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 Ãvila (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 LarraÃn (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, Ã 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)