Cannes Film Festival 2022
Premieres & Screenings
Monday the 23rd
Crimes of the Future
Image Source: Getty Images
Week two at Cannes this year saw a return of Canadian body horror pioneer and cinematic master of the dark arts David Cronenberg for another competition run, this time flanked on the red carpet by his stars Denise Capezza, Don McKellar, Léa Seydoux, Viggo Mortensen, Kristen Stewart, Scott Speedman and Lihi Kornowski among others for the premiere of their dystopian, fetishistic body-mod sci-fi horror drama ‘Crimes of the Future’.
A near future tale when humanity is adapting to a synthetic environment by transforming their bodies both organically and artificially, where a performance artist and his partner begin to publicly showcase his transformation, only to be tracked by an investigator obsessed with their exploits, leading to the revelation of a secret society intent on revealing the next stage of human evolution to the world. ‘Crimes of the Future’ has no UK or US dates yet.
Crimes of the Future press conference (courtesy of Festival de Cannes)
Decision to Leave (Heojil Kyolshim)
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The second of Monday’s official competition screenings saw a titan of Korean cinema return to the Riviera when writer/director Park Chan-wook, flanked by his stars Park Hae-il and Tang Wei, walked the Cannes red carpet for the premiere of ‘Decision to Leave’. A Korean crime drama with mystery and romance undertones, following the fate of a detective investigating the death of a man on a mountainside, and the man’s enigmatic and confounding widow, for whom the detective begins to develop complicated and conflicting feelings, prompting them to make a fateful decision together. ‘Decision to Leave’ is out on the 29th of June in South Korea, with no UK date yet.
Decision to Leave press conference (courtesy of Festival de Cannes)
Moonage Daydream
Image Source: Festival de Cannes
The day’s big out-of-competition premiere was a music-driven documentary affair, stylishly and atmospherically woven together by writer/director Brett Morgen. Who takes us on a eulogistic cinematic odyssey through the life and times of a singular popular music titan and pop culture icon, painting a life portrait of the extraordinary and creative life and times of the late David Bowie with ‘Moonage Daydream’, out in theatres September.
Moonage Daydream trailer (courtesy of David Bowie)
Tuesday the 24th
Tori and Lokita (Tori et Lokita)
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Tuesday number two at Cannes this year brought Belgian participation to the official competition and Cannes regulars the acclaimed Dardenne Brothers back to the festival, accompanied by their stars Alban Kaj, Pablo Schils, Mbundu Joely and Charlotte De Bruyne for for the premiere of their contemporary and timely human drama ‘Tori and Lokita’.
A tale of belonging and migration set in modern day Belgium and following the fates of two young African immigrants, who arrive alone but form a close bond over the shared struggles which drove them from their home countries to the promise and sobering reality of escaping to Europe. ‘Tori and Lokita’ is out on the 28th of September in France, with no UK date yet.
Tori and Lokita press conference (courtesy of Festival de Cannes)
Nostalgia
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Italian cinema also got its time in the Cannes competition sun on Tuesday when writer/director Mario Martone returned to the Riviera by way of his beloved Naples for the premiere of an appropriately named story of roots and home being where the heart is (for better or worse) ‘Nostalgia’. A story following the return home of a Neapolitan man after four decades of absence, as he rediscover the places and people who made him what he is, but remembers the weight of the things which made him leave in the first place.
Martone was joined on the red carpet by his stars Pierfrancesco Favino, Francesco Di Leva, Sofia Essaïdi, Tommaso Ragno and Aurora Quattrocchi among others, ‘Nostalgia’ is out now in Italy, with no UK date yet.
Nostalgia press conference (courtesy of Festival de Cannes)
The Innocent (L’innocent)
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The day’s big out-of-competiton screening was a domestic affair which saw French screen star Louis Garrel pull triple acting/directing/writing duty to bring to the Riviera a premiere of his crime-comedy ‘The Innocent’. The story of a man who takes matters into his own hands when his mother becomes engaged to a man serving time in prison, but his best laid plans are soon disrupted when he meets his new stepfather, who unexpectedly offers him a new perspective on life. Garrel was joined by his co-stars Anouk Grinberg, Noemie Merlant and Roschdy Zem, ‘The Innocent’ is out on the 12th of October in France, with no UK date yet.
The Innocent press conference (courtesy of Festival de Cannes)
Wednesday the 25th
Stars at Noon
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The second Wednesday at Cannes this year brought celebrated French filmmaker Claire Denis back to the Riviera in official competition contention, as she sticks with English language film and treated Cannes audiences to the premiere of romantic mystery/thriller ‘Stars at Noon’.
An adaptation of the Denis Johnson novel set in the political tumult of Nicaragua of the 1980s, where an English businessman and an American journalist—both of whom may not be all they seem—begin to develop a passionate relationship which is tested when they’re pulled into a dangerous web of deceit and conspiracy from which they must escape. Denis was joined in Cannes by her stars Margaret Qualley and Joe Alwyn among others, ‘Stars at Noon’ has no confirmed dates yet.
Stars at Noon press conference (courtesy of Festival de Cannes)
Leila’s Brothers
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Persian cinema also returned to the official competition on Wednesday as Iranian writer/director Saeed Roustayi made his Cannes debut, flanked by his stars Saeed Poursamimi, Hooman Behmanesh, Navid Mohammadzadeh and Taraneh Alidoosti among others, for the premiere of their tense contemporary family drama ‘Leila’s Brothers’. Set in modern day sanctioned Iran, where a woman struggles with the increasing pressure of caring for her elderly parents and four brothers under the weight of economic hardship, only for the family unity to be stretched to breaking point when she tries to start a family business and her father’s family secret surfaces. ‘Leila’s Brothers’ has no confirmed dates yet.
