CriterionCast

Cannes 2012 Director’s Fortnight Set; Features Films From Michel Gondry And Ben Wheatley

While most of the focus with regards to the Cannes Film Festival may lie directly upon the festival’s competition lineup, one of the festival’s sidebars often times has just as diverse and intriguing a lineup.   Known as the Director’s Fortnight, some of the festival’s best films can pop up right out of nowhere within this sidebar.   And 2012 shouldn’t change that.

Leading the way are new films from directors Michel Gondry (The We And The I) and Ben Wheatley (Sightseers) as well as new films from Quentin Dupieux, the much hyped Shining documentary Room 237, and a new film from the late director Raoul Ruiz.

Personally, it’s Wheatley’s film The Sightseers that is the most intriguing project here, particularly given the masterwork that was Wheatley’s last film, Kill List. Still having yet to be announced for a home video release, the IFC release has been rumored as a possible, if unlikely, member of Criterion’s impending October release slate. Wheatley is a great director, and this is definitely shaping up to be one hell of a sidebar.   Here’s the full list:

LONGS METRAGES / FEATURE FILMS

3 de / by Pablo Stoll Ward (Uruguay, Allemagne, Argentine / Uruguay, Germany, Argentina) ‘“ Première internationale

Adieu Berthe, l’enterrement de mémé / Granny’s Funeral de / by Bruno Podalydès (France) – Première mondiale

Alyah de / by Elie Wajeman (France) ‘“ Caméra d’or ‘“ Première mondiale

Camille redouble de / by Noémie Lvovsky (France) – Première mondiale ‘“ Film de clôture

Dae gi eui wang / The King of Pigs de / by Yeun Sang-Ho (Corée du Sud / South Korea) ‘“ Caméra d’or – Première Internationale

Dangerous Liaisons de / by Hur Jin-Ho (Chine / China) ‘“ Première mondiale

El Taaib / Le Repenti de / by Merzak Allouache (Algérie / Algeria) – Première mondiale

Ernest et Célestine de / by Stéphane Aubier, Vincent Patar, Benjamin Renner (France, Belgique, Luxembourg / France, Belgium, Luxembourg) ‘“ Première mondiale

Fogo de / by Yulene Olaizola (Mexique, Canada / Mexico, Canada) – Première mondiale

Gangs of Wasseypur de / by Anurag Kashyap (Inde / India) – Première mondiale

Infancia clandestina / Enfance clandestine de / by Benjamin Ávila (Argentine, Espagne, Brésil / Argantina, Spain, Brazil) – Première mondiale

La noche de enfrente / La Nuit d’en face de / by Raoul Ruiz (France, Chili / France, Chile) – Première mondiale ‘“ Séance spéciale

La Sirga de / by William Vega (Colombie, France, Mexique / Colombia, France, Mexico) ‘“ Caméra d’or – Première mondiale

No de / by Pablo Larraín (Chili, Etats-Unis / Chile, USA) – Première mondiale

Opération Libertad de / by Nicolas Wadimoff (Suisse, France / Switzerland, France) – Première mondiale

Rengaine / Hold Back de / by Rachid Djaïdani (France) ‘“ Caméra d’or – Première mondiale

Room 237 de / by Rodney Ascher (Etats-Unis / USA) – Caméra d’or – Première internationale

Sightseers / Touristes ! de / by Ben Wheatley (Royaume Uni / United Kingdom) – Première mondiale – Séance spéciale

Sueño y silencio de / by Jaime Rosales (Espagne, France / Spain, France) – Première mondiale

The We and the I de / by Michel Gondry (Etats-Unis / USA) – Première mondiale ‘“ Film d’ouverture

Yek Khanévadéh-e Mohtaram / Une famille respectable / A Respectable Family de / by Massoud Bakhshi (Iran)- Caméra d’or – Première mondiale

COURTS METRAGES / SHORT FILMS

PROGRAMME 1 ‘“ 1H38

Avec Jeff, à moto / With Jeff de / by Marie-Eve Juste (Canada)

Rodri de / by Franco Lolli (France)

Königsberg de / by Philipp Mayrhofer (France)

Porcos Raivosos / Porcs enragés / Enraged Pigs de / by Leonardo Sette et Isabel Penoni (Brésil / Brazil)

Os vivos tamben choram / Les Vivants pleurent aussi de / by Basil da Cunha (Suisse, Portugal / Switzerland , Portugal)

PROGRAMME 2 ‘“ 1H25

Portret Z Pamieci / Drawn from Memory de / by Marcin Bortkiewicz (Pologne / Poland)

The Curse de / by Fyzal Boulifa (Royaume Uni, Maroc / United Kingdom, Morrocco)

Tram de / by Michaela Pavlátová (France, République tchèque / France, Czech Republic)

Os mortos-vivos / Les Morts-vivants / The Living Dead de / by Anita Rocha da Silveira (Brésil / Brazil)

Wrong Cops de / by Quentin Dupieux (France)

Joshua Brunsting

Josh is a critic, a member of the Online Film Critics Society, a wrestling nerd, a hip-hop head, a father, a cinephile and a man looking to make his stamp on the world, one word at a time.