The 2020 Cannes Film Festival line up was announced today, and it wasn’t popular. The Festival was cancelled because of the pandemic. These films would have been announced in April. Today’s list was a bust. Just three movies with any PR value for press visiting or covering the festival. As I told you months ago, Wes Anderson’s “The French Dispatch” was the first movie called today. But that leaves very little to chew on. Pixar’s “Soul” and “Ammonite,” a British film with Saoirse Ronan and Kate Winslet.
That’s it. (We were lucky there was no Ken Loach.) Read here also about Cannes and amfar for 2020.
What happened to the Cannes of Sophia Loren and Jane Fonda? How about Nicole Kidman? George Clooney? Cannee used to be not just about the films but the glitz. Otherwise, why is anyone spending $10,000 to fly to the south of France and stay in a room the size of a prison cell? The people who run Cannes, who are very nice, seem oblivious to the costs involved in coming to cover their convention. At the very least there must be some frisson, some action, some juice, something to write about.
This list gives us nothing. Yes, there are a lot of international films, all of which have a lot of quality and great subjects for serious discussion. But if this had been the actual list this year, I couldn’t have gone. It wouldn’t have been feasible financially. And I doubt the trade papers would have sent their usual armies of reporters. Who would they interview? There has to be an audience at home who wants to read about this stuff.
A lot of what goes on with choosing films has to do with what’s ready. Last year, Thierry Fremaux pushed for Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” The result was a starry screening and a pay off at the box office and the Oscars. Fremaux was also very lucky with “Parasite,” which won the Palm D’Or and went on to win the Oscar. But even those are just two movies. and not enough to justify two weeks in paradise.
As it happened, maybe Thierry– who is the hardest working man in show biz– was lucky Cannes was cancelled. I know, this time, I was. I’ll bet a lot of other people breathed a sigh of relief.
And PS: there was no mention of Spike Lee’s “Da 5 Bloods.” Spike was supposed to head the jury this year. Weren’t they going to show his new film? If the answer is no, it’s because it’s from Netflix has no theatrical release. That is really crazy.
Cannes 2020 Lineup
THE FAITHFUL (or at least selected once before)
THE FRENCH DISPATCH by Wes Anderson (USA) 1h43
Production: INDIAN PAINTBRUSH PRODUCTIONS / AMERICAN EMPIRICAL PICTURES – International Sales: FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES – French Distribution: THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY
ÉTÉ 85 by François Ozon (France) 1h40
Production: MANDARIN – International Sales: PLAYTIME – French Distribution: DIAPHANA
ASA GA KURU (True Mothers) by Naomi Kawase (Japan) 2h20
Production: KINO FILMS CO – Sales: PLAYTIME – French Distribution: HAUT ET COURT
LOVERS ROCK by Steve McQueen (United Kingdom) 1h08
Production: TURBINE STUDIOS LIMITED – International Sales: TURBINE STUDIOS LIMITED
MANGROVE by Steve McQueen (United Kingdom) 2h04
Production: TURBINE STUDIOS LIMITED – International Sales: TURBINE STUDIOS LIMITED
DRUK (Another Round) by Thomas Vinterberg (Denmark)1h55
Production: ZENTROPA – International Sales: TRUSTNORDISK – French Distribution: HAUT ET COURT
ADN (DNA) by Maïwenn (Algeria/France) 1h30
