Foreign Film Race: Coco Martin's Winning Moves, France's Losing Streak

Coco Martin (left) is smiling because his career is going so nicely, thank you very much. He employs the savvy modern move of many a contemporary Hollywood star which is to say he alternates between mainstream projects for the fame/money and indie films for the cred. 'One for audiences, one for me' as it were (see also: Clooney, Moore and dozens of American A-listers). The irony for stars outside of the Bollywood and Hollywood mega-systems though is that the "art" or indie projects are really the only way you get fame/money in the international sphere, since that's the stuff that travels and wins international honors in other countries

Coco is the star of the Pinoy Oscar submission Noy which he also co-wrote and co-produced. If you recognize him at all, it's probably as the frequent muse of The Philippines most internationally recognized director Brillante Dante Mendoza for whom he starred in the violent Cannes lauded/loathed Kinatay, the gay DVD hit The Masseur and in Serbis about a troubled family running a porn theater which had a brief US run.

Mendoza has nothing to do with this film, but I bring it up because Coco's next film, a reunion with Brillante Mendoza, is called Captured and will co-star none other than Isabelle Huppert. Talk about reasons for a young actor to smile.

 Coco plus Isabelle for lucky man Mendoza

I'm pretty sure I compile the foreign film charts each year mostly due to my OCD with movies. Sadly, with distribution the way it is and the new Academy Best Picture field expanded to 10, one dream of mine will always be a windmill to tilt at. I've always wanted to cover both races head on, as if it's Best English Language Picture vs. Best Picture in a Language Other Than English for some invisible Best of Best Statue within the same Oscar coverage year. But now, even if all of 15 pictures were released in time, which they never are, it'd be a lopsided head on battle, 10 against 5. The symmetry is all ruined even if the sorry state of foreign film distribution hadn't already done the dream in.

Still... in the fantasy movie land inside my head where there are never any time constraints and watching movies happens in the blink of an eye so you can fit dozens into each day without eye strain, I have always hoped to one day place them head to head, like Best Foreign Film Shortlist 1970 vs. Best Picture Shortlist 1970 = which is better? which is the best of the best? Etcetera. Someday...

Austria to France. I've just seen France's entry Of Gods and Men and it's a strong tear wringing contender that handily avoids the treacly by going quiet and meditative to look at the last days of a Christian monastery in an increasingly terror-addled Muslim village. I definitely could see it shortlisted but I'm not sure it's a "winner". France has had difficulty with that in the past 30 years. In fact, since their amazing run in the 1970s  -- they won four times in just one decade (!) for The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeousie, Day for Night, Madame Rosa and  Get Our Your Handkerchiefs  -- they've only won once. That was for 1992's Indochine which also landed Catherine Deneuve her only nomination. I'm still sad they lost when The Class (2008) was up for the naked gold man. What a brilliant film that was.

But speaking of Indochine (pictured left) it's interesting that virtually all distributors, even the ones who are good at pushing foreign films like Sony Pictures Classics, have forgotten how much more momentum you can gather if you open in the actual calender year and get yourself on top ten lists and in other Oscar category races, too.

I recognize there are holes in this theory. It didn't work for Amélie but you know that year had to have been a squeaker with the Bosnian film No Man's Land just edging it out. And it didn't work for The White Ribbon unless you consider that maybe it wouldn't have even been nominated (not exactly their favorite style of film) if it hadn't been able to build such a huge tidal wave of "masterpiece" citations before they had to vote on the nominees plus a last weekend of December release is hardly a "momentum" date.

But still... I'm hoping at least two of the future nominees find a way to play in theaters before the end of the calendar year instead of waiting for February or March and banking on the elusive Oscar spotlight.

Germany to The Netherlands. Greece's Dogtooth and India's Peepli [Live] have had US releases prior to submission announcements. But they're lonely. While many of the submissions have played at either Toronto or Sundance only three (thus far) have seen the insides of regular movie theaters. The other one is Peru's moving gay drama Contracorriente (Undertow).

