Festival Circuit 2021

[Pavel]

Bradshaw's predictions

[Finch]

I enjoyed how even the British critics at Cannes couldn't quite hide their disbelief at I, Daniel Blake winning some years ago. No one said it quite aloud but it sure felt like, "We won the Palme D'Or, yay! But, uhm, couldn't it have been, uhm, a better British film to win?"

At least Bradshaw is honest about his home bias. I haven't seen Titane yet but him thinking the film is silly and macho is rich coming from the critic who raved about Only God Forgives of all films.

[Finch]

I've been reading some German language dispatches from Cannes and apparently the Enyedi was so poorly received by several critics from Germany and Austria that they left the cinema en masse before the 90 minute mark of the 3 hour film, and as Omenstetter was saying earlier, the other world critics haven't liked it much better.

[Omensetter]

Even though he apparently opted for the Euro final over Bergman Island, Bradshaw is astonishingly consistent in being first out the gate and usually with praise. It is fascinating how a lot of countries attach significance to their entry as if it's the Euros or Eurovision (not to jinx everything and have one of the worst possible outcomes—Moretti picking up another Palme—erupt out of Stromboli). I was going to state that Americans were immune from it, but I suppose a decent number of American cinephiles seem invested in it although. I was certainly cheering for Todd Haynes (alongside Hou), whose ties to Hollywood really aren't that strong, when he presented Carol here in 2015. With regard to the Palme: No one remembers the other awards, so at least choose something that's respectable, if not exciting. The only outright Palme miss (as it utter shank) this century does seem to remain Fahrenheit 9/11.

I was bad about paying mind to UCR this year, so thank you The Fanciful Norwegian. Here are the winners:

Grand Prix: Kira Kovalenko, Unclenching The Fists
Jury Prix: Sebastian Meise, Great Freedom
Ensemble Prix: Hafsia Herzi, Bonne Mere
Courage Prize: Teodora Ana Mihai, La Civil
Prize of Originality: Valdimar Jóhannsson, Lamb
Special Mention: Tatiana Huezo, Prayers for the Stolen

I do wonder what the repercussions for Cannes will be after their commendable, surprise screening, but if Jia has something for next year, he may have to reacquaint himself with Venice.

[Omensetter]

The awards for the main Competition will arrive sometime around lunch Chicago time, sometime in the evening Paris time tomorrow (I'll update when I've the exact), but here's the link for the live stream: https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/fest ... ompetition . You will have to adjust your clocks to Paris time if you wish to watch the live stream.

If you have predictions, by all means predict away! You could get close by drawing out of a hat.

In 2017, JabbatheSlut won over me 1.3 to 1.2. We both guessed Robin Campillo's 120 BPM at Grand Prix, but he had one more correctly guessed film (just at the wrong prize).

In 2018, I prevailed over DarkImbecile 2.4 to 1.4 with my out-of-left-field Best Actress guess for Sergey Dvortsevoy proving the winner.

In 2019, Cremildo, DarkImbecile, and I all tied at 1.3 with each of our point-gainer fascinatingly being different. (I went with Banderas at Actor; Cremildo went with Les Miserables at Jury; DarkImbecile went with Bacurau at Jury—there was a tie at Jury, obviously.)

Predictions
Palme: Asghar Farhadi, A Hero
Grand Prix: Julia Ducournau, Titane
Director: Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Memoria
Screenplay: Wes Anderson, The French Dispatch
Jury: Juho Kuosmanen, Compartment #6
Actress: Renate Reinsve, The Worst Person in the World
Actor: Adam Driver, Annette

I cannot shake them not awarding a female film anywhere, so Ducornau seems like something that'd have more of an impact on enough number of individuals of the jury, and at least something I can see Kleber Mendonça Filho enjoying. I have feelings, based on nothing beside facile similarities, that critics' favorite Hamaguchi will go the way of fellow critics' favorite and Murakami adaptation Burning and win nothing.

[Blutarsky]

This is the first year in a while I have followed closely what is happening at Cannes. Maybe it was the prolonged drought of not being able to attend my favorite art house theatres last year, but this year’s Cannes really has gauged my interest. As I find it hard based on ratings from various sources from Cannes who will win best actor or best actress, I have provided five predictions.

Predictions:
Palme D’Or: Memoria
Grand Prix: A Hero
Best Director: Leos Carax for Annette
Best Screenplay: Wes Anderson for The French Dispatch

…and to throw everyone off…a Special Jury Prize for Benedetta which may lead to both cheers and jeers from the audience. This is just a hopeful wish but who knows?! As for a wrap up of this year’s festival, definitely Memoria, The Velvet Underground, Benedetta, and Annette will be watched the moment they premiere

[Pavel]

Palme: A Hero
Grand Prix: Titane
Director: Leos Carax
Jury: Lingui
Screenplay: Drive My Car / The Divide (there's often a tie in this category and I'm not sure whether to go with the critic darling or a film Spike allegedly loves)
Actor: Simon Rex
Actress: Renate Reinsve

[Pavel]

Also some Cannes updates from my friend:
He hated: Petrov's Flu, The Crusade, Women Do Cry, After Yang, Titane, Memoria, Annette
Mixed to moderately enjoyed: Benedetta, Tre piani, Tromperie, Flag Day, The Worst Person in the World, The French Dispatch
He really liked: Red Rocket, Marx Can Wait
He truly loved: Drive My Car

[soundchaser]

My guesses (I've paid a little bit of attention this year):

Palme d'or: Drive My Car
Grand Prix: Memoria
Best Director: Asghar Farhadi
Screenplay: Nitram
Jury: Compartment No. 6
Best Actor: Adam Driver
Best Acress: Renate Reinsve

[Pavel]

Hamaguchi wins FIPRESCI and Corsini wins Queer Palm

[Omensetter]

Red carpet link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysdy49zdqvE

[Omensetter]

The crew from Nitram is on the red carpet. Maybe Caleb Landry Jones will win Actor?

[Omensetter]

Renate Reinsve of The Worst Person in the World is here.

[Omensetter]

Sparks are on the red carpet, potentially portending a prize for Annette. Maybe accepting on behalf of Adam Driver who has long been back in Ohio filming his, uh, eighty million dollar Don DeLillo film?

[Omensetter]

The crew for Asghar Farhadi is back on the red carpet, so it seems that will be awarded somewhere.

[Omensetter]

Titane has red carpet representation.

[Pavel]

The Drive My Car crew is there

[Pavel]

Also, Nadav Lapid

[Omensetter]

Ahed's Knee has representation in the form of Nadav Lapid. There's a surprise.

[Omensetter]

Weerasethakul—it looks like there'll be tie somewhere.

[Omensetter]

Compartment #6 too

[Omensetter]

Anyway, Canal+ isn't working for me and my back hurts, so I'm going to go for a walk.

[Pavel]

It's not working for me either

[Pavel]

I fixed it. The short film Palm goes to Tous les corbeaux du monde

[Pavel]

Camera d'Or for Murina