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CANNES 2015 Selection

The Croisette comes into focus

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- Excitement is mounting around the list of hopefuls that could be in with a chance of being selected at Cannes this May

The Croisette comes into focus

While the 65th Berlinale will hand out its awards on Saturday, behind the scenes the event is buzzing with rumours surrounding the potential programme for the undisputed flagship event of the global film industry: the Cannes Festival, whose 68th edition will take place from 13-24 May 2015, with Ethan and Joel Coen chairing the jury of the Official Competition (read the news). Here is an overview of the strengths of the main contenders hoping to secure a place in the selection, which will be unveiled in mid-April by general delegate Thierry Frémaux.

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Europe is certainly not lacking in serious contenders for a place in the race for the Palme d'Or 2015. Among them, we could highlight Icon [+see also:
film review
trailer
making of
interview: Stephen Frears
film profile
]
 by English director Stephen Frears, Les mille et une nuits [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Miguel Gomes
film profile
]
by Portugal’s Miguel Gomes, Louder than Bombs [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Joachim Trier
film profile
]
by Norway’s Joachim Trier, Les chevaliers blancs [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Joachim Lafosse
film profile
]
by Belgian filmmaker Joachim Lafosse, and the English-language movies The Lobster [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: Yorgos Lanthimos
film profile
]
by Greece’s Yorgos Lanthimos and Regression [+see also:
film review
trailer
making of
interview: Alejandro Amenábar
film profile
]
 by Spaniard Alejandro Amenabar. Danish director Thomas Vinterberg could even have the luxury of featuring twice among the hopefuls, with Far from the Madding Crowd [+see also:
trailer
making of
film profile
]
and The Commune [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Thomas Vinterberg
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]
. Also among the ranks of possible candidates are Francophonia [+see also:
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trailer
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]
by Russia’s Alexander Sokurov, One Floor Below [+see also:
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interview: Radu Muntean
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]
 by Romania’s Radu Muntean and The Treasure by his fellow countryman Corneliu Porumboiu, as well as Schneider vs. Bax [+see also:
film review
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interview: Alex van Warmerdam
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]
by Dutch director Alex van Warmerdam

This year, Italy probably has more candidates than it does possible selections, and one could predict that Mia Madre [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Nanni Moretti
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]
by Nanni Moretti will be present on the Croisette in May (with a theatrical release the previous month in its home country), perhaps backed up by The Tale of Tales [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: Matteo Garrone
film profile
]
by Matteo Garrone. On the other hand, there is a veil of uncertainty surrounding the English-language feature Youth by Oscar-winning director Paolo Sorrentino, which could be held back for an autumn premiere. Also of note are L'Ultimo Vampiro by Marco Bellocchio and A Bigger Splash [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Luca Guadagnino
film profile
]
by Luca Guadagnino (which could equally be screened out of competition).

The rest of the world will not be outdone, though: on the North American side, the favourites include Sea of Trees by Gus Van Sant, Carol by Todd Haynes and Midnight Special by Jeff Nichols, while The Clan [+see also:
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trailer
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]
 by Argentinian filmmaker Pablo Trapero has established itself as the number-one prediction for South America. As for Asia, the continent has seldom been able to boast as many big-league hopefuls in recent years as it can this time around, including Love in Khon Kaen by Thailand’s Apichatpong Weerasethakul, The Assassin by Taiwan’s Hou Hsiao Hsien, Taklub by the Philippines’ Brillante Mendoza, and the Japanese titles Our Little Sister by Hirokazu Kore-Eda, An by Naomi Kawase and Journey to the Shore by Kiyoshi Kurosawa.

The French favourites in the quest for the Palme d'Or are the as-yet-untitled film by Jacques Audiard (read the news – there are rumours flying about that it may not be ready in time, but his past performance would seem to inspire confidence) and Nos Arcadies by Arnaud Desplechin (read the news). Featuring among the outsiders are La tête haute by Emmanuelle Bercot (read the article) and Marguerite et Julien [+see also:
film review
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]
by Valérie Donzelli (read the article), as well as Love by Gaspar Noé, L'ombre des femmes [+see also:
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trailer
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]
by Philippe Garrel (read the article), Mon roi [+see also:
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trailer
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]
by Maïwenn (read the news) and Marguerite [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Xavier Giannoli
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]
 by Xavier Giannoli (read the article).