Norway to Venezuela. I can't imagine Oscar going for Thailand's absolutely bizarre Uncle Boonmee... having now seen it. But I remain pleased that it's in the mix. That said -- and maybe I'm alone in this -- but I think it's more accessible than Apichatpong Weerathesakul's most succesful export thus far, Tropical Malady so I think it could theoretically nab some attention once it's in theaters. How much and when remains to be seen. (More on "Joe's" filmography here in the "Modern Maestros" series.)

I need help. I have been unable to locate movie posters (I have stills already) and official sites for Iran's Farewell Baghdad, Israel's The Human Resources Manager and Macedonia's Mothers if anyone can provide.

Which country are you rooting for thus far? I've seen but three official submissions thus far (Thailand, France and Peru) and all would make worthwhile or at least solid nominees and in roughly that order of preference... More please!
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Cannes Winners for 2009

OFFICIAL COMPETITION
Jury president was French actress, deity, provocateur Isabelle Huppert
Palme D'or: The White Ribbon by Michael Haneke. Cannes loves him long time. And so does Isabelle Huppert, his La Pianiste leading lady. Sony Pictures Classics has US distribution rights to this black and white costume drama about German village and school prior to World War I. It sounds like something of a departure for Haneke since his films are usually contemporary and often tightly focused on small casts. The extensive German voiceover will be rerecorded in English for that release.

Michael Haneke nabs the top prize

Grand Prix: Un Prophète by Jacques Audiard. Sony Pictures Classics also has this one -- winner and runner up prepping for release? Not bad, SPC, not bad.
Jury Prize: It was a tie between the family drama Fish Tank by Andrea Arnold and vampire drama Thirst from Oldboy director Park Chan-Wook

Special Jury Prize: Director Alain Resnais won this special prize for Wild Grass. He's 86 and he's still making movies. His most famous film is probably Hiroshima Mon Amour (1959) but, rather incredibly, he's never had a film nominated for Oscar's foreign language race and he's only had won prize winner at Cannes, Mon Oncle d'Amérique (1980)
Best Director: Brillante Mendoza competed last year with Serbis and for this prolific Pinoy director, the second time is the charm. He won the prize for his violent drama Kinatay. This award will cause a ruckus. Many people detested the film, including Roger Ebert who declared it the worst in Cannes history.


Best Actress Charlotte Gainsbourgh for Lars Von Trier's Antichrist. This film just keeps adding fuel to its media fire. Well done Lars and your latest actress victim. You continue a grand tradition.
Best Actor Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds (see previous post for Rosengje's very similar enthusiasm)
Best Screenplay Feng Mei won for writing Lou Ye's explicit gay romantic drama Spring Fever
Palme D'Or (Short Film): Arena by Joao Salaviza

CAMERA D'OR
This award goes to the best first film. Warwick Thornton's buzzy Australian feature Samson and Delilah (pictured right) took the prize. He's previously made three short films. Special Mention went to Ajami by Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani

FIPRESCI
Competition: The White Ribbon by Michael Haneke
Un Certain Regard: Police, Adjective by Corneliu Porumboiu
Directors Fortnight: Amreeka by Cherien Dabis

UN CERTAIN REGARD
Jury president was Italian writer/director Paolo Sorrentino
Prize: Dogtooth by Yorgos Lanthimos. The synopsis sounds vaguely Virgin Suicides-ish, three teens are cut off from the outside world by their parents.
Jury Prize: Police, Adjective
Two Special Prizes: Father of My Children by Mia Hansen-Love and No One Knows About the Persian Cats by Bahman Ghobadi