Leila’s Brothers press conference (courtesy of Festival de Cannes)
Elvis
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The day’s marquee premiere was an out-of-competition Hollywood affair by way of Australia, which saw rock ‘n roll and its king take over the Riviera when writer/director Baz Luhrmann brought along his stars Olivia DeJonge, Tom Hanks, Austin Butler, Alton Mason and Natasha Bassett, along with Priscilla Presley and Jerry Schilling for the screening of their much anticipated biopic ‘Elvis’.
Baz Luhrmann’s distinct take on the musical life and times of the king of rock and roll and one of the most iconic and influential figures of the 20th century, told though the prism of his relationship with his manager Colonel Tom Parker and a rapidly changing America. ‘Elvis’ is out on the 24th of June in the UK and US.
Elvis press conference (courtesy of Festival de Cannes)
Thursday the 26th
Broker
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The second Thursday this year saw a return to the official competition of a Cannes stalwart and favourite, as Japanese writer/director Hirokazu Kore-eda crossed a narrow sea to South Korea to weave together another charming tale of modern hustlers and dysfunctional families, bringing the Riviera faithful the premiere of ‘Broker’.
A contemporary South Korean story revolving around an abandoned baby, two hustlers with a money-making plan for him, the mother who abandoned him, and the detective hunting them all, as they embark on a journey which unexpectedly brings them together around this transformative little bundle of joy. Kore-eda was joined on the red carpet by his stars Song Kang-ho, Ji-eun Lee, Joo-Young Lee and Dong-won Gang, ‘Broker’ is out on the 6th of June in South Korea, with no UK date yet.
Broker press conference (courtesy of Festival de Cannes)
Close
Image Source: AP
After a successful run in several categories including winning the Queer Palm in the 2018 edition of the festival with his previous film ‘Girl’, Belgian writer/director Lukas Dhont returned to Cannes in Palme d’Or contention with another contemporary LGBTQ coming-of-age drama, bringing along his stars Eden Dambrine, Gustav De Waele and Léa Drucker among others for the premiere of ‘Close’.
A story of friendship and judgement centred around two thirteen-year old Belgian boys, whose intense friendship and close bond are broken by a lack of acceptance, leaving them in an emotional struggle to make sense of the disruption to the seemingly most important relationship in their young lives. ‘Close’ has no confirmed dates yet.
Close press conference (courtesy of Festival de Cannes)
Pacifiction (Tourment sur les îles)
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In a packed day for the official competition, Thursday’s third Palme d’Or contender was a pan-European affair by way for the South Pacific which saw Spanish writer/director Albert Serra return to Cannes with his stars Benoît Magimel, Matahi Pambrun, Michael Vautor and Pahoa Mahagafanau in tow for the premiere of their human drama meditation on loneliness and colonialism ‘Pacifiction’. A story set in French Polynesia and against the backdrop of a looming return of French nuclear testing, following the intersecting paths of a high commissioner and a returning local writer whose unlikely relationship is tested by geopolitics and the complexities of a society in flux. ‘Pacifiction’ is out on the 9th of November in France, with no UK date yet.
Pacification press conference (courtesy of Festival de Cannes)
Friday the 27th
Showing Up
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The final day of premiere screenings this year brought writer/director Kelly Reichardt back to Cannes in competition mode, joined by her star and muse Michelle Williams along with cinematographer Christopher Blauvelt, producer Neil Kopp and screenwriter Jonathan Raymond for a screening of Reichardt’s latest humble and earthy meditation on everyday Americans ‘Showing Up’. A charming portrait of an artist centred on an American sculptor trying to balance the creative strains of opening a new regional show with the daily pressures of her family life and obligations to friends. ‘Showing Up’ has no confirmed dates yet.
Showing Up press conference (courtesy of Festival de Cannes)
Mother and Son (Un Petit Frère)
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The second of Friday’s competition screenings meant a return to the Riviera for French writer/director Léonor Serraille for the premiere of her sophomore feature ‘Mother and Son’. A frank and emotional portrait of family and immigration, unfolding over two decades and following a young woman who leaves her native Ivory Coast for Paris in the 1980s with her young sons looking for a better life, as the family struggles to stick together while growing apart between two worlds.
Serraille was joined on the red carpet by her stars Ahmed Sylla, Annabelle Lengronne, Stéphane Bak, Sidy Fofana, Kenzo Sambin and Milan Doucansi, ‘Mother and Son’ has no confirmed dates yet.
Mother and Son red carpet (courtesy of Festival de Cannes)
Mascarade (Masquerade)
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Friday’s big out-of-competition screening and effectively the closing film of Cannes this year was a home-grown affair which once again brought writer/director Nicolas Bedos to the Riviera to wrap the screenings up with lighter tones, flanked by his stars Marine Vacth, Emmanuelle Devos, Laura Morante, François Cluzet, Pierre Niney and Nicolas Briançon for the premiere of ‘Mascarade’.
A crime comedy appropriately set in the French Riviera, where a once celebrated dancer languishes idly after a devastating bike accident, only to have his life turned upside down when he meets a beautiful hustler who relights his fire through shared scams and a diabolical and deceitful plan to change both their lives. ‘Mascarade’ is out on the 1st of November in France, with no UK date yet.
Mascarade ovation (courtesy of Festival de Cannes)
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