So we're back in Cannes for another year of obsessing
about schedules and trying to expertly judge queue lengths to pack in as many
films as humanly possible!
I started my Cannes 2014 trip with The Disappearance of
Eleanor Rigby starring Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy which tells the story
of a happily married couple whose lives are suddenly torn apart by a family
tragedy and follows the journey they must take to see if they can rebuild their
shattered relationship.
Jessica Chastain & cast of The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby
It's hard to say much more
without telling the reason for their marital stress (it isn't revealed for
quite some time) but it's an enjoyable watch overall, even if some of the
impressive supporting cast (Isabelle Huppert, William Hurt, Ciaran Hinds and
Viola Davis) aren't used to any great value. But, to feel like you were there, I did manage to capture the pre-screening Q&A!
Hot on the heels of the Yves Saint Laurent biopic (of the
same name) earlier this year, Cannes unveiled the second study of the fashion
designer in Bertrand Bonello's drama playing in the Official Competition which
is stylishly shot, with great music and - as you'd expect - fantastic costumes.
Jessica Hausner's Amour Fou played in Un Certain Regard
and is beautifully shot with each frame almost resembling a painting resulting
in a film that looks like a sequence of beautiful tableaux. It's slow moving
but quietly engaging. But perhaps not the 'romantic comedy' that it's being
referred to as.
The documentary Red Army follows the Russian ice hockey
team during (and briefly after) the Cold War. With Russia currently so present
in the news, Red Army is perfectly timed to give a fascinating insight into the
world politics behind the sport and the characters who shaped it both on and
off the rink. It's well told, humorous in parts, but ultimately chilling.
Watch the film trailer:
The cast and director Jaime Rosales were in attendance
for the Un Certain Regard screening of Beautiful Youth. The films presents a
bleak view of life for Spain's youth with few opportunities on offer, hence
leading the central couple to decide to shoot a porn movie to earn some cash.
Its style is refreshing (although I wasn't convinced that the Whatsapp
sequences worked to demonstrate the passing of time, and seemed a little
gimmicky) but bar that I was sufficiently drawn into the world of the young
couple looking for some hope for their future. It was touching to see lead
actress Ingrid Garcia-Jonsson so overcome with emotion due to the wonderful
reaction of the audience to the screening.
Cast & crew of Beautiful Youth
Perhaps my favourite film to date was Abderraane
Sissako's Timbuktu. This beautiful and delicately told film about religious
fundamentalists spreading terror in the region has at it's heart the story of
doting father and husband Kidane (Ibrahim Ahmed) and the consequences he faces
after accidentally killing the fisherman Amadou over a valued cow. The film
contains some stunning imagery. The scene of the boys playing imaginary
football (with no real ball due to the religious banning of the game) was
powerfully simple, as was the memorable image of the soldier sitting on the
roof against the moonlight listening to music being played by the people he was
about to arrest (music had also been banned). But perhaps the most striking
image was the panoramic and lingering shot of Kidane wading though the water to
escape the dying Amadou on the opposite bank.
Cast & crew of Timbuktu
David Cronenberg has assembled an impressive cast
(Julianne Moore, Mia Wasikowska, John
Cusack, Olivia Williams) for Maps to the Stars, his cutting look at our
celebrity obsessed culture. With two colliding stories (one of a fading actress
- Julianne Moore - haunted by her mother as she strives to be cast in the same
role that brought her mother fame many years before, and the other of a
Hollywood family with secrets aplenty and enough skeletons in the closet to
feed The National Enquirer for decades!). Fine performances abound and the film
is simply delicious in parts. For me, the first half heavily relied on jokes
and references to other celebrities in the public domain, but it got a lot
meatier and more engaging as it progressed towards its dramatic, Greek tragedy
climax.
Next up in the Official Competition was Foxcatcher
starring Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo and an unrecognisable Steve Carell (who
may have found a new calling in creepy and sinister roles). Based on a true
story of two Olympic gold medallist wrestlers and brothers (Tatum and Ruffalo) who are taken under the
wing of businessman and philanthropist John du Pont (Carell) to help bring them
sporting glory. It all begins to go horribly wrong when that 'interest' begins
to have a more sinister and obsessive side. It's a fascinating story and a
treat to see Carell in such a different role.
Gente de Bien is a sweet Colombian film about a young
boy, left by his mother to a father he barely knows. Struggling in downtown
Bogota, the occasional employer of the boy's father takes pity on their
situation and offers to take them on her family vacation over the Christmas
break. I wouldn't imagine it'll be picking up any awards, but it was still an
enjoyable watch.
And so with the first set of films under my belt, does it
make the schedule seem less daunting now? Not a chance! With word of must-sees
filtering through and my own selection, I'll still be spotted in queues around
town staring at the programme schedule trying to figure out how to bi-locate!
A bientot,
Ross Keane
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