There are always a few last minute additions to the official film line-up at Cannes Film Festival, and today Thierry Fremaux completed the Official Selection for the 74th ‘all live edition’ running from 5 -18 July 2021with FROM AFRICA WITH LOVE. Nicolas Bedos, Jean Dujardin and Pierre Niney star in the Final Screening of the 74th Festival de Cannes!
By renaming the closing film as the “Final Screening”, the Festival de Cannes aims to rekindle the tradition of the last screening, drawing inspiration from huge evening galas gone by like the screening of Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (in the old Palais in 1982) or Ridley Scott’s Thelma and Louise (in the new Palais in 1991).
This year, the 74th Festival will round off with the premier of the latest chapter in the adventures of Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath, code name OSS 117, played by Jean Dujardin who will appear onscreen alongside Fatou N’Diaye, Pierre Niney, Natacha Lindinger and the late Wladimir Yordanoff.
Gaspar Noe is back with a docu-drama Vortex, starring Dario Argento, and focusing on the final days of an elderly couple. Press queued all evening at the Marriott Hotel for his previous film Climax in 2018, but this – by its very nature – promises to be a more sober affaire, although with Argento at the helm one never knows.
Once again the films are distinctly Gallic in flavour with three music-themed outings joining the party: TraLaLa is a musical comedy from Arnaud and Jean-Marie Larrieu, and Supremes looks at the French band NTM, directed by Audrey Estrougo. Of the Special screenings New Worlds, The Cradle of a Civilisation is Andrew Muscato’s musical documentary, set in Athens, Greece. It captures the final performance of Bill Murray and Jan Vogler’s European “New Worlds” tour.
Mi iubta Mon amour is the directorial debut of actor-turned-filmmaker Noemie Merlant whose smouldering performance in Portrait of a Young Lady on Fire was one of the highlights of Cannes 2019.
For his latest film Where is Anne Frank? the Oscar-nominated Israeli animator Ari Folman has gained special access to the diaries of the tragic young Jewish girl who went into hiding in wartime Holland. Seen through the eyes of her imaginary friend Kitty, to whom Anne dedicated her diary, she wakes up in contemporary Amsterdam and tries to find Anne in modern day Europe. The film plays out of competition.
Mes Freres Et Moi by Yohan Manca completes the line-up at the Un Certain Regard sidebar.
Jodie Foster will receive an honorary Palme d’Or. Spike Lee will preside over the Jury, and the world premiere of Annette with Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard will open proceedings.
OUT OF COMPETITION
Where is Anne Frank ? by Ari Folman (Israel)
Animated film
CANNES PREMIERE
Vortex by Gaspar Noé (Argentina – Italy)
starring Dario Argento, Françoise Lebrun and Alex Lutz
UN CERTAIN REGARD
Mes frères et moi by Yohan Manca (France)
starring Sofian Khammes, Dali Benssalah, Judith Chemla, Maël Rouin Berrandou
First feature
MIDNIGHT SCREENINGS
Tralala by Arnaud and Jean-Marie Larrieu (France)
starring Mathieu Amalric, Mélanie Thierry, Bertrand Belin, Maïwenn, Josiane Balasko, Denis Lavant
Suprêmes by Audrey Estrougo (France)
starring Théo Christine, Sandor Funtek
SPECIAL SCREENINGS
Bill Murray’s party: New Worlds, the cradle of a civilization by Andrew Muscato (Greece-USA)
starring Bill Murray and the musicians from New Worlds: Jan Vogler, Mira Wang and Vanessa Perez
Mi iubita, Mon amour by Noémie Merlant (France)
starring Gimi-Nicolae Covaci and Noémie Merlant
First feature
Les Héroïques by Maxime Roy (France)
starring François Creton, Richard Bohringer, Ariane Ascaride, Clotilde Courau, Patrick D’Assumçao
First feature
Are you lonesome tonight ? by Wen Shipei (China)
starring Sylvia Chang, Eddie Peng
First feature
CANNES FILM FESTIVAL 2021 | 6 – 18 JULY 2021