CRITICS WEEK
Grand Prix: Goodbye Gary by Nassim Amaouche
SACD Prize: Lost Persons Area by Caroline Strubbe
Cash Prize, Young Critic Award and Regards Jeunes Prize: Whisper in the Wind by Shahram Alidi
Canal Plus Grand Prix (Short Film): Seeds of the Fall by Patrick Eklund
Kodak Discovery (Short Film): Logorama by Francois Alaux, Herve de Crecy and Ludovic Houplain

DIRECTORS FORTNIGHT
Art Cinema, 7e Prix Regars Jeunes and the SACD Prize: Twenty year-old (!) actor Xavier Dolan-Tadros ' (pictured right) won an incredible three prizes for his directorial debut, a coming out mother-son drama called I Killed My Mother (J'ai Tue Ma Mere)
Special Mention: La Merditude des Choses by Felix van Groeningen
Europa Cinemas Label: La Pivellina by Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel
French short film: Montparnasse

THE SNUBBED
Whether you're in the main competition or outside of it in the sidebars, when reaction is very positive the snubs have to sting. The following films won coveted buzz but no hardware: Lee Daniel's Oscar hopeful Precious, Marco Bellochio's Vincere and Jane Campion's Bright Star.

FURTHER READING
Indie Wire live blogged the event. Time Warner Cable of New York wanted me to pay $9.95 per month for the French language station so sadly I couldn't gaze at Huppert and her fire-starter jury myself.

Spring Fever and Sherlock Holmes

In my latest column @ Towleroad I'm covering gay interest films at Cannes including Lou Ye's (Summer Palace) new provocation Spring Fever which IndieWire is likening to a Chinese Shortbus for its explicit apparently unsimulated gay sex. There's also a bit on the ongoing interweguments about how much "bromance" we'll actually witness in the new Sherlock Holmes. Jude Law does like to play with his sexuality onscreen. He's such an actress in that way.

Cannes Lineup 2009

The following twenty films are competing for that coveted Palme D'Or.

Antichrist Lars Von Trier (Denmark-Sweden-France)
Bright Star Jane Campion (Australia-UK-France)
Broken Embraces Pedro Almodovar (Spain)
<--- Enter the Void Gaspar Noe (France)
Expect cheer and happy endings!
Face Tsai Ming-Liang (France-Taiwan-Netherlands-Belgium)

• The first three titles there, bunched up together, feel like some sort of pornographic love letter addressed to me. Not to you, to me. Mine. ALL MINE. Three of my favorite filmmakers with new completed films, one right after the other? Talk dirty to me on the Croisette, Cannes programmers. Talk dirty to me.
  

Fish Tank Andrea Arnold (U.K.-Netherlands)
Les Herbes Folles Alain Resnais (France-Italy)
In the Beginning Xavier Giannoli (France)
Inglourious Basterds Quentin Tarantino (US)
Kinatay Brillante Mendoza (Philippines)

• Brillante (right) sure is prolific. His last film Serbis was a difficult sit. I continually felt like I was missing something having little knowledge of Pinoy film or culture. But, that said, it wasn't a fast fade either. I still find myself thinking about it: the goat in the movie theater, the aggravating weary repeat walks up and down those enormous staircases, the family unable to deal. Resnais is 86 years old and still making movies but his presence is another reminder that Cannes is pretty conservative with their choices. Reading through the list of films reminds us that Cannes is more likely to stick with laureled auteurs in the main field. The new talent generally has to battle it out in other sidebars.
  

Looking for Eric Ken Loach (U.K.-France-Belgium-Italy)
<--- Map of the Sounds of Tokyo Isabel Coixet (Spain)
a dual identity drama starring Rinko Kikuchi
A Prophet Jacques Audiard (France)
Spring Fever Lou Ye (China-France)
Taking Woodstock Ang Lee (US)

• Why am I not more excited for new films from both Ang Lee and Quentin Tarantino? My best guess is that the comedic nature of Woodstock is throwing off my general Angthusiasm and the extreme violence of Basterds -- not to mention its trouble with spelling -- is putting a damper on the latter. I'll see both of course.
  

