Hotshot French producer Saïd Ben Saïd has confirmed that Paul Verhoeven’s “Benedetta,” which was supposed to compete at this year’s Cannes Film Film Festival, will be now released in May 2021. This new date suggests an almost-guaranteed Cannes 2021 competition slot.
The fact that Verhoeven’s film has been pushed back by nearly a year must mean that its producers, which include Ben Saïd, think highly of the film’s chances to win the Palme D’or at next year’s Cannes. It could also mean that Cannes boss Thierry Fremaux has told Verhoeven that his film is guaranteed a competition slot at next year’s festival. Expect more Cannes-worthy films to be pushed back a year now.
“Benedetta” stars Virginie Efira and Charlotte Rampling and was initially planned for Cannes 2019, but its distributor Pathé had decided to postpone the release to 2020 due to medical reasons (Verhoeven needed to have a hip operation and wasn’t going to be able to attend the fest). So one more year, one less year, you get used to it, but our desire for watching this movie remains very high.
Verhoven’s 17th feature is set in a 15th century ravaged with the plague (how apropos) as young novice Benedetta Carlini (Efira) joins a convent of nuns in Tuscany. Her presence disrupts the social dynamic and hierarchy and unleashes a series of furious consequences.
As we wait for Verhoeven’s latest opus, maybe it’s time for some to catch up to this legendary director’s fantastic filmography of films. If you haven’t yet seen “The Fourth Man,” “Black Book,” “Elle,” “Starship Troopers,” “Basic Instinct,” “Starship Troopers,” or “Robocop,” then you’re in for a treat.
The film grossed only $205M against a $150M budget, losing Paramount a significant amount of money. It did, however, gain a decent following on streaming, but the financial risk for a sequel is ever-present.