Production: WHY NOT PRODUCTIONS – International Sales: WILD BUNCH INTERNATIONAL – French Distribution: WILD BUNCH INTERNATIONAL
LAST WORDS by Jonathan Nossiter (USA) 2h06
Production: STEMAL – International Sales: THE PARTY FILMS
HEAVEN: TO THE LAND OF HAPPINESS by IM Sang-Soo (South Korea) 1h40
Production: HIVE MEDIA CORP – International Sales: FINECUT
EL OLVIDO QUE SEREMOS (Forgotten we’ll be) by Fernando Trueba (Spain) 2h16
Production: CARACOL TELEVISION – International Sales: FILM FACTORY ENTERTAINMENT
PENINSULA by YEON Sang-Ho (South Korea) 1h54
Production: REDPETER FILMS – International Sales: CONTENTS PANDA – French Distribution: ARP SELECTION
IN THE DUSK (Au crépuscule) by Sharunas BARTAS (Lituania) 2h06
Production: KINOELEKTRON – International Sales: LUXBOX
DES HOMMES (Home Front) by Lucas BELVAUX (Belgium) 1h40
Production: SYNECDOCHE – International Sales: WILD BUNCH INTERNATIONAL – French Distribution: AD VITAM
THE REAL THING by Kôji Fukada (Japan) 3h48
Production: NAGOYA TV – International Sales: NAGOYA TV
THE NEWCOMERS
PASSION SIMPLE by Danielle Arbid (Lebanon) 1h36
Production: LES FILMS PELLÉAS – International Sales: PYRAMIDE INTERNATIONAL – French Distribution: PYRAMIDE DISTRIBUTION
A GOOD MAN by Marie Castille Mention-Schaar (France) 1h47
Production: WILLOW FILMS – International Sales: PYRAMIDE INTERNATIONAL – French Distribution: PYRAMIDE DISTRIBUTION
LES CHOSES QU’ON DIT, LES CHOSES QU’ON FAIT by Emmanuel Mouret (France) 2h
Production: MOBY DICK FILMS – International Sales: ELLE DRIVER – French Distribution: PYRAMIDE DISTRIBUTION
SOUAD by Ayten Amin (Egypt) 1h30
Production: VIVID REELS
LIMBO by Ben Sharrock (United Kingdom) 1h53
Production: CARAVAN CINEMA LTD – International Sales: PROTAGONIST PICTURES
ROUGE (Red Soil) by Farid Bentoumi (France) 1h26
Production: LES FILMS VELVET – International Sales: WTFILMS – French Distribution: AD VITAM
SWEAT by Magnus Von Horn (Sweden) 1h40
Production: LAVA FILMS – International Sales: NEW EUROPE FILM SALES
TEDDY by Ludovic et Zoran Boukherma (France) 1h28
Production: BAXTER FILMS – International Sales: WTFILMS – French Distribution: THE JOKERS FILMS
FEBRUARY (Février) by Kamen Kalev (Bulgaria) 2h05
Production: KORO FILMS – French Distribution: UFO DISTRIBUTION
AMMONITE by Francis Lee (United Kingdom) 2h
Production: SEE-SAW FILMS – International Sales: CROSS CITY FILMS – French Distribution: PYRAMIDE DISTRIBUTION
UN MÉDECIN DE NUIT by Elie Wajeman (France) 1h40
Production: PARTIZAN FILMS – International Sales: BE FOR FILMS – French Distribution: DIAPHANA DISTRIBUTION
ENFANT TERRIBLE by Oskar Roehler (Germany) 2h14
Production: BAVARIA FILMPRODUKTION – International Sales: BAVARIA FILMPRODUKTION
NADIA, BUTTERFLY by Pascal Plante (Canada) 1h46
Production: NEMESIS FILMS – International Sales: WAZABI FILMS
HERE WE ARE by Nir Bergman (Israel) 1h34
Production: SPIRO FILMS – International Sales: MK2 FILMS
AN OMNIBUS FILM
SEPTET: THE STORY OF HONG KONG by Ann Hui, Johnnie TO, Tsui Hark, Sammo Hung, Yuen Woo-Ping et Patrick Tam -1h53
Production: MILKYWAY IMAGE – International Sales: MEDIA ASIA DISTRIBUTION
THE FIRST FEATURES
FALLING by Viggo Mortensen (USA) 1h52
Production: PERCIVAL PICTURES – International Sales: HANWAY FILMS – French Distribution: METROPOLITAN FILMEXPORT
PLEASURE by Ninja Thyberg (Sweden) 1h45
Production: PLATTFORM PRODUKTION – International Sales: VERSATILE
SLALOM by Charlène Favier (France) 1h32
Production: MILLE ET UNE PRODUCTIONS – International Sales: THE PARTY FILM SALES – French Distribution: JOUR2FÊTE
