Cannes 2024 - Awards and comments

When Greta Gerwig was announced as this year's president of the jury, on the back of her Barbie's triumph, there were a few uncharitable comments about her suitability, especially given her lack of history with the festival. And yet, with her jury they gave out maybe the most flawless list of awards in many, many years. Time will tell of course and it is always interesting to see the momentum the awarded films sustain... or not over the following months. But for now, what an exciting end to this year's edition.

Cannes 2024 - Flow by Glint Zilbalodis

Animated films remain a rarity in Cannes especially European so the inclusion of the Latvian Flow was a welcome surprise in the Un Certain Regard selection.  Set in a mystical, post-apocalyptic world seemingly abandoned by humanity, the film follows a young cat and a group of animals as they band together to navigate a landscape that is both hauntingly beautiful and perilously unforgiving. 

Cannes 2024 - Grand Tour by Miguel Gomes

Miguel Gomes’s Grand Tour is a sprawling, sumptuous exploration of love, longing, and the ghosts of colonialism. Set against the backdrop of early 20th-century Asia, the film follows a woman named Molly as she chases an impossible romantic dream. What begins as a journey rooted in the tropes of colonial-era storytelling quickly transforms into something far more complex and subversive, as Gomes deftly upends gender stereotypes and delivers a deeply moving meditation on self-determination and desire. 

Cannes 2024 - Misericordia by Alain Giraudie

Alain Guiraudie took the festival by storm in 2013 with his Stranger by the Lake shown at Un Certain Regard yet his following films failed to make as much as an impact, even when he was upgraded to the competition for his Restez Vertical (2015).

His latest offering, Misericordia, is a return to form with a work that is deceptively low-key yet captivating, blending elements of psychological drama and subtle surrealism, with more depth than it first appears. Within its setting of a seemingly tranquil and unremarkable village, Guiraudie meticulously constructs a web of carnal desires, slowly revealing the hidden emotions of the characters under their jovial facades, with a slow pace of life punctuated by many social visits invariably involving an aperitif. 

Cannes 2024 - Anora by Sean Baker

Sean Baker’s Anora is exactly the kind of film only he could make, a brash, loud, and unapologetically vibrant portrait of life on the margins, infused with chaotic comedic energy and a lingering tinge of sadness. Following the story of Anora or Ani as she wants to be called, an lap dancer trying to carve out a better life for herself, the film is a whirlwind of emotions, anchored by a phenomenal, star making performance from Mikey Madison. 

Cannes 2024 - The Shrouds by David Cronenberg

In The Shrouds, prominent businessman Karsh (Vincent Cassel), inconsolable since the death of his wife Becca (Diane Kruger),  invents a revolutionary and controversial technology that allows the living to monitor their deceased loved ones in their graves. 

While the synopsis sounds very David Cronenberg indeed, those expecting graphic horror and the kind of gasp inducing moments delivered in his most celebrated films will be sorely disappointed. With its glacial pace, a tone that verges on the detached at times but with a surprising humour at other times, very dialogue heavy in some parts but with a lowkey dreamlike quality in others, this feels very him while still a departure from his usual style in some ways.

Cannes 2024 - Rumours by Guy Maddin

Guy Maddin’s Rumours is a film that defies easy categorisation, a surreal, deadpan political horror comedy that feels like The Thick of It directed by Jean Rollin, with a dash of Eurotrash absurdity thrown in for good measure. Set in the misty woods surrounding a castle at night, the film follows a group of G7 leaders who become stranded during a summit and must navigate a series of increasingly bizarre and unsettling events. 

The first act is absolutely hilarious, with Cate Blanchett, who plays the German chancellor, delivering an unhinged performance complete with a comedy German accent and she is complemented by the ensemble supporting cast around her, a game ensemble of international actors who match her energy and keep the film engaging, at least for a while. Maddin’s sharp wit and knack for absurdity shine through in moments of biting political satire and surreal visual gags. One particularly memorable scene involves the leaders attempting and failing to draft a joint statement, a sad indictment on the standstill world politics seem to be at the moment.