Other titles to keep a close eye on include High-Rise [+see also:
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trailer
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]
 by British director Ben Wheatley (read the article), Lily Lane [+see also:
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trailer
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]
 by Hungary’s Bence Fliegauf (read the article), The Brand New Testament by Belgium’s Jaco van Dormael, Sparrows [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Atli Óskar Fjalarsson
interview: Rúnar Rúnarsson
film profile
]
 by Iceland’s Runar Runarsson, L'ange blessé [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
by Kazakh filmmaker Emir BaigazinMadame Courage [+see also:
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trailer
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by Algeria’s Merzak Allouache (read the article), The Endless River [+see also:
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]
 by South Africa’s Oliver Hermanus, The Crossing by China’s John Woo, Bombay Velvet by India’s Anurag Kashyap and the animated Japanese film The Boy and the Beast by Mamoru Hosoda.

Other movies that will surely not spoil the sheen of the sparkling Cannes showcase include Sicario by Canada’s Denis Villeneuve, Macbeth by Australian director Justin Kurzel, The Last Face by US filmmaker Sean Penn, the animated blockbuster Minions by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda, and A War [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Tobias Lindholm
film profile
]
by Denmark’s Tobias Lindholm (read the article), while the honour of opening the gathering could be fought out between Mad Max: Fury Road by Australia’s George Miller, Tomorrowland by US director Brad Bird and Belles familles [+see also:
trailer
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]
by France’s Jean-Paul Rappeneau (read the article).

Also popping up on our radars are Son of Saul by Hungary’s Lazlo Nemes (read the article), Chevalier [+see also:
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trailer
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]
by Greece’s Athina Rachel Tsangari, Face Down [+see also:
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trailer
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]
by Bulgaria’s Kamen Kalev (read the article), Box by Romania’s Florin Serban (read the article), Orizont [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Marian Crisan
film profile
]
 by his fellow countryman Marian Crisan (read the article), Family Film [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Olmo Omerzu
film profile
]
by Slovenia’s Olmo Omerzu (read the article), Rams by Iceland’s Grimur Hakonarson, The High Sun by Croatia’s Dalibor MatanicMountain by Portugal’s João Salaviza and The Burglar by Israel’s Hagar Ben-Asher

French productions will engage in their usual bitter war to reach one of the Cannes selections, including Microbe et Gasoil [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
by Michel Gondry (read the article), the animated film Le Petit Prince by Mark Osborne, Les anarchistes by Elie Wajeman (read the article), La belle saison [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
by Catherine Corsini (read the news), Evolution [+see also:
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trailer
film profile
]
by Lucile Hadzihalilovic (read the article), Les Ogres [+see also:
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trailer
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]
 by Léa Fehner (read the article), Ce sentiment de l'été [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Mikhaël Hers
film profile
]
by Mikhaël Hers (read the article), Des Apaches [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
by Nassim Amaouche (read the article), La Peur [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
by Damien Odoul (read the article), Maryland by Alice Winocour (read the article), Taj Mahal [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Nicolas Saada
film profile
]
by Nicolas Saada (read the article), Fatima by Philippe Faucon (read the article), The Valley of Love by Guillaume Nicloux (read the article), Une histoire de fou de Robert Guédiguian (article), Peur de rien [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
 de Danielle Arbid (article), Je te souhaite d'être follement aimée [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
by Ounie Lecomte (read the news) and the documentary La glace et le ciel by Luc Jacquet, not to mention feature debuts such as Bang Gang [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Eva Husson
film profile
]
 by Eva Husson (read the article) and Diamant noir [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Arthur Harari
film profile
]
 by Arthur Harari (read the article).

Other films we should mention that are nestling among the ranks of the candidates for a trip to Cannes are Amnesia by Barber Schroeder, Cosmos [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Victória Guerra
film profile
]
by Poland’s Andrzej Zulawski (read the article), My Friendly Villains by South Korea’s Im Sang-soo, Ryuzo to 7 Nin no Kobun Tach by Japan’s Takeshi Kitano, the feature debut Dégradé by Palestinian directors Arab and Tarzan Abunasser, and the American winner of the most recent Sundance, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon.

Without confirming or denying anything, Emir Kusturica has apparently not totally wrapped the shoot for Sur la voie lactée [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
, and Jia Zhangke also finds himself in the same situation with Mountains May Depart. Quentin Tarantino, meanwhile, would have to replicate himself a considerable number of times in order to be able to present The Hateful Eight in time. Other films that would also appear to be out of the running because of timing issues (be it in terms of release, or with production not advanced enough or yet to begin) include Triple Nine by John Hillcoat, Belgica [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Artemio Benki, Sylvie Leray
interview: Felix Van Groeningen
film profile
]
 by Felix van Groeningen, Evita by Pablo Aguero, Zama [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Lucrecia Martel
film profile
]
 by Lucrecia Martel and Babi Yar by Sergei Loznitsa.

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(Translated from French)

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