Thirst Park Chan-wook (South Korea-US)
The Time That Remains Elia Suleiman (Israel-France-Belgium-Italy)
Vengeance Johnnie To (Hong Kong-France-US)
Vincere Marco Bellocchio (Italy-France) --->
Starring Giovanna Mezzogiorno as Mussolini's secret lover Ida Dalser
The White Ribbon Michael Haneke (Germany-Austria-France)

• More Cannes regulars.

Some potentially exciting titles outside of the main competition include: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (Terry Gilliam), Agora (Alejandro Amenabar), Tales from the Golden Age which is an omnibus film from Romania (Cristian Mungiu of 4 Months... fame has two segments), Drag Me To Hell (Sam Raimi) and Push/Precious/Untitled/Based on Book by Sapphire.

The congested world famous festival runs May 13th-24th in France.
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Cannes Nearly Wrapped

UPDATE: WINNERS NOW ANNOUNCED

I can never keep up with Cannes news, which seems to erupt bi-hourly as journalists and critics exit the theaters reporting away and as photogs snap the next batch of arrivals. It's like an action film that never stops with new setpieces.

Samantha Morton, Michelle Williams, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and
Catherine Keener representin' Charlie Kauffman's Synechdoche New York

Sean Penn's jury will announce the winners this Sunday. Predicting Cannes wins is a futile game --nobody ever gets it right beyond maybe naming a film or two that will pick something up. But let's take a look at the official line up one last time and predict anyway. Because we're silly like that. How were the Official Competition films greeted? [I'm using the invaluable GreenCine Daily and the official Cannes site for most of the research here] If you haven't been playing along elsewhere, I'll sum up...

La Mujer Sin Cabeza (The Headless Woman) [Argentina] Lucrecia Martel (La Ciénaga, The Holy Girl)'s latest effort isn't going to detract from her burgeoning rep as an auteur but even the kind reviews don't seem truly enthused.

--> Leonera [Argentina] (pictured, right) Pablo Trapero tells the story of a convicted mother struggling to raise her son.

Le Silence De Lorna (The Silence of Lorna) [Belgium] The Brothers Dardenne (Cannes winners for Rosetta, Le Fils and L'Enfant) probably won't win this year. Four wins would just be so extravagant. But as per usual, critics are impressed.

Linha de Passe (Line of Passage) [Brazil] Walter Salles (The Motorcycle Diaries) and Daniela Thomas co-directed this film about a mother and her unruly amateur soccer playing sons. Reviews have ranged from mild thumbs up to very positive with comparisons to major films like Rocco and His Brothers and Salles own Central Station. Could be a dark horse of some sort.

<--- Adoration [Canada] Atom Egoyan (Where the Truth Lies, The Sweet Hereafter)'s new one has been met with mixed reviews. Critics are glad he's returned to the multi-character mosaics of his 90s work but most feel it's too sanctimonious. Hmmm, Sean Penn as head of jury? Sanctimony? A match made in... sorry Sean! I wouldn't expect big things, awards wise.

24 City [China] Jia Zhangke (The Platform, The World) can do no wrong with cinephiles and this one continues his winning streak. Some say it's more accessible than his previous film and IndieWire floats the interesting notion that its picture of rapidly changing China is taking on unplanned resonance in the wake of the recent catastrophic earthquake.

Entre Les Murs [France] Laurent Cantet's (Human Resources) late competition entry met a mostly warm reception. It's about a teacher and his students and a look at France's multi-ethnic modern population.

La Frontiere De l'Aube (The Frontier Of Dawn) [France] Philipe Garrel (Regular Lovers) directed his ubiquitous movie star son Louis in his first ever competition film. The black and white love triangle with a supernatural overlay. It's proving very divisive. A 'whistle or boo' sort of film. You gotta love those.


