After the COVID pandemic forced the Cannes Film Festival to be canceled last year, it seemed silly to think that we could possibly go two full years without the French event. Well, as we approach the July date for this year’s already-delayed Cannes, the director of the event, Thierry Fremaux is confident the in-person festival will happen this summer, according to a new interview with Rappler.
“We are sure that Cannes will take place in July,” said Fremaux.
And yes, the event that he is referring to will be in-person. Why is he so adamant on in-person? Well, for a couple of reasons, apparently.
“Going to film festivals – for critics, for us professionals, filmmakers and especially for audiences – is something so important,” Fremaux said. “We had a lot of film festivals which have been canceled. I don’t criticize but I hate the idea of a virtual, digital film festival. That is a contradiction.”
He added, “A film festival is about being together, fighting each other about a film, being in the same room and in two hours, critics decide the destiny of a film.”
Of course, it’s not a guarantee that Cannes can happen as a full in-person event in July. In fact, unlike in the US and other parts of the world, France has yet to reopen cinemas in the country. And obviously, if you want to have an in-person film festival, you need a place where people can gather to watch a film. But Fremaux is expecting that to be taken care of by next month.
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“So if movie theaters reopen in mid-May, we are even more confident for the beginning of July,” he explained. “What makes me happy is the prospect of having Cannes in July and to have the filmmakers, the audience, the professionals back.”
Considering the festival isn’t expected to begin until July, it’s far too early to name a full lineup of films. That said, Fremaux is willing to name two features that will definitely be screened at this year’s event.
“Regarding films, I, of course, won’t tell you any title except the films that we all know were already selected from last year, including by Wes Anderson (‘The French Dispatch’) and Paul Verhoeven (‘Benedetta’),” he revealed. “They will be back in the official selection.”
It’s honestly no surprise that both of those films are part of this year’s event. It was clear Wes Anderson has been holding off on releasing “The French Dispatch” until he could have a premiere at the biggest film event in France. It just makes sense. And Verhoeven’s “Benedetta” is another film that has been clearly waiting for a big festival premiere.
If both of these features actually do get that Cannes debut this summer, you can likely expect theatrical releases to follow shortly thereafter, especially for “The French Dispatch,” which is being positioned as a potential awards-season contender.
As of now, the 2021 Cannes Film Festival is expected to launch on July 6.