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Cannes Film Festival · 2016

Cannes Film Festival 2016

Official Competition

Films vying for the coveted Palme d'Or

Programme

26 films · 22 reviews

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Aquarius

Review preview for Aquarius

The closer the glance at the specifics, the more universal the plight becomes.

Anne-Katrin Titze · 5 out of 5
A retired music critic is the last resident of a building targeted by developers - she becomes engaged in a cold war of sorts with the company.

(Country: Brazil; Year: 2016; Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho; Writer: Kleber Mendonça Filho; Stars: Sonia Braga, Jeff Rosick, Irandhir Santos, Maeve Jinkings, Julia Bernat, Carla Ribas, Fernando Teixeira, Rubens Santos, Humberto Carrão, Bárbara Colen)

Full review See: Sônia Braga in conversation on the magic of Aquarius and director Kleber Mendonça Filho , Kleber Mendonça Filho in conversation on Aquarius

World premiere.

American Honey

Review preview for American Honey

Full of passing vistas, moments of lyricism, raw sex and emotions – all building to a portrait of youths trying to bond together to survive.

Richard Mowe · 3 out of 5
A teenager joins a travelling magazine sales crew and gets swept up in hard partying and young love.

(Country: UK, US; Year: 2016; Director: Andrea Arnold; Writer: Andrea Arnold; Stars: Sasha Lane, Shia LaBeouf, McCaul Lombardi, Arielle Holmes, Crystal Ice, Veronica Ezell, Chad Cox, Garry Howell, Kenneth Kory Tucker, Raymond Coalson, Isaiah Stone, Dakota Powers, Shawna Rae Moseley, Chris Wright, Riley Keough)

Full review See: Interview with Andrea Arnold, Sasha Lane and Shia LaBeouf about American Honey

World premiere.

The BFG

Review preview for The BFG

The wide-eyed young girl Sophie, who possesses a wisdom and bravura beyond her years, is beautifully caught by newcomer Ruby Barnhill.

Richard Mowe · 3 out of 5
A little girl befriends a giant.

(Country: UK, Canada, US; Year: 2016; Director: Steven Spielberg; Writer: Melissa Mathison, Christopher Abbott, based on the novel by Roald Dahl; Stars: Rebecca Hall, Mark Rylance, Bill Hader, Jemaine Clement, Matt Frewer, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Penelope Wilton, Adam Godley, Ruby Barnhill, Michael Adamthwaite, Julia Torrance, Haig Sutherland, Marilyn Norry, Callum Seagram Airlie, John Emmet Tracy)

Full review See: Interview with Steven Spielberg about The BFG

World premiere. Out of competition.

Café Society

Review preview for Café Society

A fluffy and charming confection that has an enticing exterior without much substance on the inside.

Richard Mowe · 3 out of 5
A man comes to Hollywood with aspirations of working in film, only to fall in love.

(Country: US; Year: 2016; Director: Woody Allen; Writer: Woody Allen; Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Blake Lively, Kristen Stewart, Kelly Rohrbach, Steve Carell, Corey Stoll, Anna Camp, Parker Posey, Judy Davis, Paul Schneider, Don Stark, Tony Sirico, Ken Stott, Liz Celeste, Kaili Vernoff)

Full review See: Woody Allen on Café Society

World premiere. Out of competition. Opening night film

Elle

Review preview for Elle

Huppert's outstanding performance embraces with unswerving delicacy the controversial decisions she faces.

Anne-Katrin Titze · 4 out of 5
A successful video game boss aims to track down her attacker after a home invasion.

(Country: France, Germany, Belgium; Year: 2016; Director: Paul Verhoeven; Writer: David Birke, based on the book by Philippe Djian; Stars: Isabelle Huppert, Alice Isaaz, Christian Berkel, Virginie Efira, Anne Consigny, Laurent Lafitte, Jonas Bloquet, Charles Berling, Vimala Pons, Raphaël Lenglet, Olivia Gotanègre, Lucas Prisor, Judith Magre, Arthur Mazet, Stéphane Bak)

Full review See: Isabelle Huppert - Elle star on working with Verhoeven, awards and the gift of confidence

World premiere.

From The Land Of The Moon (Mal de pierres)

Review preview for From The Land Of The Moon

Cotillard's face oscillates mysteriously between the past depicted on the screen and a woman of the present who tries to understand.

Anne-Katrin Titze · 4 out of 5
Twenty-year story of the loves of a passionate, free-spirited woman.