Un Conte de Noel (A Christmas Tale) [France] Arnaud Desplechin has taken on a difficult task: Make a fresh movie about a dysfunctional family during the holidays. That's an overpopulated genre. But Desplechin is amazing and at least some critics, like Glenn Kenny, are ga-ga for it. The consensus seems to be that it's too messy to win over everyone (or win over the jury) but I can't wait to see it. Desplechin directing Kings & Queen cast members Catherine Deneuve and Matthieu Amalric again? I'm there.

The Palermo Shooting [Germany] Wim Wenders (Wings of Desire) starring Campino, Milla Jovovich and Dennis Hopper.

Delta [Hungary] Actor/director Kornél Mundruczó's slow moving art film about reunited siblings is receiving praise for its formal aesthetics but it doesn't seem like a true competitor.

---> Waltz With Bashir [Israel] Ari Folman wrote and directed this animated war film which is in Hebrew and German. Reviews have been largely hyper positive citing its big statements and timeliness ... even if they're not always crazy about the animation itself.

Gomorra [Italy] I dismissed Matteo Garrone (First Love, The Embalmer) drama in my initial write-up because I feel like the Italian crime family drama has been oversaturated for decades. But critics are very impressed, feeling that the new angle (it focuses not on wealthy power players but their working class underlings) is fresh and the film is harrowing. AO Scott called it "furious and brilliant" and best of the fest.

Il Divo [Italy] Paolo Sorrentino (The Consequences of Love)'s biopic on the Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti (played by Toni Servillo) has impressed critics with its enigmatic look at the man in question. But will the very Italian subject and ambitious political overview impress the international jury? Andreotti himself is reportedly not amused.

<--- Serbis (Service) [Philippines] Brillante Mendoza (The Masseur)'s movie about a movie house will have to make do with its status as the first Filipino film to make the competitive lineup in nearly a quarter century. Reviews haven't been especially positive.

My Magic [Singapore] Eric Khoo (Be With Me) says that this is his most personal film yet and that he was inspired thematically by Cormac McCarthy's The Road.

Uc Maymun (The Three Monkeys) [Turkey] Nuri Bilge Ceylan (Distant, Climates) returns to the fest that's helped build his rep. Reviews have been very positive calling it "gripping" and "powerfully bleak". Maybe I'm fooling myself to believe it's not going to win big since I wasn't a huge fan of the agonizingly slow if beautifully composed Distant.

Blindness [United States] If the mediocre reviews for Fernando Meirelles's film about a "white sickness" epidemic are indication, it won't win any Cannes prizes. I wouldn't rule out any Oscar campaign just yet. Haters say it's too earnest. That's not a negative with AMPAS.

---> Che [United States] Steven Soderbergh won Cannes' top honor on his first try (Sex, Lies and Videotape, 1989) but this Che Guevera biopic is only his third competition film. It's divisive already collecting fanatic devotees who love its epic ambition and violent spectacle and high profile detractors say it skimps on the stuff biopics are traditionally made of: Che's early life, why he is who he is, etcetera... It's journey through theatrical release to Oscar season should be mighty interesting.

Synecdoche, New York [United States] Charlie Kaufman's directorial debut is winning the expect huzzahs but virtually everyone is calling it an odd duck -- even less accessible, apparently than his other scripted work. (I don't really understand how movies as great as Being John Malkovich or Eternal Sunshine... are considered inaccessible but, alas, I live not by the laws of the mainstream multiplex) Can't wait for this one...

<--- Two Lovers [United States] James Gray (The Yards, We Own the Night) directs his apparent muse Joaquin Phoenix and the resurgent Gwyneth Paltrow in this romantic drama. It's been called "polarizing" ... in fact, reading over the collective pull quotes @ GreenCine it's hard to imagine that any of these reviewers saw the same film. But then again, romantic films are often among the most divisive, aren't they?

Changeling [United States] Eastwood and Jolie's team-up seems to have won the mainstream critics over in a big way (lots of Oscar talk) but what else is to be expected from an Eastwood film? Maybe the jury goes mainstream?

