The 2024 Cannes Film Festival jury (led by Greta Gerwig), from left to right: Omar Sy, Lily Gladstone, Eva Green, jury president, Greta Gerwig, Pierfrancesco Favino, Nadine Labaki, Ebru Ceylan, Hirokazu Kore-eda, and Juan Antonio Bayona.
Pascal Le Segretin/Courtesy of Getty Images
The 2024 Cannes Film Festival competition jury, led by president Greta Gerwig, met with international reporters on Tuesday. And it wasn’t long before the assembled stars were inspired to tackle a variety of thorny political issues swirling around this year’s world’s most glamorous film festival. film festival.
On the eve of the 77th Cannes Film Festival, Cannes artistic director Thierry Frémaux set the tone, trying to distance the event from hot topics, saying at his own press conference on Monday: “We’re trying to have a festival without these controversies. Politics should be on screen at Cannes.”
The French film festival chief, who has held the position since 2001, said that during his tenure, Cannes’ He pointed out how reporting has changed. That’s exactly what happened Tuesday as Cannes jurors were filled with questions related to the resurgent #MeToo movement in France, the war in Gaza, the threat of strikes to disrupt the 77th festival, and other pressing global concerns. It was the street.
Almost immediately, Gerwig was asked how France’s recent #MeToo movement was impacting this year’s festival.
“I think it’s good that people in the film industry are telling their stories and trying to change things for the better,” she replied. “I’ve seen big changes in the American film industry, and I think it’s important to continue to expand that conversation.”
Shortly after, she was asked about her thoughts on the recent labor activities of those involved in the Cannes Film Festival. “Well, I certainly support the labor movement and our union certainly went through something like this right now.” [in the U.S. film industry,]” Gerwig replied. “We hope that we can come to a good agreement for the festival and for the workers.”
Next, Gerwig and fellow juror Lily Gladstone, stars of Martin Scorsese’s films. Murderers of the Flower Moonthe festival’s inclusion of a Donald Trump film in competition prompted questions about how it made her feel as a woman, sparking a conversation about Ali Abassi. apprentice.
Gerwig smiled, but also heard an audible sigh before carefully beginning her answer: “I try to approach every movie with an open mind and heart.” She added that you never know what a movie is actually about until you see it.
Film journalist Chaz Ebert, widow of the late great critic Roger Ebert, brought the meta issue of the press conference to the surface by rehashing Fremaux’s comments from the previous day. “Sometimes we focus too much on the controversy rather than the movie,” she summed up. Ebert added: “But with so much going on in the world, wouldn’t it be fair to consider the controversy around the world when judging the Palme d’Or?”
Gerwig said the jury had discussed that very issue with Fremaux the night before. “The great thing about film is that it’s a slow art form,” she continued, explaining how feature films can take years of focused thought to make and hours of quiet contemplation to consume. He explained that the work required “In that space, artists from all over the world can say very specific, very personal things… So, in fact, the very act of watching a film and engaging with it seriously is a way of thinking about what is difficult. I think that’s part of the discussion.” [in the world]”
She added: “It’s certainly important to take that into consideration, and I think the very nature of Cannes takes that into account.”
In addition to Gerwig and Gladstone, this year’s Palme d’Or winners include French stars Eva Green and Omar Sy, Italian actor Pierfrancesco Favino, and Lebanese director Nadine Labaki.capernaum), Juan Antonio Bayona of Spain (snow party), Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda (shoplifting family), and Turkish screenwriter and photographer Ebru Ceylan, co-writer of the 2014 Palme d’Or winner winter sleep (with director husband Nuri Bilge Ceylan).
“I still think one of the most peaceful things we can do is soak in beauty,” says star Favino. CommandanteNear the end of a press conference that opened last year’s Venice Film Festival, the film festival said this in response to a question that referenced the Gaza war. “Reminding the world that there is beauty in the world is one of the few things that filmmakers like us can stick to. That there is meaning in what we do. It’s about making a statement.”
He added, “That’s why I decided that I can be here without feeling guilty as a human… Because if we seek beauty, we may seek peace, we may seek the good things in life. Because I can’t do it,” he added.
The 77th Cannes Film Festival opens Tuesday night with the premiere of French director Quentin Dupieux. Le Douziem Acte (second act), starring Léa Seydoux and Vincent Lindon. Over the next 11 days, we’ll be releasing a number of new releases from Francis Ford Coppola, Yorgos Lanthimos, Sean Baker, Andrea Arnold, David Cronenberg, Paolo Sorrentino, Jacques Audiard, Jia Zhangku, Abbasi and more. The long-awaited world premiere will be held. The festival concludes with his Palme d’Or award ceremony on May 25th.
