Cannes’ Directors Fortnight Unveils 2023 Lineup, Including Films by Hong Sang-soo, Michel Gondry
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New films from Hong Sang-soo and Michel Gondry will world premiere at Directors Fortnight, a selection running parallel to the Cannes Film Festival. This edition marks the first under the leadership of Julien Rejl as artistic director.
Succeeding to Paolo Moretti, Rejl was named by the governing body of Directors’ Fortnight, the SRF (Société des réalisateurs de films), as part of a rebranding. Unlike previous artistic directors for this selection, Rejl doesn’t come from the festival circuit. He was previously in charge of distribution, international co-productions and international sales at Capricci, an arthouse film banner based in Paris.
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The well-balanced lineup shows his taste for international cinema, with a mix of emerging directors and established masters, such as Hong, who will present his movie “In Our Day” on closing night. The edition will kick off with “The Goldman’s Case,” a thriller directed by actor-turned-helmer Cedric Kahn about the true story of Pierre Goldman, a French left-wing revolutionary who was convicted of several robberies and was mysteriously murdered. The movie charts Goldman’s epic life, from his childhood in the 1940s, to his relationship with Fidel Castro and the Black Panthers, through flashbacks.
Gondry, the Oscar-winning writer-director of “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” will present his first feature film in 8 years, “The Book of Solutions,” an off-beat existential comedy starring Pierre Niney and Blanche Gardin.
Several English-language movies are also part of the roster, notably “The Feeling That The Time For Doing Something Has Passed,” the feature debut of actor-turned-helmer Joanna Arnow which was executive produced by Sean Baker. The New York-based director previously won the Berlinale Silver Bear with her short “Bad at Dancing.” Two more U.S. projects are slated for Directors Fortnight — “The Sweet East” marks the solo feature debut of Sean Price Williams, the critically acclaimed cinematographer of “Good Time;” and “Riddle of Fire,” the feature debut of Weston Razooli whose credits include the shorts “Anaxia” and “Jolly Boy Friday.”
Other potential highlights include “Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry” by non-binary Georgian director Elene Naveriani; as well as the psychological horror film “In Flames” by Canadian-Pakistani helmer Zarrar Kahn; “Deserts,” by well-known Moroccan director Faouzi Bensaidi; and “Agra,” by Indian director Kanu Behl, among others.
A special screening will be hosted for “Abraham’s Valley,” a film by late Portuguese master de Oliveira. As previously announced, the 55th edition will pay tribute to Malian helmer Souleymane Cissé who will receive the Carrosse d’Or award. Directors’ Fortnight will take place May 17-26.
Here’s the lineup:
Opening Film
“The Goldman’s Case,” Cedric Kahn
Closing Film
“In Our Day,” Hong Sang-soo
Selection:
“In Flames,” Zarrar Kahn
“Legua,” Filipa Reis, Joao Miller Guerra
“The Book of Solutions,” Michel Gondry
“Mambar Pierrette,” Rosine Mbakam
“Riddle of Fire,” Weston Razooli
“The Feeling That The Time For Doing Something Has Passed,” Joanna Arnow
“The Sweet East,” Sean Price Williams
“A Prince,” Pierre Creton
“A Song Sung Blue,” Zihan Geng
“Abraham’s Valley,” Manoel de Oliveira
“Agra,” Kanu Behl
“The Other Laurens,” Claude Schmitz
“Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell,” Thien An Pham
“Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry,” Elene Naveriani
“Grace,” IIya Povolotosky
“She is Conann,” Bertrand Mandico
“Creatura,” Elena Martin Gimeno
“Deserts,” Faouzi Bensaidi
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