At the 61st edition of the Cannes Film Festival (May 14 -25), the Un Certain Regard selection will continue its tradition of exploring the diversity of world cinema.

The list of 19 features unveiled today in Paris – in which the names of Kiyoshi Kurosawa and James Toback in particular stand out – may be augmented in the coming days.

The current line-up features nine European filmmakers, including UK director Thomas Clay (Soi Cowboy), Germany’s Andreas Dresen (Wolke 9), Norway’s Bent Hamer (O’Horten), Sweden’s Ruben Ostlund (De Ofrivilliga), and three French directors: Pierre Schoeller with Versailles, Jean-François Sauvaire with Johnny Mad Dog (filmed in Liberia) and Raymond Depardon with his new documentary La Vie moderne.
Tokyo !, the three-part film co-directed by French directors Michel Gondry and Leos Carax, along with Korea’s Bong Joon-ho, is also included in the programme.

There is a striking absence of films from Eastern Europe and the Iberian peninsula. Meanwhile, Middle Eastern film, traditionally backed by France, continues to forge ahead with I Want to See by Lebanese duo Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige and Le sel de la mer by Palestinian director Annemarie Jacir.

Un Certain Regard Line-up

Versailles [trailer, film focus] - Pierre Schoeller (France)
Johnny Mad Dog [trailer] - Jean-François Sauvaire (France)
La Vie moderne - Raymond Depardon (documentary - France)
Soi Cowboy - Thomas Clay (UK)
Wolke 9 - Andreas Dresen (Germany)
O’Horten [trailer] - Bent Hamer (Norway)
De Ofrivilliga - Ruben Ostlund (Sweden)
Tokyo ! [trailer] - Bong Joon-ho, Michel Gondry and Leos Carax (France/Japan)
Tulpan - Sergey Dvortsevoy (Kazakhstan)
I Want to See [trailer] - Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige (Lebanon)
Le sel de la mer - Annemarie Jacir (Palestine)
Los Bastardos - Amat Escalante (Mexico)
A festa da menina morta - Matheus Nachtergaele (Brazil)
Afterschool - Antonio Campos (US/Brazil)
Tokyo Sonata - Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Japan)
Ting Che - Chung Mong-Hong (Taiwan)
Yi ban Haishui, Yi ban huoyan - Liu Fendou (Chine)
Wendy and Lucy - Kelly Reichardt (US)
Tyson - James Toback (documentary - US)