Congrats and salutations to all the films and filmmakers officially announced this morning as heading to Cannes ’23 — Todd Haynes‘ May December, Wes Anderson‘s Asteroid City, Martin Scorsese‘s already confirmed Killers of the Flower Moon, Steve McQueen‘s Occupied City, Kore-eda Hirokazu‘s Monster, Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest, Alice Rohrwacher’s La Chimera, Sam Levinson‘s The Idol and Jessica Hausner’s Club Zero.
Plus Wang Bing‘s Youth and Man in Black, Nuri Bilge Ceylan‘s About Dry Grasses (rumored to be four hours!), Kleber Mendonca Filho‘s Pictures of Ghosts, Wim Wenders‘ Perfect Days and Catherine Breillat‘s L’Ete Dernier. Plus James Mangold‘s previously announced Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and Maiwenn‘s Jeanne du Barry.
But for HE the absence of Woody Allen‘s Coup de Chance, a reportedly dark French-language drama that was recently screened and praised in Manhattan, is nothing short of devastating. How could Allen and his producers have let this rousing opportunity slip from their grasp? Woody has allegedly made his best film since Midnight in Paris or even Match Point, and they fold the Cote d’Azur tent? Because they’re afraid of the haters? Because they’re guessing Venice or San Sebastian will be friendlier?
Plus that late-breaking rumor about Alexander Payne‘s The Holdovers plotting a surprise visit turned out to be bullshit. It’s also shattering that Michel Franco’s Memory, an English-language film with Jessica Chastain, Merritt Wever, Elsie Fisher, Peter Sarsgaard and Jessica Harper, is absent from the list. Ditto Jeff Nichols‘ The Bikeriders, which costars Tom Hardy, Austin Butler and Jodie Comer…absent without leave! Yorgos Lanthimos Poor Things, a sci-fish drama with Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Mark Ruffalo and Ramy Youssef, also wasn’t announced this morning.
And what does it mean for Killers of the Flower Moon to have ducked a competition slot? Variety: “[Cannes topper Thierry] Frémaux said he tried and failed to convince Martin Scorsese to vie for the Palme d’Or but hasn’t given up on hopes.” On some level Scorsese and the Apple guys have apparently divined an uh-oh element in the prospect of competing.
All in all there are still enough attractions to constitute serious excitement. So let’s focus on the positive and try to dispel the feeling of absolute shock and devastation about the absence of Coup do Chance.
COMPETITION:
Club Zero, Jessica Hausner
Asteroid City, Wes Anderson
The Zone of Interest, Jonathan Glazer
Fallen Leaves, Aki Kaurismaki
Les Filles D’Olfa (Four Daughters), Kaouther Ben Hania
Anatomie D’une Chute, Justine Triet
Monster, Kore-eda Hirokazu
Il Sol Dell’Avvenire, Nanni Moretti
La Chimera, Alice Rohrwacher
About Dry Grasses, Nuri Bilge Ceylan
L’Ete Dernier, Catherine Breillat
The Passion of Dodin Bouffant, Tran Anh Hung
Rapito, Marco Bellocchio
May December, Todd Haynes
Firebrand, Karim Ainouz
The Old Oak, Ken Loach
Perfect Days, Wim Wenders
Banel Et Adama, Ramata-Toulaye Sy
Jeunesse, Wang Bing
OUT OF COMPETITION:
Killers of the Flower Moon, Martin Scorsese
The Idol, Sam Levinson
Cobweb, Kim Jee-woon
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, James Mangold
Jeanne du Barry, Maiwenn
MIDNIGHT SCREENINGS:
Omar la Fraise, Elias Belkeddar
Kennedy,” Anurag Kashyap
Acide, Just Philippot
SPECIAL SCREENINGS:
Retratos Fantasmas (Pictures of Ghosts), Kleber Mendonca Filho
Anselm, Wim Wenders
Occupied City, Steve McQueen
Man in Black, Wang Bing
CANNES PREMIERE:
Le Temps D’Aimer, Katell Quillevere
Cerrar Los Ojos, Victor Erice
Bonnard, Pierre et Marthe, Martin Provost
Kubi, Takeshi Kitano
