Amidst a generalised feeling of strength at having made it through the pandemic, the Cannes Film Festival is getting ready to fly a new summertime flag, with the revelation of the Official Selection of its 74th edition (running 6 – 17 July 2021) set to be unveiled in Paris in exactly one week from now. Vaccine passports, tests, masks and sanitization of auditoriums will definitely feature heavily on the Croisette – such logistical constraints are fast becoming commonplace around the world – but France is edging towards the green light in terms of virus safety and, as a result, Cannes and its followers will get to celebrate (albeit carefully) their long-awaited reunion with the best of international arthouse cinema.

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Owing to the various lockdowns and lengthy cinema closures experienced, aficionados of the 7th art have had ample time to hone their predictions on the composition of this year’s Cannes showcase, but General Delegate Thierry Frémaux has carried on accumulating as many offerings as possible for this year’s edition, which we hope will result in a vintage crop from an artistic point of view. By delaying a great many invitations, the Cannes selector has effectively reshuffled the cards - notably with respect to the (many) French films submitted - and a last-minute game of dominos is expected to take place, which will see Cannes’ parallel sections trying to recuperate filmmakers who are hesitating over the Official Selection’s propositions, alongside all the other festivals (Locarno, Karlovy Vary, Venice, Toronto, San Sebastián) who will also be on standby, ready and waiting to pounce. But before Cannes unveils its official 2021 programme, let’s try to get a handle on its broader lines.

Films already confirmed within the official competition are Annette [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by France’s Leos Carax (which will open the festival – read our news), Benedetta [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Dutch director Paul Verhoeven and The French Dispatch [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by US filmmaker Wes Anderson. Movies likely to be selected for the spotlight include Tre piani [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Italy’s Nanni Moretti, The Worst Person in the World [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Joachim Trier
scheda film] by Norway’s Joachim Trier, Petrov's Flu [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Russian filmmaker Kirill Serebrennikov, Commitment Hasan [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Turkey’s Semih Kaplanoglu, Ahed’s Knee [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Nadav Lapid
scheda film] by Israeli director Nadav Lapid, A Hero [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Asghar Farhadi
scheda film] by Iran’s Asghar Farhadi, Memoria [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Thailand’s Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Decision to Leave by South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-Wook (despite film delivery timings which are tipped to be incredibly tight) and Drive My Car by Japan’s Ryusuke Hamaguchi (whose nigh-on three-hour duration might prove somewhat problematic for the programming team, who must find time for lengthy cinema cleaning processes in between screenings), without forgetting Lingui [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, Acho…
scheda film] by Chadian director Mahamat Saleh Haroun, Flag Day by US actor-director Sean Penn (seeking redemption from Cannes following his previous, painful experience at the event).

Eye-catching outsiders include The Eternal Daughter [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by English director Joanna Hogg, The Restless [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Joachim Lafosse
scheda film] by Belgium’s Joachim Lafosse and Mona Lisa and The Blood Moon by US filmmaker Ana Lily Amirpour. Meanwhile, the notable absence of a Latin American candidate might open the door to Sundown [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Mexico’s Michel Franco.

The lucky few French films which have been selected to battle it out for the Palme d’Or are usually confirmed the evening before the selection is announced, but the latest indicators point towards Paris, 13th District [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Jacques Audiard, Bergman Island [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Mia Hansen-Løve
scheda film] by Mia Hansen-Løve and Peaceful [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Emmanuelle Bercot. Reportedly hanging in the balance are Another World [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Stéphane Brizé
scheda film] by Stéphane Brizé, Titane [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Julia Ducournau, Vincent L…
scheda film] by Julia Ducournau (which is said to be brilliant, but trashy) and Both Sides of the Blade [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Claire Denis.

On track for inclusion within the Un Certain Regard line-up are Undercover [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Thierry de Peretti
scheda film] by French director Thierry de Peretti, A Chiara [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Jonas Carpignano
scheda film] by Italy’s Jonas Carpignano, Huda’s Salon [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Palestinian filmmaker Hany Abu-Assad, Lamb [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Valdimar Jóhannsson
scheda film] by Iceland’s Valdimar Jóhannsson, Clara Sola [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Nathalie Álvarez Mesén
scheda film] by Swedish-Costa Rican director Nathalie Álvarez Mesén, Ali & Ava [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by English director Clio Barnard, Compartment No. 6 [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Juho Kuosmanen
scheda film] by Finland’s Juho Kuosmanen, a Polish film (Leave No Traces [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Jan P. Matuszyński
scheda film] by Jan P Matuszyński or Fools [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Tomasz Wasilewski
scheda film] by Tomasz Wasilewski?), The Great Freedom [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Sebastian Meise
scheda film] by Austrian director Sebastian Meise, animated film The Crossing [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by French filmmaker Florence Miailhe, Nora [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Hafsia Herzi
scheda film] by her compatriot Hafsia Herzi, Feathers [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Egypt’s Omar El Zohairy, potentially La Civil [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Teodora Ana Mihai
scheda film] by Romania-Belgium’s Teodora Ana Mihai, and even Earwig [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Lucile Hadzihalilovic
scheda film] by Lucile Hadzihalilovic.