Palme D'Or, Jury Prize and Direction? Who knows what Sean Penn, Natalie Portman, Alfonso Cuaron and those international directors will groove on. Wild guesswork here but I'm predicting that the Palme D'Or goes to Matteo Garrone's Gomorrah (pictured right) the director prize to Steven Soderbergh for Che and the Jury Prize to either Waltz with Bashir or Linha de Passe
Best Actor? Benicio Del Toro's 4 hour biopic performance in Che seems likely as a winner but then, jury prizes aren't strict or easily guessed at. One could see a dual prize for both him and Demian Bichir (as Fidel Castro) if the jury likes the film. Other possibilities: François Begaudeau (Entre Les Murs), Toni Servillo (Il Divo) or the cast in Linha de Passe?
Best Actress? Angelina Jolie's Changeling mother won expected raves. She's already an international icon but can she join the exclusive list of Cannes Best Actress winners? Her competition: Maybe Martina Gusman (Leonara) or the female cast of Synechdoche New York?
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Cannes is Coming. Tilda Fashion to Follow

World cinema fans can start salivating. The world's most famous film festival -- the Olympics of film? Only without those human rights squabbles and torch marathons -- kicks off next month. The question you're undoubtedly asking is this:

W.W.T.W ?
What Will Tilda Wear?

I kid. I kid. It wouldn't be Cannes without her but fashion can wait. For now we drool on the unseen films from an international who's who of filmmakers. There's a hundred plus more than those listed here of course: film markets, multiple sidebars, etcetera but here are the headliners.

C O M P E T I T I O N

La Mujer Sin Cabeza (Woman Without A Head) [Argentina]
Lucrecia Martel (pictured left) is definitely one to watch for the prizes. She's previously directed the extraordinarly well received La Ciénaga and The Holy Girl. I haven't seen the former but the latter was riveting and uniquely its own. Queue it.
Leonera [Argentina]
Pablo Trapero directs this story of a convicted woman struggling to raise her son from within prison. Sounds like it offer up a meaty role for its lead actress.
Le Silence De Lorna (The Silence of Lorna) [Belgium]
This if from the Brothers Dardenne (Jean-Pierre & Luc, s'il vous plait) who Cannes truly loves giving them multiple wins in the past for Rosetta, Le Fils and L'Enfant. Belgium usually submits their films for Oscar consideration, but AMPAS ignores. The critical community has a decidedly different response. Watch for it to win something... best actress for Arta Dobroshi, the title character perhaps? Just speculatin'
Linha de Passe (Line of Passage) [Brazil]
Famed Brazilian auteur Walter Salles (pictured left. He made Central Station and The Motorcycle Diaries among others) co-directs this one with Daniela Thomas. It's about a group of poverty-stricken brothers playing amateur soccer in the outskirts of São Paulo.
Adoration [Canada]
Atom Egoyan hasn't really taken the film world unanimously by storm since The Sweet Hereafter (1997) Bonne chance. I have to say straightaway that the cast raises eyebrows: Scott Speedman and Rachel Blanchard starring in an Egoyan flick...together? Aside from the Canada connection...


24 City [China]
Jia Zhangke, born in the Shanxi province of China has made quite a name for himself with cinephiles for his work on The Platform, Still Life, The World and more. Will this film continue to cement his reputation?
La Frontiere De l'Aube (The Frontier Of Dawn) [France]
Philipe Garrel (Regular Lovers) directs his ubiquitous movie star son Louis (pictured left) in this new film. Seriously... Louis Garrel is in every French movie that makes it to the States these days. This is Garrel's (the senior) first time in the competitive lineup.
Un Conte de Noel (A Christmas Tale) by Arnaud Desplechin [France]
Arnaud Desplechin, who made the amazing and complex Kings & Queen (queue it!) returns with a film featuring much of the same cast. Wheeeeeee! or Oui! (they mean the same thing to me)
The Palermo Shooting [Germany]
This is from Wim Wenders, of Wings of Desire (1987) fame. Milla Jovovich and Dennis Hopper headline.
Delta [Hungary]
This film comes from frequent festival awards magnet, actor/director Kornél Mundruczó (pictured right). It's about a brother and sister reunited as adults in their birth village.
Waltz With Bashir [Israel]
Ari Folman wrote and directed this animated feature which is in Hebrew and German. For the curious: No, this isn't a first. No animated film has won the Palme D'Or, but they've competed before... most recently with Persepolis which tied for the Jury Prize at least year's festival.
Gomorra [Italy]
Matteo Garrone (of First Love and The Embalmer fame) directs yet another film about Italian crime families. I shudder to think how many have been made just in my lifetime, let alone before.
Il Divo [Italy]
This biopic from Paolo Sorrentino is about Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti. Toni Servillo has the lead role. Their last collaboration (The Consequences of Love) netted Servillo various Best Actor awards.

Serbis (Service) [Philippines]
Brillante Mendoza (pictured left, who is sometimes referred to as "Dante") started directing features prolifically in 2005. Most of his films, including this one, have gay themes. His most well known is probably The Masseur. He gets his first competition spot @ Cannes with this film and it's the first Filipino film to make the competitive lineup in nearly a quarter century. This one is about male movie house prostitutes. --Thanks to various Pinoy readers for the info!
My Magic [Singapore]
Director Eric Khoo is probably most well known previously for the festival film Be With Me (2005).
Uc Maymun (The Three Monkeys) [Turkey]
Nuri Bilge Ceylan, who made some critical waves with Distant (2002) returns to the fest.
Che [United States]
Steven Soderbergh brings his Che Guevera biopic to France. Is this The Argentine and Guerilla together (they were reportedly being split up for American consumption) as one Lawrence of Arabia length spectacle?
Synecdoche, New York [United States]
Charlie Kaufman's directorial debut featuring Philip Seymour Hoffman and a huge ensemble of great actresses. We slobbered all over it in a previous post
Changeling [United States]
Clint Eastwood and everyone's favorite globe-trotter Angelina Jolie will have the red carpet alight with a bajillion paparrazi flashbulbs. No, much more than that. Since it's Eastwood and Jolie you'll be hearing about this film on this and every other outlet you'll be sick of it by the time it is or isn't nominated for a heap of Oscars.
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O U T * O F * C O M P E T I T I O N

The politics of who gets into and who is still prominently featured despite being outside of the competition are always unbeknownst to me. At any rate, here we'll see Kim Jee-Woon's 1930s western The Good, The Bad, The Weird from South Korea and Woody Allen's star-studded romantic dramedy (Cannes still loves him) Vicky Cristina Barcelona. I'm still a little disappointed in the way the release of Match Point was handled. It was Woody's biggest hit in quite a long while but it could have been even bigger with both Oscar and the general public. It was so mismanaged, shoved in for last minute Oscar consideration instead of capitalizing on its Cannes buzz with an early fall release. Hopefully, should reception of VCB be as rapturous across the Atlantic, the Weinstein's won't sit on the film. I know I know... that's a lot to hope for. The wannabe blockbusters that will be featured outside the competition (there's always a couple) are Kung Fu Panda --but will anything be a real competitor for Pixar's Wall•E (previous post) at the box office or at the Oscars next winter? -- and Steven Spielberg's fourth adventurous anthropologist film: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

P L E A S E * N O T E

We haven't heard all of the Cannes news yet. They've whittled 1692 (!) submissions down to the films selected for competition above (their eyes, their eyes, poor things) but there's generally one or two more last minute additions. Plus, they still haven't announced the coveted Opening or Closing night slots. We'll talk about the festival jury tomorrow. How confident do you feel about this lineup above?



Here's the official site of the festival.
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