The line-up for
Cannes was announced last night. But before we get to it, a little love for the poster hey. Isn't it dreamy? According to
FilmoFilia, it's the work of
Annick Durban, inspired by
Michaelangelo Antonioni's L'avenntura, which won at Cannes back in 1960.
Actually, the choice of
L'avventura is a curious one for Cannes. The film, now famous (or infamous) for it's long takes, wasn't received well at all upon it's first screening. Indeed the
story goes that spectators starting laughing and shouting "Cut! Cut!", being so disruptive that the filmmakers and critics protested until the festival was forced to organise a second screening.
Only upon second viewing was the mastery of this film fully translated. So much so that
L'avventura was awarded a special, tailor-made prize,
"For the beauty of its images, and for seeking to create a new film language."Ok, yes, you can tell I geek out on film history. Perhaps, then I'm reading too much into this representation; I wonder who, if anyone remembers this story? If so, does it then follow that this year's festival seeks a similar special (or controversial) tone?
The Opening Night film
Up - in 3D no less! - does seem to speak to this 'new film language'. And the big names in competition this year
Haneke,
Tarantino,
Almodovar, Von Trier and Lee are all known for their distinct and at times, confronting, visual and narrative styles. So here I am thinking maybe there's something in my theory after all.
Then I took a look at the
press kit, and the opening statement confirmed my thoughts.
Extract: "The new generation of filmmakers from the East and Far East do not have any form, laws or traditions to obey. They are more, to evoke a famous film:
Let's throw away the books and rally in the streets! They never run short of visual ideas.
Creativity, boundless energy and singularity - these far-away young filmmakers are constantly stepping outside the boundaries of the cinema of the past. They don't know much about it and they're fine just as they are. They are reinventing it."
It appears the festival is hoping to inject a little
adventure into this year's proceedings after all.
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For the full festival line-up, head over to
Eyes Wired Open, or you can download the press kit as above - I can recommend reading the rest of the statement.
Special high fives for
Samson & Delilah who made it in for a deserved
Un Certain Regard.
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