CANNES FILM FESTIVAL 2017 – Un Certain Regard A MAN OF INTEGRITY (LERD) by Mohammad Rasoulof (Manuscripts Don’t Burn, Goodbye, The White Meadows)
Iran
Running time: 117 minutes
Farsi Cast:
Reza Akhlaghirad, Soudabeh Beizaee, Nasim Adabi, Misagh Zare, Zeinab Shabani, Zhila Shahi
Producer: Mohammad Rasoulof
Having distanced himself from the urban quagmire, Reza (35) leads a simple life along with his wife and sole child, somewhere in a remote village in Northern Iran. He spends his days working in his gold fish farm. Nearby, a private company with close links to the government and local authorities, has taken control of nearly every aspect of the regional life. Its shareholders, accumulating wealth, power and economic rents, have been pushing local farmers and small owners to dilapidate their belongings, farms and estates, to the benefit of the Company’s influential network and its monopoly. It is under their pressure that many villagers have themselves become local rings of the larger network of corruption. Meanwhile, Reza strives to resist coercion and preserve his farm. Soon though, he will realize that he can no longer stand up to this powerful, yet hidden, coercive web of corruption. Giving up, he decides to sell his property and move away. The Company however, decides to raise the stakes.
CANNES FILM FESTIVAL 2017 – Un Certain Regard BEFORE WE VANISH
By Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Penance, Journey to the Shore, Tokyo Sonata)
Japan – 2017 – 129min – Scope – 7.1 – Japanese Cast: Masami Nagasawa, Ryuhei Matsuda, Mahiro Takasugi, Yuri Tsunematsu, Hiroki Hasegawa Producer: Yuji Ishida, Naoto Fujimura, Yumi Arakawa, Tomomi Takashima
After going missing for several days, a man named Shinji (Ryuhei Matsuda) mysteriously reappears, acting nothing like his former self. His relationship with his wife Narumi (Masami Nagasawa) had been on the rocks, but now Shinji is calmer and kinder than before, which only serves to exasperate Narumi further. Shinji also has a bizarre new daily routine of strolling around the neighborhood and engaging strangers in deep, conceptual conversations with no apparent purpose. Elsewhere in town, a family is brutally murdered, and journalist Sakurai (Hiroki Hasegawa) begins to investigate the odd circumstances of the killing. As an ominous mood spreads over an otherwise ordinary town, Sakurai and Narumi each try to understand what lies behind the spiraling chaos. One startling discovery leads to another, and they soon realize the psychological and spiritual essence of all humanity is at stake.
JEANNETTE THE CHILDHOOD OF JOAN OF ARC by Bruno Dumont (Slack Bay, Li’l Quinquin, Camille Claudel 1915)
France – 2017 – 106min – 1.55 – 5.1 – French Cast: Lise Leplat Prudhomme, Jeanne Voisin, Lucile Gauthier, Victoria Lefebvre Producer: Jean Bréhat, Rachid Bouchareb, Muriel Merlin
France, 1425. In the midst of the Hundred Years’ War, the young Jeannette, at the still tender age of 8, looks after her sheep in the small village of Domremy. One day, she tells her friend Hauviette how she cannot bear to see the suffering caused by the English. Madame Gervaise, a nun, tries to reason with the young girl, but Jeannette is ready to take up arms for the salvation of souls and the liberation of the Kingdom of France. Carried by her faith, she will become Joan of Arc.
CANNES FILM FESTIVAL 2017 – Directors’ Fortnight
CANNES FILM FESTIVAL 2017 – NEXT VR Showcase RAINBOW CROW (Prologue) by Eric Darnell (Madagascar, Invasion) / Baobab Studios
USA – 2017 – 4 min preview – Multi platform Virtual Reality – English Voice Cast: John Legend, Diego Luna, Constance Wu, Randy Edmonds Producer: Baobab Studios (Maureen Fan, Eric Darnell, Larry Cutler)
Synopsis: Rainbow Crow is a re-telling of a Native American tale about a bird with the most dazzling plumage and mellifluous voice, who, after the planet turns dark and cold, must journey far from home to bring light back to the world. The Rainbow Crow series is one of the first animated VR series, and will unfold in multiple chapters, each bringing the viewer in deeper. Baobab is partnering with musician, producer and activist John Legend to bring his deeply stirring storytelling sensibility to virtual reality, as executive producer, and the legendary title character. Additionally, Rogue One star, Diego Luna, and Fresh Off The Boat star, Constance Wu, round out the voice cast of Rainbow Crow . The Rainbow Crow series will be narrated by Kiowa-Caddo tribal elder, Randy Edmonds, an 82-year-old lifelong crusader for Native American rights and founder of the National Urban Indian Council.
Inspiration: Blending original music, unique pastel art style and storytelling together in a way not yet seen in VR, Baobab is bridging old traditions with modern storytelling to reach a new generation. Baobab is innovating technology to create a legendary story with themes of diversity, self-acceptance and sacrifice, and moving from darkness into the light. Baobab continues its uniquely effective approach to storytelling in VR. The characters, animation, storyline and audio draw you in as you see this profound story unfold all around you.
CANNES FILM FESTIVAL 2017 – NEXT VR Showcase ASTEROIDS! by Eric Darnell (Madagascar, Invasion) / Baobab Studios
USA – 2017 – 8 min – Multi platform Virtual Reality – English Voice Cast: Elizabeth Banks Producer: Baobab Studios (Maureen Fan, Eric Darnell, Larry Cutler)
Synopsis: ASTEROIDS! is the highly anticipated follow-up to INVASION!, the studio’s first VR animation and winner of top awards, from Tribeca to Cannes. In ASTEROIDS! you take on the role of a helper-bot alongside a pair of quirky aliens, Mac and Cheez, in a completely immersive story filled with humor, excitement and compassion. Joined by their other robot sidekick, Peas, you wait for a chance to prove your worth on a dangerous mission in deep outer space. The chance finally comes when the spaceship is endangered by teeth-gnashing space-bugs and careening asteroids. With the others up to their alien eyeballs in trouble, it’s your job to save the day!
Inspiration: ASTEROIDS! is inspired by Baobab Studio’s elite team and their love for the two aliens, Mac and Cheez, from INVASION! Although menacing at first blush, with the help of the voice of Elizabeth Banks as Cheez, ASTEROIDS! aims to reveal more of the aliens’ endearing story in a virtual reality experience that allows the audience to experience an empathetic and interactive role. Baobab Studios continues its uniquely effective approach to storytelling in VR. The characters, animation, storyline and audio draw you in as you see the amazing spacecraft all around you and view out into the vast universe.
CANNES FILM FESTIVAL 2017 – Tribute
GOLDEN YEARS by André Téchiné (Being 17, The Girl on the Train, Wild Reeds)
France – 2017 – 103min – 1.85 – 5.1 – French Cast: Céline Sallette (House of Tolerance, Rust and Bone), Pierre Deladonchamps (Stranger by the Lake), Grégoire Leprince-Ringuet (Love Songs), Michel Fau (Marguerite)
Producer: Michèle and Laurent Pétin (ARP)
Paul and Louise get married on the eve of World War I. After two years on the front, Paul injures himself and decides to desert, risking execution. Louise dresses him up as a woman to hide him. He becomes “Suzanne”, a Parisian celebrity, enjoying a life of lust and pleasure in the Roaring Twenties. Louise plays along, willing to sacrifice anything for him. When granted amnesty in 1925, he is challenged to live as a man again.
PLEASE NOTE: GOLDEN YEARS is presented in a gala screening as a special tribute to André Téchiné, as part of the 70th Anniversary Celebrations of the Cannes Film Festival.