The main conclusions of the most representative film festival in the world
On the Croisette handed out the prizes — once again hitting its decision all the critical world forecast at all the other awards. Correspondents “Of The Tape.<url>”, concluding with a daily broadcast of the festival, tell whether to believe the jury, whether the value of the awards and how the 69th Cannes film festival will be remembered by them.
Igor Igritsky about the results of the contest
Summing up the Cannes competition, the first thing that comes to mind — it was hard trolling. The festival, having a solid pool of high-quality movies (at the last day showed a picture of “It”” Paul Verhoeven, which critics unanimously predicted the victory) — distributed prizes, to put it mildly, in a very unpredictable style. Actually had the feeling that George Miller associates decided to make fun of highbrow European critics and journalists, and simply awarded the victory to the oldest of the illustrious masters present in competition (by the way, already received the main award). Briton Ken loach withdrew the film, but believe it or not — by the end of the festival I completely forgot about its existence in the program. Apparently, on the eve of the 80th anniversary of our colleagues wanted to make Mr. Loach is a good gift. The film “I, Daniel Blake” is absolutely devoid of the brand of charm in the ribbon of the jubilee, besides it is socially critical orientation. It’s such a hard realism, valachenai truths the nail in the manner of Dickens or Dostoevsky (only after a half century I would like a minimum of rethinking the fate of the characters, as if out of the classic novel of the XIX century). Loach left unrewarded favorites so unexpected that it will take time for the wave of indignation had subsided. But that’s not all.
Firstly, it was not like this (even don’t remember when was the last time) to the same film gave two of the secondary prize. It happened with the Iranian painting “the Salesman”, is really good, about which we wrote in the 10th day, and received the main male role, and the prize for scenario. Usually, having the clip in the main competition of 20 or more paintings, the jury believes that it is necessary to distribute rewards more evenly, since there is a choice. But if you really want to reward this film, well, give him the “Palme d’or”, what problems? Here I would absolutely not upset, I film too much. But no, crushed for some reason. Maybe once the jury was Iranian producer (her name is Katun, Shahabi), there was some additional lobbying? Don’t know, but it looks weird.
The frame: the film “the Salesman”
Women’s victory all predicted Sandra Hyuller from the film Maren Ade “Toni Erdmann”, but alas. No problem, nobody is against Filipina Jaclyn Jose from “Mama rose” of Brillante Mendoza, although among my favorites, this film did not appear, and the German was, after all, it is because of the heroine. The jury knows better.
But as the announcement of the prizes bewilderment grew. The Grand Prix was given to the film Xavier Dolan, “It’s just the end of the world” — frankly weak picture canadian who even at the press conference admitted that he did not have enough money for a Hollywood production, so he chose a very bad French play about a dying writer. In the early 90s (the time of the writing of the play Jean-Luc Lagarce) to die of AIDS in Europe was more or less easy, and now these passions look some wild anachronistic, the characters are already impossible to truly empathize (Director due to the fact that is at risk probably). What is so dominatory found in the film 28-year-old Cannes favorite, to me completely unknown, and his grades were very low. But it is clear why the award Dolan literally flooded the scene with tears — the kid’s success did not believe.
Frame: the movie “only the end of the world”
Further — more trouble. Picture of Olivier Assayas “Personal shopper” shared with Sean Penn record low scores from the critics, but on a par with Romania’s Christian Mungiu for “Bachelor” won the prize for best Director. However, he Mungiu took much weaker thing than, for example, his colleague Christy Puja, have not received anything. And also Romanian tape made in the spirit of socialist realism, as the film Loach. The only consolation was the special prize of the jury for Andrea Arnold’s American Honey, but such rewards, though honorable, but not so weighty. And this film, in my opinion, could also qualify for best actress.
However, it is necessary to add a spoonful of honey in a barrel of tar. A day earlier, were given awards in the second largest program of the festival — “UN certain regard”, which is still awarded only one main prize, and this year — as many as five, like in the main competition, but without acting awards. And here a pleasant surprise was the special prize of the jury for Michael Dudok de Vita with his animated feature debut “the Red turtle”, which we also wrote. The main award a few unexpectedly received Director Juho Kuosmanen again with the black-and-white stylization in the spirit of the late socialist realism “The happiest day in the life of Olli Maki — about a boxer in the Flyweight division, losing the fight of his career because of sudden love to the hot Finnish girl.