CASA DE ANTIGUIDADES (Memory House) by Joao Paulo Miranda Maria (Brazil)1h27
Production: MANEKI FILMS
BROKEN KEYS (Fausse note) by Jimmy Keyrouz (Lebanon) 1h30
Production: EZEKIEL
IBRAHIM by Samir Guesmi (France) 1h20
Production: WHY NOT PRODUCTIONS – International Sales: WILD BUNCH INTERNATIONAL – French Distribution: WILD BUNCH INTERNATIONAL
BEGINNING (Au commencement) by Déa Kulumbegashvili (Georgia) 2h10
Production: FIRST PICTURE / O.F.A – International Sales: WILD BUNCH INTERNATIONAL
GAGARINE by Fanny Liatard et Jérémy Trouilh (France) 1h35
Production: HAUT ET COURT – International Sales: TOTEM FILMS – French Distribution: HAUT ET COURT
16 PRINTEMPS by Suzanne Lindon (France) 1h13
Production: AVENUE B PRODUCTIONS – International Sales: LUXBOX – French Distribution: PANAME DISTRIBUTION
VAURIEN by Peter Dourountzis (France) 1h35
Production: 10:15 PRODUCTIONS – International Sales: KINOLOGY – French Distribution: REZO FILMS
GARÇON CHIFFON by Nicolas Maury (France) 1h48
Production: CG CINEMA – International Sales: LES FILMS DU LOSANGE – French Distribution: LES FILMS DU LOSANGE
SI LE VENT TOMBE (Should the Wind Fall) by Nora Martirosyan (Armenia) 1h40
Production: SISTER PRODUCTIONS – International Sales: INDIE SALES – French Distribution: ROUGE DISTRIBUTION
JOHN AND THE HOLE by Pascual Sisto (USA) 1h38
Production: MUTRESSA MOVIES
STRIDING INTO THE WIND (Courir au gré du vent) by WEI Shujun (China) 2h36
Production: ALIBABA PICTURES
THE DEATH OF CINEMA AND MY FATHER TOO (La Mort du cinéma et de mon père aussi) by Dani Rosenberg (Israel) 1h40
Production: PARDES FILMS – International Sales: FILMS BOUTIQUE
3 DOCUMENTARIES FILMS
EN ROUTE POUR LE MILLIARD (The Billion Road) by Dieudo Hamadi (Democratic Republic of Congo) 1h30
Production: LES FILMS DE L’OEIL SAUVAGE – International Sales: ANDANA FILMS
THE TRUFFLE HUNTERS by Michael Dweck et Gregory Kershaw (USA) 1h24
Production: GO GIGI GO PRODUCTIONS LLC – International Sales: SONY PICTURES CLASSICS – French Distribution: SONY PICTURES CLASSICS
9 JOURS À RAQQA by Xavier de Lauzanne (France)
Production: ALOEST FILMS
5 COMEDY FILMS
ANTOINETTE DANS LES CÉVÈNNES by Caroline Vignal (France) 1h35
Production: CHAPKA FILMS – International Sales PLAYTIME – French Distribution: DIAPHANA DISTRIBUTION
LES DEUX ALFRED by Bruno Podalydès (France) 1h30
Production: WHY NOT PRODUCTIONS – French Distribution: UGC DISTRIBUTION
UN TRIOMPHE (The big hit) by Emmanuel Courcol (France) 1h40
Production: AGAT FILMS & CIE – International Sales: MK2 FILMS – French Distribution: MEMENTO FILMS DISTRIBUTION
L’ORIGINE DU MONDE by Laurent Lafitte (France) 1st film
Production: TRESOR FILMS – International Sales: STUDIO CANAL – French Distribution: STUDIO CANAL
LE DISCOURS by Laurent Tirard (France) 1h27
Production: LES FILMS SUR MESURE – International Sales: CHARADES – French Distribution: LE PACTE
4 ANIMATED FILMS
AYA TO MAJO (Earwig and the Witch) by Gorô Miyazaki (Japan) 1h22
Production: NHK / NHK ENTERPRISES / STUDIO GHIBLI – International Sales: WILD BUNCH INTERNATIONAL – French Distribution: WILD BUNCH
FLEE by Jonas Poher Rasmussen (Denmark) 1h30
Production: FINAL CUT FOR REAL – International Sales: CINEPHIL
JOSEP by Aurel (France) 1h20 – 1st film
Production: LES FILMS D’ICI – Sales: DOC & FILM INTERNATIONAL – French Distribution: SOPHIE DULAC DISTRIBUTION
SOUL by Pete Docter (USA) 1h30
Production: PIXAR ANIMATION STUDIOS – French Distribution: THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY
