a revealing and entertaining interview, the 28-yearold actress talks about how she landed the coveted part of a post-apocalyptic feminist warrior in the “Mad Max: Fury Road” prequel, and the six-and-ahalf months she spent with director George Miller in Australia, caked in fake blood and dirt.
Elsewhere in this issue, Stephen Rodrick spent the past six months — almost as long as the shoot time of “Furiosa” — profiling the life and career of Paul Schrader, who touches down in Cannes with “Oh, Canada,” his latest drama starring Richard Gere. And against the backdrop of a sluggish box office, Brent Lang takes the temperature of the Cannes market. There may not be the bidding wars of years past, but after reading this issue, you’ll see why Hollywood still has the hots for Cannes.