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CANNES 2015 Selection

The final sprint towards the Croisette

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- The rumour mill is grinding away at full speed in Paris, three days away from the unveiling of the Official Selection

The final sprint towards the Croisette
Youth by Paolo Sorrentino

The suspense couldn’t be more electrifying behind the scenes of the 68th edition of the Cannes Film Festival (13-24 May 2015), as General Delegate Thierry Frémaux is set to reveal the Official Selection this Thursday at 11 o’clock. The intense final round of viewings is under way (the films are being presented later and later) and the gears of negotiation are grinding between the various showcases at the event (the Critics’ Week and the Directors’ Fortnight are struggling not to be cleaned out completely by the star attractions of the Official Selection as the home stretch heaves into view or, by contrast, are attempting to entice the titles disappointed at not having been selected in competition) and the other major upcoming gatherings on the global festival calendar. The impending moment of truth is unleashing excitement and rumours (whether true or not), fuelled by the nebulous nature of the social networks. Here is a short overview of the latest whispers on people’s lips in Paris.

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For the race for the Palme d’Or 2015, which will be awarded by a jury chaired by brothers Ethan and Joel Coen (read the news), the most favourable odds are those for Louder Than Bombs [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Joachim Trier
film profile
]
by Norwegian director Joachim Trier, Arabian Nights by Portugal’s Miguel Gomes, Mia Madre by Nanni MorettiYouth by his fellow countryman Paolo Sorrentino, The Lobster [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: Yorgos Lanthimos
film profile
]
by Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos, Mountains May Depart by China’s Jia Zhangke (which will apparently be ready after all, despite persistent doubts), An by Japanese director Naomi Kawase, Love in Khon Kaen by Thai filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Sea of Trees by US director Gus Van Sant, Carol by his fellow countryman Todd Haynes, and two French titles: Dheepan [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: Jacques Audiard
film profile
]
by Jacques Audiard (read the news) and My Golden Years by Arnaud Desplechin (read the news).

Aside from these favourites, there is substantially greater uncertainty surrounding the other titles. Among the possible movies are Midnight Special by Jeff Nichols, a third French film (a spot that could be fought over by La tête haute by Emmanuelle Bercot - BREAKING: the film will be the festival's opening film; read the article – and Mon roi [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
by Maïwenn – read the news), Taklub by Filipino director Brillante Mendoza, Les chevaliers blancs by Belgium’s Joachim Lafosse, a British feature (either Sunset Song [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Terence Davies
film profile
]
by Terence Davies or High-Rise [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
 by Ben Wheatley?), a Romanian title (either One Floor Below by Radu Muntean or The Treasure by Corneliu Porumboiu?), a South American movie, Regression by Spaniard Alejandro Amenabar, Sicario by Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve or even the enigmatic The Assassin by Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao Hsien. But some new blood and several surprises are expected to spice up the showcase of a competition that looks set to be extremely exciting, and which will apparently not see the involvement of The Commune [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Thomas Vinterberg
film profile
]
by Danish director Thomas Vinterberg (the film will evidently not be ready in time).

If the rumour that there will only be three Italian films in competition turns out to be true, there is nevertheless a very good chance that Tale of Tales by Matteo Garrone will secure itself some very fine exposure on the Croisette (Official Selection, out of competition? Perhaps the opening film of the Directors’ Fortnight?), while the animated movie The Little Prince by Mark Osborne is in pole position among the predictions (the US title Inside Out by Pete Docter could well be on the Cannes line-up as well).

In terms of the French films to be expected beyond the confines of the Official Competition, the spots will be much sought after in light of the huge number of titles on offer. The general buzz places Love by Gaspar Noé in a very strong position for a (hot!) Special Screening and hints very favourably at such titles as L'ombre des femmes [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
by Philippe Garrel (read the article), Les Cowboys by Thomas Bidegain (read the article), Close Protection by Alice Winocour (read the article), Taj Mahal [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Nicolas Saada
film profile
]
by Nicolas Saada (read the article), La loi du marché [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Stéphane Brizé
film profile
]
by Stéphane Brizé and Les deux amis by Louis Garrel (read the article). Michel Gondry’s name is also making a rather insistent comeback with his Microbe et Gasoil [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
(read the article).

We can await the verdict for the Official Selection on Thursday 16 April, the Critics’ Week on Monday 20th and the Directors’ Fortnight on Tuesday 21st.

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(Translated from French)

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