There are a lot of film festivals, but Cannes stands apart. The event, first held in France in 1946, is a staple of prestige cinema, one that prizes elegance and is concerned with honoring its great history.
This year’s Cannes kicked off on May 17th, with a jury is made up of an eclectic mix of actors and filmmakers, among them, Vincent Lindon as lead jury. There’s also Asghar Farhadi, Rebecca Hall, Noomi Rapace, Joachim Trier, and more, promising some great and interesting picks for Palm D’Or winners.
Here are 10 movies you can’t miss from this year’s festival:
One Fine Morning
Mia Hansen-Love’s new film is a romance set in France and starring Cannes darling Lea Seydoux. She plays a woman that’s caring for her sick father and starts an affair with an old friend, who’s involved in a relationship of his own.
Elvis
Baz Luhrman’s take on “Elvis” will surely stir conversation, whether people love it or hate it. It stars Austin Butler as Elvis and Tom Hanks as his manager, tracking the singer’s historic career and turbulent times in which the story is set.
The Stars at Noon
Claire Denis’ work is always an event. She directs “The Stars at Noon,” stars Joe Alwyn, Margaret Qualley and Edgar Ramirez, and follows an English businessman and an American Journalist trying to escape the Nicaraguan Revolution.
Crimes of the Future
David Cronenberg is back in the director’s chair, this time, with a body horror film about the future and how bodies have been forced to evolve due to their synthetic environments. It stars Viggo Mortensen, Lea Seydoux and Kristen Stewart.
Armageddon Time
Directed by James Gray, “Armageddon Time” is a personal story based on his own childhood, set in Queens in the ‘80s. It stars Jeremy Strong, Anne Hathaway and Anthony Hopkins.
Showing Up
Kelly Reichardt’s new film finds her reunited with her frequent collaborator, Michelle Williams. “Showing Up” is her first Cannes outing and it follows an artist on the cusp of a career breakthrough.
Three Thousand Years of Longing
George Miller is back directing a new movie, following the wild success with “Mad Max: Fury Road,” released in 2015. This film is described as something totally different, a fantasy-romance following a djinni, played by Idris Elba, who offers three wishes to a scholar, played by Tilda Swinton.
Aftersun
“Aftersun,” is Charlotte Wells directorial debut, and stars Paul Mescal, whose career blew up after the release of the beloved series “Normal People.” The film follows Sophie, who reminisces about a vacation she took with her father 20 years ago in Turkey.
Broker
Directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda, who won the Palm D’Or in 2018 for his beautiful film “Shoplifters,” “Broker” is about baby-boxes, places where people can anonymously drop off their babies when they can’t care for them.
Triangle of Sadness
Directed by Ruben Östlund, known for his satirical and wild films, “Triangle of Sadness” marks his English debut, and follows a pair of models aboard a yacht, with Woody Harrelson somehow playing a Marxist captain? It sounds great.