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CANNES 2021

The Debussy plays host to a range of novelties with Un Certain Regard and Cannes Première

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- 18 titles by young filmmakers and key figures from the formally daring side of the 7th art are in Un Certain Regard, while a new out-of-competition showcase includes Desplechin, Mundruczo and Arnold

The Debussy plays host to a range of novelties with Un Certain Regard and Cannes Première
Serre-moi fort by Mathieu Amalric

Considered by certain film experts (not least of whom Jean-Luc Godard) to be the most exceptional screening room of the Cannes Film Festival, technically speaking (and yet still very well equipped on all fronts), the Debussy will serve as the venue for a novelty on the programme of the 74th edition of the gathering (6-17 July).

Indeed, Thierry Frémaux has decided to refocus the competitive Un Certain Regard selection upon a mixture of young filmmakers (there are six feature debuts among the 18 features on the line-up) and better-established representatives of a type of cinema that is not afraid to push formal boundaries. However, he has also created a brand-new programme, christened Cannes Premiere, which will offer eight films out of competition helmed by highly renowned auteurs. Here we find the documentary Cow [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
by Brit Andrea Arnold, Deception [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Arnaud Desplechin
film profile
]
by France’s Arnaud Desplechin, Serre-moi fort [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
by his fellow countryman Mathieu Amalric, Evolution [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Kornél Mundruczó and Kata W…
film profile
]
by Hungary’s Kórnel Mundruczo and In Front of Your Face by South Korea’s Hong Sang-soo – in other words, five names that wouldn’t have seemed out of place in the Official Competition (which they have indeed been involved in on many occasions). They are joined by Love Songs for Tough Guys [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Samuel Benchetrit
film profile
]
 and Mothering Sunday [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Eva Husson
film profile
]
by French filmmakers Samuel Benchetrit and Eva Husson respectively, as well as two documentaries helmed by the USA’s Oliver Stone (on JFK) and France’s Charlotte Gainsbourg (who is sitting in the director’s chair for the first time).

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The traditional Un Certain Regard competitive selection also includes several headliners who are very well known to international film buffs, such as Russia’s Aleksey German Jr (in competition at Berlin in 2015 and 2018, and at Venice in 2005 and 2008, with the Best Director Award into the bargain), Turkey’s Semih Kaplanoglu (Golden Bear at Berlin in 2010, in competition at Venice in 2008) and Israel’s Eran Kolirin (already rewarded with a prize in this very section in 2007 with The Band’s Visit [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
, and in competition at Venice in 2011).

However, above all, it’s the younger generation that will take centre stage in Un Certain Regard, particularly thanks to the huge number of European films set to battle it out: Women Do Cry [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Mina Mileva, Vesela Kazakova
film profile
]
by Bulgaria’s Mina Mileva and Vesela Kazakova, Nora [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Hafsia Herzi
film profile
]
by France’s Hafsia Herzi, The Innocents [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Eskil Vogt
film profile
]
by Norway’s Eskil Vogt, Lamb [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Valdimar Jóhannsson
film profile
]
by Iceland’s Valdimar Jóhannsson, Great Freedom [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Sebastian Meise
film profile
]
by Austria’s Sebastian Meise, La Civil [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Teodora Ana Mihai
film profile
]
by Belgian-Romanian helmer Teodora Ana Mihai, Playground [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Laura Wandel
film profile
]
by Belgium’s Laura Wandel and the Austrian production Moneyboys [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: CB Yi
film profile
]
by China’s CB Yi. And that’s not to mention Unclenching the Fists [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
by Russia’s Kira Kovalenko.

Un Certain Regard is topped off by four North American titles (two films hailing from the USA, one Mexican flick and one Haitian effort) and two Asian ones (one Chinese production and one from Bangladesh).

Here is the list of films:

Cannes Premiere

Serre-moi fort [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
- Mathieu Amalric (France)
Cow [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
- Andrea Arnold (UK)
Love Songs for Tough Guys [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Samuel Benchetrit
film profile
]
- Samuel Benchetrit (France)
Deception [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Arnaud Desplechin
film profile
]
- Arnaud Desplechin (France)
Jane par Charlotte [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
- Charlotte Gainsbourg (France)
In Front of Your Face - Hong Sang-Soo (South Korea)
Mothering Sunday [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Eva Husson
film profile
]
- Eva Husson (UK)
Evolution
 [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Kornél Mundruczó and Kata W…
film profile
]
- Kornél Mundruczo (Hungary)
ValTing Poo, Leo Scott (USA)
JFK Revisited: Through the Looking GlassOliver Stone (USA)

Un Certain Regard

Moneyboys [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: CB Yi
film profile
]
- C.B Yi (Austria)
Blue Bayou - Justin Chon (USA)
Freda [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
- Gessica Généus (Haiti/France)
Delo (House Arrest) [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
- Aleksey German Jr (Russia)
Nora [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Hafsia Herzi
film profile
]
- Hafsia Herzi (France)
Prayers for the Stolen [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
- Tatiana Huezo (Mexico/Germany/Brazil/Qatar)
Lamb [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Valdimar Jóhannsson
film profile
]
- Valdimar Jóhansson (Iceland)
Commitment Hasan - Semih Kaplanoglu (Turkey)
After Yang - Kogonada (USA)
Let It Be Morning [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
- Eran Kolirin (Israel/France)
Unclenching the Fists [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
- Kira Kovalenko (Russia)
Women Do Cry [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Mina Mileva, Vesela Kazakova
film profile
]
- Mina Mileva, Vesela Kazakova (Bulgaria)
Rehana Maryam Noor - Abdullah Mohammad Saad (Bangladesh)
Great Freedom [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Sebastian Meise
film profile
]
- Sebastian Meise (Austria)
La Civil [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Teodora Ana Mihai
film profile
]
- Teodora Ana Mihai (Belgium/Romania)
Gaey Wa'r - Na Jiazuo (China)
The Innocents [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Eskil Vogt
film profile
]
- Eskil Vogt (Norway/Sweden)
Playground [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Laura Wandel
film profile
]
- Laura Wandel (Belgium)

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(Translated from French)

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