Cannes has been in full swing for 5 days now, and the obvious talking point so far has been the reviews for The Great Gatsby. The reviews for Baz Luhrmann’s visually extravagant production have ranged from scathing to glowing - I’ll let you know what I think after I’ve seen the film on Sunday evening.
The reviews are also flooding in for Sophia Coppola’s The Bling Ring, Asghar Farhadi's follow-up to A Separation, called The Past, Clio Barnard's The Selfish Giant and François Ozon's Jeune & Jolie. Later in the week I’ll take a closer look at the films impressing the critics so far.
Back on Rialto Channel, the month long celebration of Cannes continues…here are a few of this week’s highlights...
Cannes has been in full swing for 5 days now, and the obvious talking point so far has been the reviews for The Great Gatsby. The reviews for Baz Luhrmann’s visually extravagant production have ranged from scathing to glowing - I'll let you know what I think after I've seen the film on Sunday evening.
The reviews are also flooding in for Sophia Coppola’s The Bling Ring, Asghar Farhadi's follow-up to A Separation, called The Past, Clio Barnard's The Selfish Giant and François Ozon's Jeune & Jolie. Later in the week I’ll take a closer look at the films impressing the critics so far.
Back on Rialto Channel, the month long celebration of Cannes continues…here are a few of this week’s highlights...
THE MINISTER
Starring: Olivier Gourmet, Michel Blanc, Zabou Breitman
Directed by: Pierre Schoeller
Premiering: Wednesday 22nd May, 8.30pm
The opening sequence to this political drama is hilarious, and gives a brief glimpse into the troubled mind of the man at the centre of the film, French Minister of Transport, Bertrand Saint-Jean. Played with conviction by Olivier Gourmet, Saint-Jean is a politician on the way up in the party, until a few thorny issues in his portfolio threaten to derail his rise. Torn between ethics and ambition, The Minister is a very believable portrait of a modern day politician, with Saint-Jean’s fate twisting and turning throughout. The Minister premiered in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2011 Cannes Film Festival where it won the Un Certain Regard FIPRESCI Award.
ANTON CORBIJN INSIDE OUT
Starring: Anton Corbijn, Bono
Directed by: Klaartje Quirijns
Premiering: Thursday 23rd May, 8.30pm
Throughout May Rialto Channel has been screening a fascinating collection of documentaries on the power and influence of photography, and the stories of the people behind the lens. This week, the subject is Dutch photographer Anton Corbijn. The name will probably be unfamiliar, but you’ll likely recognise his images, in particular his black and white images of celebrities like Bono, Joy Division, Miles Davis, and Björk and George Clooney. In this intimate documentary we get a real glimpse into his reclusive life, learning about his difficult upbringing and watching him have an epiphany about his chosen profession.
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN
Starring: Tilda Swinton, John C. Reilly and Ezra Miller
Directed by: Lynne Ramsay
Premiering: Saturday 25th May, 8.30pm
Tilda Swinton was robbed of a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her performance in Scottish filmmaker Lynne Ramsay’s adaptation of the critically acclaimed novel by American author Lionel Shriver. We Need to Talk About Kevin was nominated for the Palme D’Or at the Festival de Cannes in 2011, and tells the story of a mother coming to terms with the tragic actions of her disturbed son, who goes on a violent rampage at his high school. This intense drama was shot in 30 days, with 25 set-ups per day and no more than three takes for any shot - something to keep in mind as you watch Swinton’s powerful and subtle performance.
By the way, you only have 2 days left to register for the Rialto Channel 48 HOURS film competition. Shoot weekend is the 24th to the 26th May. Grab some mates and make a movie. No experience is required, just the enthusiasm to give it a go! Register here