CANNES 2023 - remote notes

[Chris Knipp]

Cannes final hours...


STILL FROM ANATOMY OF A FALL

Justine Triet caused controversy at Cannes in a "fiery" Palme d'Or acceptance speech, VARIETY says, that "took aim at the French government," an "impassioned plea" that "became instantly viral" and has been widely cited in French news headlines.

Triet referred to the "shocking manner" in which the very broad anti-pension reform movement was repressed, and referred to a "pattern of increasingly uninhibited dominating power" that is "now at work in several areas." There was an implied reference to French film industry figures who have pushed for drastic cuts in funding for auteur films, claiming such films are reducing box office returns.

It was pointed out that Triet's film was made with government support. So then she should shut up?

France's unique film support system is responsible for the high quality of the output. It's supported auteur films that account for the many of the exports of French films abroad, which would not happen with nothing but popular crowd-pleasers.

ANATOMY OF A FALL is expected to be a Best Foreign Oscar contender, despite having a lot of English-language dialogue.

[Chris Knipp]

Cannes... red carpet looks


PERFECTLY GORGEOUS


HELEN MIRREN STILL MAKES A SPLASH AT 77, AND NO "WORK" DONE (MAYBE)


JENNIFER LAWRENCE: EXQUISITE SIMPLICITY of 'look' (WORK DONE THOUGH)


JULIANNE MOORE: THIS ONE HAS HAD "WORK" DONE


LIV ULMANN: THIS ONE HAS NOT HAD "WORK" DONE


BNATALIE PORTMAN IS ELEGANT, BUT LOOKS A BIT TOO THIN

[Chris Knipp]

The new Nuri Bilge Ceylan film opens in Paris today under the title Les herbes sèches. (Movies open in France on Wednesdays.) The AlloCiné press rating is 4.0 (80%), audience 3.7 (74%). This is a high-profile film in France sine Merve Dizdar got the Cannes Best Actress award for her performance in this film.