I didn’t really dive into this Variety interview with Cannes Film Festival director Thierry Frémaux, mainly because it didn’t reveal anything new. We already knew that Nolan, Iñárritu, and Spielberg wouldn’t be attending—Frémaux essentially confirms their absence. He’s then asked about James Gray and somewhat sidesteps the question, acknowledging he hasn’t seen “Paper Tiger.” There’s also no mention of the current status of Terrence Malick’s “The Way of the Wind,” which still appears stuck in post-production limbo.
The competition lineup is still coming together — with roughly half secured and hundreds of films still under review — and Frémaux does emphasize that American cinema’s presence may be smaller this year. He notes that studios are producing fewer blockbusters and auteur-driven titles, meaning Cannes may not see mega-scale premieres like past hits, yet American films are still expected.
One film Frémaux isn’t asked about is Joel Coen’s “Jack of Spades.” Early word suggested it might be ready for the festival, and on March 3 the French outlet Paris Match even listed the film as a possibility. However, they’ve since walked that back, editing their earlier speculative piece to say it ultimately won’t be heading to Cannes. Meanwhile, The Playlist’s Rodrigo Perez is reporting the same.
So which U.S. titles might actually crack competition? Honestly? Maybe none. The ones most being tipped right now would be odd fits for the Palme d’Or: The Zellner’s “Alpha Gang,” Jane Schoenbrun’s “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma” seem to be the two most mentioned titles. James Gray’s “Paper Tiger” could be another — it’s definitely ready — but, oddly enough, it’s been fervently tipped for Venice.
Unlike some, I have no issue whatsoever with Hollywood’s likely absence from Cannes. A segment of the Oscar bloggers who attend might, but this fest was never really for them. If anything, it simply means more room for international cinema—and that’s hardly a bad thing. I mentioned to IONCINEMA’s Eric Lavallée that this has been the hardest year to predict the Cannes competition, largely because so many titles just aren’t ready (you can check out his predictions).
It’s not just the major American auteurs — several international filmmakers once tipped for this year’s Cannes may not be ready in time, including Albert Serra, Ruben Östlund, Lukas Dhont, Mike Leigh, and Hlynur Pálmason. We’re also not entirely sure whether Carlos Reygadas and Lisandro Alonso will be there.
Still, no need to worry: Cannes should have plenty to offer, with new films widely expected from Cristian Mungiu, Andrey Zvyagintsev, Asghar Farhadi, Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Pedro Almodóvar, Paweł Pawlikowski, Nicolas Winding Refn, and Hirokazu Kore-eda.