Following the COVID-19-driven cancelation last year, the Cannes’ the Directors’ Fortnight sidebar section returns in full force. Organizer Paolo Moretti and his selection committee have unveiled the official selection for the 53rd edition of the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs, and it’s full of great picks and several women filmmakers (Cannes only has four films by female filmmakers playing in competition). Notably, the biggest highlight is probably the world premiere of Joanna Hogg‘s “The Souvenir Part II,” the sequel to her British coming-of-age drama starring Tilda Swinton and her daughter Honor Swinton Byrne. The original autobiographical story centered on the exploits of a shy but ambitious film student and her various relationships.
Executive produced by Martin Scorsese again, the sequel features Joe Alwyn, Charlie Heaton (“Stranger Things“), Harris Dickinson (“Beach Rats“), and will see the return of Richard Ayoade. Directors Fortnight will also host the French premiere of the original “The Souvenir,” which will be the sidebar’s only Special Screening title.
Also part of the Director’s Fortnight lineup is U.K. filmmaker Clio Barnard’s “Ali and Ava.” Barnard’s fourth feature will star Adeel Akhtar (“Four Lions“) and Claire Rushbrook (“Secrets & Lies“) in a contemporary British love story that explores the intricacies of age, class, and race. Arguably “Ali and Ava” and “The Souvenir” sequel should have played in the main competition section of Cannes, but who knows what the thinking is with those organizers.
Known for his epic three-volume film, “Arabian Nights,” Portuguese filmmaker Miguel Gomes also returns with “The Tsugua Diaries,” a co-directing effort with documentarian Maureen Fazandiero shot on 16mm in Portugal during the lockdown. Finally, Italian directors Alice Rohrwacher, Pietro Marcello, and Francesco Munzi turn up in “Futura,” a joint documentary project exploring how teenagers across Italy view the future.
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Additionally, the lineup will feature eight debut features, including “Hit the Road” by Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi’s son, Panah Panahi. Martin Scorsese is executive producing another film in the main line-up too, another debut: Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović’s “Murina,” so surely all eyes will be on her and this film.
Another highlight is “Between Two Worlds,” Emmanuel Carrère’s drama starring Juliette Binoche s a celebrated author who decides to write a book on job insecurity and sets off to experience it firsthand.
The 53rd edition of Directors’ Fortnight will be held in Cannes from July 7-17.
DIRECTORS FORTNIGHT 2021 LINEUP:
FEATURE FILMS:
“A Chiara,” Jonas Carpignano
“A Night of Knowing Northing,” Payal Kapadia
“Ali & Ava,” Clio Barnard
“Clara Sola,” Nathalie Álvarez Mesen
“A Brighter Tomorrow,” Yassine Qnia
“The Tsugua Diaries,” Miguel Gomes, Maureen Fazendeiro
“The Employer and the Employee,” Manuel Nieto Zas
“The Braves,” Anaïs Volpé
“Europa,” Haider Rashid
“Furuta,” Alice Rohrwacher, Pietro Marcello, Francesco Munzi
“Integralded,” Radu Muntean
“Hit the Road,” Panah Panahi
“Magnetic Beats,” Vincent Maël Cardona
“The Hill where Lionesses Roar,” Luàna Bajrami
“Medusa,” Anita Rocha da Silveira
“Our Men,” Rachel Lang (closing film)
“Murina,” Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović
“Neptune Frost,” Saul Williams, Anisia Uzeyman
“Between Two Worlds,” Emmanuel Carrère (closing film)
“The Tale of King Crab,” Alessio Rigo de Righi, Matteo Zoppis
“Fragments,” Jean-Gabriel Périot
“The Souvenir Part II,” Joanna Hogg
“Ripples of Life,” Shujun Wei
“The Sea Ahead,” Ely Dagher
SPECIAL SCREENING:
“The Souvenir,” Joanna Hogg
SHORT FILMS
Anxious Body, Yoriko Mizushiri
The Sidereal Space, Sebastián Schjaer
Simone Is Gone, Mathilde Chavanne
Sycorax, Lois Patiño, Matías Piñeiro
The Parents’ Room, Diego Marcon
The Vandal, Eddie Alcazar
The Windshield Wiper, Alberto Mielgo
Train Again, Peter Tscherkassky
When Night Meets Dawn, Andreea Cristina Borțun