5 reasons why the film industry pays attention to what happens in Cannes
The film world turns its attention to the sun-drenched South of France for the 69th Cannes International Film Festival starting Wednesday.
There will be surprises at the high-profile event (like 2015's international outcry over the festival's restrictive red-carpet high-heel policy). But festival director Thierry Fremaux has already programmed a 2016 schedule that will have the movie industry talking from May 11 to May 22.
Five reasons why Cannes will dominate the discussion:
Star power is plentiful. Cannes has switched on full A-list wattage this year, starting with Woody Allen's opening night film Café Society, starring Blake Lively, Kristen Stewart, Steve Carell and Jesse Eisenberg. Julia Roberts makes her first Cannes appearance with George Clooney and director Jodie Foster for Money Monster, Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick show off the animated Trolls, and Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling reveal their comedy The Nice Guys — all before the first weekend ends.
Kirsten Dunst, Donald Sutherland join Cannes jury
"The presence of the stars is a fundamental ingredient at Cannes," Fremaux says. "But this year, we see many stars turning in good films — hence, their massive presence."
The directors are celebrities, too. Even those behind the cameras are household names in 2016. Besides Allen's opening night film, Steven Spielberg will world premiere his 3-D fantasy adventure The BFG. Sean Penn will show off his drama The Last Face, starring ex-girlfriend Charlize Theron. The festival will also feature Cannes favorites such as Xavier Dolan, Jeff Nichols, Ken Loach and Nicolas Winding Refn.
"This year is a great mix of cinematic films and star power," says Keith Simanton, editor of the movie website IMDb.com.
Amazon originals are arriving in France. Amazon Studios has leapt into Cannes fray, with five films in the emerging studio's first-ever festival: Opening night's Café Society, Jim Jarmusch's Paterson and his Iggy Pop documentary Gimme Danger, Winding Refn's The Neon Demon and Park Chan-wook'sThe Handmaiden.
Steven Spielberg, Sean Penn films to highlight Cannes
Executives have backed ambitious projects and pleased the film world by vowing to release films in theaters before taking the movies onto Amazon Prime streaming.
"It's unprecedented for Cannes and a reflection of just how serious Amazon is about prestige films,” says Matt Donnelly, correspondent for the industry website TheWrap.com.
There's debate about the absence of female directors. Discussion of the lack of female directors at Cannes is summering again, with just three out of 20 films in the main competition being directed by women (Foster's Money Monster will be shown out of competition). Foster says the disparity problem goes beyond the festival.
"The issue is being oversimplified," Foster says. "Looking at quotas and statistics is not going to help when it comes to art. You have to look at deeper issues."
The festival will honor both Prince and Robert De Niro. Organizers have announced a tribute to music superstar Prince, who died last month (and who won an Oscar for the score from 1984's Purple Rain), but haven't disclosed details. Living legend Robert De Niro's illustrious film career will be honored during the May 16 world premiere of his new film, Hands of Stone.
“It’s extremely fitting that Cannes is honoring two icons who have had a huge impact on the film world," says movie site Fandango.com correspondent Alicia Malone.