It’s difficult, at this stage, to predict where the animated film Where is Anne Frank [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Ari Folman
scheda film] by Israeli director Ari Folman and the three French films Deception [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Arnaud Desplechin
scheda film] by Arnaud Desplechin, Serre-moi fort [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Mathieu Amalric and Nobody's Hero [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Alain Guiraudie
scheda film] by Alain Guiraudie will end up. But if the competition does end up eluding them, they’ll be spoiled for choice in terms of other outlets located in Cannes or elsewhere.

Similarly, given the tricky situation with streaming platforms at present (Cannes competitors must enjoy a cinema release in France, setting in motion a binding and time-sequenced media chronology which remains relatively out of step with streaming giants’ SVOD global release strategies) and pending any unlikely last minute twists, The Power of the Dog [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by New Zealand’s Jane Campion, Blonde by Australia’s Andrew Dominik (both coming courtesy of Netflix banner) and The Tragedy of Macbeth by US director Joel Coen (bought by Apple TV) won’t feature in competition either. That said, it is highly likely that one of the first two will be screened out of competition, as a goodwill gesture by Netflix who are currently at the most advanced stage of negotiations regarding their inclusion within the country’s legal framework as funders of the French film industry.

Pending the revelation of the mysterious "global blockbuster" promised by Thierry Frémaux (which has given rise to the wildest of rumours, so let’s not add to them), Stillwater by US filmmaker Tom McCarthy and OSS 117: From Africa With Love [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by France’s Nicolas Bedos are also reportedly set for presentation out of competition, alongside Vortex [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Argentina’s Gaspar Noé (a film shot and edited at lightning speed).

Other works potentially in on the act, either via the Un Certain Regard line-up or the Directors’ Fortnight programme, are The Tsugua Diaries [+leggi anche:
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intervista: João Nunes Monteiro
intervista: Maureen Fazendeiro e Migue…
scheda film] by Portuguese directors Miguel Gomes and Maureen Fazendeiro, 10,000 Nights in the Jungle [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Arthur Harari
scheda film] by France’s Arthur Harari, Mi iubita, mon amour [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by his compatriot Noémie Merlant, The Innocents [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Eskil Vogt
scheda film] by Norwegian filmmaker Eskil Vogt, Reflection [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Valentyn Vasyanovych
scheda film] by Ukranian director Valentyn Vasyanovych, Women Do Cry [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Mina Mileva, Vesela Kazakova
scheda film] by Bulgaria’s Mina Mileva and Vesela Kazakova, Babysitter [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Canadian director Monia Chokri, Playground [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Laura Wandel
scheda film] by Belgium’s Laura Wandel and Moneyboys [+leggi anche:
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intervista: C.B. Yi
scheda film] by Chinese filmmaker C.B. Yi.

In terms of the Directors’ Fortnight, the most insistent voices are citing Incredible But True [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Quentin Dupieux
scheda film] by French director Quentin Dupieux (news), Between Two Worlds [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Emmanuel Carrère
scheda film] by his compatriot Emmanuel Carrère, Casablanca Beats [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by French-Moroccan filmmaker Nabil Ayouch, The Sea Ahead [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by the Lebanon’s Ely Dagher, English-language title Nobody Has to Know [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Bouli Lanners
scheda film] by Belgium’s Bouli Lanners and Tim Mielants, the documentary in Italian Futura [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Alice Rohwacher, Pietro Marcello and Francesco Munzi, The Hill Where Lionesses Roar [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Luana Bajrami
scheda film] by the French director of Kosovar descent Luàna Bajrami, Murina [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović
intervista: Gracija Filipovic
scheda film] by Croatia’s Antoneta Kusijanović, Speak No Evil [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Christian Tafdrup
scheda film] by Denmark’s Christian Tafdrup, Medusa by Brazil’s Anita Rocha da Silveira, the Japanese animated film Belle by Mamoru Hosoda and Red Rocket by US director Sean Baker.

Standing tall among the titles best placed to grace Critics’ Week are Bruno Reidal [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Vincent Le Port
scheda film] by France’s Vincent Le Port, Libertad [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Clara Roquet
scheda film] by Spanish filmmaker Clara Roquet, Small Body [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Laura Samani
scheda film] by Italy’s Laura Samani, Robuste [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Constance Meyer
scheda film] by French director Clémence Meyer, Softie [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Samuel Theis
scheda film] by her compatriot Samuel Theis, The Gravedigger's Wife [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Somalia’s Khadar Ayderus Ahmed, A Tale of Love and Desire [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Tunisia’s Leyla Bouzid and Amparo [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Colombia’s Simón Mesa Soto.

Worth a mention among the first feature films whose destinations are not yet clear is Anaïs in Love [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet
scheda film] by Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet, Zero Fucks Given [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Emmanuel Marre e Julie Lec…
scheda film] by France’s Emmanuel Marre, the majority Swiss production Olga [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Elie Grappe
scheda film] by Elie Grappe, Unclenching the Fists [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Russia’s Kira Kovalenko, and the second feature film by Jean-Christophe Meurisse Bloody Oranges [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Jean-Christophe Meurisse
scheda film].

"No more bets!" This roulette wheel of films is now spinning in the hands of the selectors, who are putting together a 2021 Cannes edition which looks set to be memorable, whatever the outcome. The final line-ups will be announced on 3 June for the Official Selection, on 7 June for Critics’ Week and for the ACID line-up, and on 8 June for the Directors’ Fortnight.