I think I will become a volunteer with the Festival next year. My dream is to take off for the entire two weeks, stay at a hotel in "Festival Village", and go to movies from morning to night, seven days a week, for the whole two weeks!
Many of the titles are already on the verge of selling out, or are on a "standby" (or Rush Ticket) basis. Which means I may miss a few of these this time, but will certainly look for them in general release, at the few Art Houses we have left, or when they are released on DVD.
More titles as the next two weeks unfold: (click on the titles for more information on the films)
From One Film to Another 
Original Title: D'un film à l'autreDirector: Claude Lelouch
France
French with subtitles
104 min
Special Presentation
Docufest
Synopsis:
The irrepressible, enigmatic outlaw of the Nouvelle Vague, Claude Lelouche, takes the viewer on an intimate cinematic tour of his prolific career. Turning the camera on himself, the director of A Man and A Woman bares his soul as he frankly confronts the lessons of failure and the spoils of success.
The Screen Illusion 
Original Title: L’illusion comiqueDirector: Mathieu Amalric
France
French with subtitles
77 min
World Cinema
Synopsis:
In this contemporary adaptation of Pierre Corneille’s brilliant, eponymous 17th century play, the enigmatic Alcandre is now a hotel concierge who uses the myriad in-house high-tech security cameras to show worried father Pridamant the whereabouts and travails of his son, Clindor. As Pridamant witnesses the conflicting romances involving his estranged son, Corneille’s modernist meta-narrative is transposed to contemporary Paris, underscoring the ambiguous nature of love, wealth and desire in an age of consumerism.
Like Crazy
USA
88 min
Special Presentation
Synopsis:
A love story is both a physical and emotional tale - one that can be deeply personal and heartbreaking for an audience to experience. When a British college student (Felicity Jones) falls for her American classmate, (Anton Yelchin), they embark on a passionate and life-changing journey to be separated when she violates the terms of her visa. Like Crazy explores how a couple faces the real challenges of being together and of being apart.
Habemus Papam (We Have A Pope)
Director: Nanni Moretti
Italy
Italian with subtitles
102 min
Special Presentation
Synopsis:
What would happen if the Pope got cold feet? Multi-award-winning Italian master comic, actor and director Nanni Moretti’s comically poignant We Have a Pope, which finds newly elected Cardinal Melville (the legendary French actor Michel Piccoli) petrified by the idea of taking up the position. As the Cardinal agonizes over his ability to dispense religious and moral leadership, he sends the Vatican into a tailspin as they try to control their worst ecclesiastical and PR nightmare in this critically acclaimed Cannes Film Festival favorite.
What Love May Bring
Director: Claude Lelouch (See "From One Film to Another" above...the Documentary about Claude Lelouch)
France
French with subtitles
120 min
Special Presentation
Synopsis:
The 43rd film from Academy Award®-winning director and French New Wave maverick Claude Lelouch (A Man and a Woman) elicits a vision that is as potent as ever. Driven by a spirited will, the turbulent life of Ilva Lemoine, from her delight-filled childhood through the Great War, the French Resistance, liberation, and memories of soldiers loved and lost, is recounted in this spectacular epic drama.
The Kid with a Bike
Director: Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne
Belgium
French with subtitles
87 min
Special Presentation
Synopsis:
11-year-old Cyril's only connection to his father, who left him in a children's home, is his bike. Desperately trying to retrieve his bike and reunite with his father, the kid is charged with confusion and anger. When local hairdresser Samantha agrees to foster Cyril on the weekends, she finds herself battling his self-destructive tendencies. Awarded the Grand Prix at this year's Cannes Film Festival, this tale of redemptive love bares the Dardennes’ evocative signature style.
Take Me Home
USA
97 min
World Cinema
Synopsis:
Thom (Sam Jaeger, NBC’S Parenthood) just can’t win. After losing a job offer and getting evicted, he decides to buckle up as an illegal New York City cab driver. When he picks up Claire (Amber Jaeger), they embark on a trip neither one anticipated. This comedy finds solace in the back seat of a cab, the landscape of the USA, and even in a complete stranger. This classic road movie shows how a little cross-country drive can lead you to a different exit
American Translation
France
English, French with subtitles
109 min
OUTrageous
World Cinema
Synopsis:
Why is it always the cute ones who harbor the deep dark secrets? When Aurore, the daughter of a wealthy American, falls for sexy Frenchman Chris, she has no idea what adventure lies ahead. Escaping the doldrums of life in the city, the two set out on a road trip with some unexpected, unsavory detours. A thrilling blend of passionate devotion and degeneracy, this French Natural Born Killers asks how far you would go for love
That's an interesting selection of picks, with a clear Gallic theme.
ReplyDeleteI surprised What Love May Bring is getting a festival run so long after it's European debut, especially given it slipped direct to DVD here in the UK.