Denis Ruzaev about the film language and the compromises
Awards film festivals provide good material for debate and posts in Facebook, but, frankly, no genuine significance. Any normal film works with each viewer separately and is knowledge about the “Golden palm” or “the Oscar” adds something to the movie or the picture gives new meanings, it is making more or less effective directorial techniques? Therefore, the prizes in the sphere of art I, to tell you the truth, long ago accustomed himself to treat with the maximum irony. If the twig will bring new viewers to Ken Loach — well, on the other hand, where such a then the audience was used: loach takes for half a century, and those who, in principle, pays attention at the Cannes prizes, tell about it nothing.
It should also be noted that no Cannes trends and tendencies for a long time, a minimum of fifteen years do not ask (it is the prerogative of Locarno, Rotterdam, even “Sundance”) — they only reinforce them, legitimizing the movement of a story that cinephiles have time to discuss and reflect on almost a decade earlier. In this sense, this year’s program proved most revealing. The third main competition was live classics — and of them, perhaps only Paul Verhoeven with delightful shameless, provocative Thriller “She” and Jim Jarmusch with the “Paterson” showed some new facets of his long-established style. Another third of the competition films shot on universal and is not very surprising language of humanistic realism (Cristian Mungiu, Asghar Farhadi). Among the other films were explicitly included in the program as a result of certain compromises (Nicole Garcia, Sean Penn), and only a handful of tapes, trying to do original work with matter movie — well (Nicolas Winding refn, as giraudy, Allen, Andrea Arnold) or not (Olivier Assayas, Xavier Dolan). Characteristically, the most popular, loved by all the discovery for the guests of the festival was the film “Toni Erdmann” the Germans Maren Ade — emerged from the so-called “Berlin school”. About that, for a moment, in kinomanskie circles first began 10 years ago. Rate, that is, the responsiveness of Cannes.
Frame: the movie “her”
But not opening at least in the main competition (which mainly draws the attention of the mass audience), new names and new roads for the development of cinema, Cannes, including multiple concurrent programs remain primarily a place where the show is simply a good movie is unpredictable, who came from all over the world. In this sense — and outside the context of well-deserved awards or new forms festival is definitely a success, moreover, it turned out best for the four years that I go here. Shocks and lacked experience with a vengeance. This “American honey Andrea Arnold, which managed to move over the ocean your skill without moralizing and vulgarity to make about young people. Radically shameless “the Neon demon by Nicolas Winding Refn about how the glossy banality of the world devours itself. Hypnotic, playful, unabashed Apocalypse screenwriter in “right Standing” Alena as giraudy. The same Verhoeven and Jarmusch, who do not have a crush and unpredictable ability to play with film. Ruthless dive to the bottom of Manila “MA rose” of the Filipino Brillante Mendoza. Thoughtful, humane, but not boring epics about family life “Sierranevada Christie Puja and the same “Toni Erdmann”. Infinitely stylish and expertly curled the audience’s expectations around your finger “Mademoiselle” Park Chan-wook. Ode to a strong woman in the panorama of a whole society “Aquarius” Mendonsa Kleber Filho. And that’s just in the contest!
The frame: the film “American honey”
In the non-competitive programs was not less interesting and powerful movie. Lesson honest, and without fraud, but a metaphorical historical movie from albert Serra “Death of Louis XIV”. Prohibitive — and as a spectator, not clever on an empty space — the Korean zombie horror “Train to Busan, the” San Yong-Ho and the paranormal Thriller “Crying” To Hong-Jin. Hard, almost Balabanovo on the level of working with such matter as destiny, “the wizard’s Apprentice” Singaporean BU Unvana. Showing how to remove the right spirit of a Western, but a modern material “at Any price” by David Mackenzie. Deep, soulful, but without cheap sentimentality, the melodrama, Hirokazu Kore-poems EDA “After the storm”. Witty and ironic film will Field Facciali “Jerk.” Major Hollywood blockbusters “Big friendly giant” Steven Spielberg and “Goodfellas” Shane black.
And how many because of the insane local charts and endless queues to see failed — aesthetic “Neruda” Pablo Larrain to Boxing “fists of Stone” with De Niro in the role of coach. Program Cannes is almost infallible guide to the movies that are worth waiting for, seek out and advise the next year. Only during this festival can afford arbitrarily samodelnoe jury and any distribution of prizes. I at least want to review it with fresh eyes a large part of the films seen here — so, of course, in the broad sense of the 69th Cannes film festival is not even over.
