The Cannes Project

New article by @nicolachocolat on @VICE

New article by @nicolachocolat on @VICE

DEUX JOURS, UNE NUIT (Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne) THE SALT OF THE EARTH (Wim Wenders and Juliano Ribeiro Salgado) LOST RIVER (Ryan Gosling)

Cinéma art et d'essai Reflet Médicis spent a week screening all of the Un Certain Regard selection, and all four films programmed today were sold out, to my delight. First up was Wim Wenders's The Salt of the Earth, a beautifully moving documentary portrait of Brazilian photographer and adventurer Sebastião Salgado that exquisitely captures the man, his work, and his hopeful outlook on the human condition. Following was Ryan Gosling's directorial debute with Lost River that had me on the edge of my seat, salivating in fear. The deliciously brutalist depiction of Detroit-like post-apocalyptic small town is fresh, exciting, and a damn fine first film. Damn fine. Perhaps my two favorite films of 2014. Today was a good day. More to come. 

Afterparty du film gagnant de la Queer Palme "Pride" avec mes amours #queerpalme #polaroid #cannesfilmfestival #cannes2014 (at La Dame de Cœur)

Sincerest of tears coming from Xavier Dolan for the lively ovation received tonight following the screening of Mommy at the Cannes Film Festival. Extrêmement fière du cinéma québébois, pis ça pu la Palme. #cannesfilmfestival #cannes2014 #erabledor #teammommy (at Palais des Festivals, Cannes)

Red Carpet #selfie for Bennett Miller's FOXCATCHER #shameless #cannesfilmfestival #cannes2014 #officialcompetition (at Palais des Festivals, Cannes)

Queer Night Party #cannes2014 #cannesfilmfestival #day5 (at The American Pavilion)

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly #cannesfilmfestival #cannes2014 #cinemadelaplage #misternobody (at Cinema de la Plage)

Montée des Marches for Atom Egoyan's Captives #cannesfilmfestival #cannes2014 #redcarpetcherrypopped #ineverknowwhattodowithmyhands (at Palais des Festivals, Cannes)

On est quand même bien au Pavillon Espace Québec #cannesfilmfestival #cannes2014 #jour2 #veneznousvoir (at Village International Du Film)

Jour J à Cannes. #cannes2014 #cannesfilmfestival

Che bello, Marcello. Cannes 2014 starts tomorrow. Sun and Cinema: Check.

But of course, most of these will have distribution in Montreal, if they aren’t already being screened at this time. When inquiring on these films, everyone’s reaction is always “I liked it" or “I didn’t like it". But that’s boring and irrelevant. Go see a film. Go see a film you’ve never heard of or know anything about. See it with new eyes and an open mind. See it alone or see it with friends. Become a cinephile. Write a blog. Call it The Cannes Project. Profit.

Since all films in Competition only get screened two days in a row, the last day of the festival offers a reprise of all 20 films, wherein the winner is announced during the closing ceremonies that evening. Unfortunately, it means that films like the Coen Bros' Inside Llewyn Davis gets screened at 8:30 AM, because of the assured high attendance sparked by buzz (rightly so, since it subsequently won the Grand Priz). What I did get a chance to squeeze in was Steven Soderbergh's HBO film Behind the Candelabra, about a young man (Matt Damon) and his experience as Liberace's lover (played by Michael Douglas). Their intimate, professional, passionate, and incestuous love affair was kept secret due to the famous pianist's hetero persona. The eccentric characters made for a very funny and likeable film that had the audience laughing the whole time. Next up was Valeria Bruni Tedeschi's semi-autobiographical film A Castle in Italy, wherein the director herself and real-life boyfriend play mismatched lovers trying to balance acting, family life, and each other. Bruni is sister-in-law to former French president Nicolas Sarkozy, although it is absent from the film. The comedy itself is extremely charming and funny, where one can find characters with faults and redemptive qualities alike. Perhaps those who know this European celebrity by name will find the film too self-indulgent, but let them eat cake. And last but not least, Jim Jarmusch's Only Lovers Left Alive, starring Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton as the darling vampiric couple Adam and Eve. Extremely likeable and definitely the director's most accessible film, its praise of vintage guitars, literary classics, and underground music seemingly critiques the hipster culure of today through its many cinematic clichés. Yours to interprete. But a damned fine way to end a film festival. Only cinephiles left alive.