We are just about a week away from the kick off of the Cannes Film Festival, but yet the French event is still adding features to its lineup. And this time, the festival is announcing that one late addition to the event is going to be the closing film…err, “last screening.”
According to Variety, Cannes has added the new film, “The Specials,” to close out of the festival. “The Specials” comes from directors Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano, the duo behind the Golden Globe-nominated film, “The Intouchables.” However, according to Cannes, the film is not the “closing” film, but will instead be referred to as the “last screening,” as a way to honor the history of the festival’s final screenings and to not discount the film.
“The Specials,” which stars Vincent Cassel, is based on the uplifting true story of Stephane Benhamou and Daoud Tatou, two friends from different religions that created two non-profit organizations 20 years ago to help children with severe autism.
Pierre Lescure, Cannes’ president, said, “Just like the characters, the viewers find themselves immersed in the life of these associations, with these families, doctors, volunteers, interns, all these heroes of solidarity championing the love of others.”
As mentioned, the duo of Nakache and Toledano are probably best known for their film, “The Intouchables,” which is a French film that was a major hit and inspired the recent English-language remake, “The Upside.” The latter film was released earlier this year and earned over $122 million.
The Cannes Film Festival begins May 14 and ends May 25.