(Country: France, Belgium; Year: 2016; Director: Nicole Garcia; Writer: Nicole Garcia and Jacques Fieschi, based on the book by Milena Agus; Stars: Marion Cotillard, Louis Garrel, Àlex Brendemühl, Brigitte Roüan, Gwendoline Fiquet, Victoire Du Bois, Aloïse Sauvage, Inès Grunenwald, Victor Quilichini, Caroline Megglé)

Full review See: Nicole Garcia in conversation on Marion Cotillard, Catherine Leterrier, François Ozon and From The Land Of The Moon (Mal De Pierres)

World premiere.

Graduation (Bacalaureat, Family Photos)

Review preview for Graduation

Cristian Mungiu is such a master of vivisecting human interrelations that we might almost overlook how he sets the tone with animals, vegetables and minerals.

Anne-Katrin Titze · 4 out of 5
Story of a small town doctor who is faced with a stark choice after his daughter is assaulted.

(Country: Romania, France, Belgium; Year: 2016; Director: Cristian Mungiu; Writer: Cristian Mungiu; Stars: Vlad Ivanov, Maria-Victoria Dragus, Ioachim Ciobanu, Adrian Titieni, Gheorghe Ifrim, Emanuel Parvu, Valeriu Andriuta, Claudia Susanu, Adrian Vancica, Liliana Mocanu, Lia Bugnar, Tudor Smoleanu, Andrei Morariu, Rares Andrici, Constantin Cojocaru)

Full review See: Cristian Mungiu in conversation on Graduation (Bacalaureat)

World premiere.

The Handmaiden (Agassi)

Review preview for The Handmaiden

One of the film’s leading forces is its stunning visual composition.

Evelin Toth · 5 out of 5
A handmaiden sets out to swindle an heiress but things don't go to plan.

(Country: South Korea; Year: 2016; Director: Park Chan-wook; Writer: Based on Sarah Waters' Fingersmith; Stars: Ha Jung-woo, Kim Min-hee, Jo Jin-woong, Kim Tae Ri)

Full review

World premiere.

I, Daniel Blake

Review preview for I, Daniel Blake

The film preserves a sense of immediacy and is achingly relevant for our times much in the same way Cathy Come Home was for the Sixties.

Richard Mowe · 4 out of 5
A carpenter suffering from ill health and a young single mum find themselves facing a wall of welfare bureacracy.

(Country: UK, France; Year: 2016; Director: Ken Loach; Writer: Paul Laverty; Stars: Hayley Squires, Natalie Ann Jamieson, Dave Johns, Micky McGregor, Colin Coombs, Bryn Jones, Mick Laffey, Dylan McKiernan, John Sumner, Briana Shann, Rob Kirtley)

Full review See: Ken Loach, Paul Laverty, Dave Johns and Hayley Squires talk I, Daniel Blake in Cannes

World premiere.

It's Only The End Of The World (Juste la fin du monde)

Review preview for It's Only The End Of The World

The histrionics on display submerge everything else while the narrative pitch throws so much at the spectator that it is impossible to sympathise with anyone.

Richard Mowe · 2 out of 5
A writer returns home after a long absence to tell his family he is terminally ill.

(Country: Canada, France; Year: 2016; Director: Xavier Dolan; Writer: Xavier Dolan, Jean-Luc Lagarce; Stars: Léa Seydoux, Marion Cotillard, Vincent Cassel, Gaspard Ulliel, Nathalie Baye)

Full review

World premiere.

Julieta

Review preview for Julieta

Almodóvar exudes a new found confidence.

Richard Mowe · 3 out of 5
A mother and daughter struggle to come to terms with grief.

(Country: Spain; Year: 2016; Director: Pedro Almodóvar; Writer: Pedro Almodóvar, based on short stories by Alice Munro; Stars: Adriana Ugarte, Michelle Jenner, Rossy de Palma, Inma Cuesta, Emma Suárez, Darío Grandinetti, Daniel Grao, Nathalie Poza, Agustín Almodóvar, Mariam Bachir, Susi Sánchez, Pilar Castro, Priscilla Delgado, Bimba Bosé, Joaquín Notario)

Full review See: Almodóvar on entering his golden age, in Cannes

World premiere.

The Last Face

Aid workers find romance against the backdrop of revolution in Liberia.

(Country: US; Year: 2016; Director: Sean Penn; Writer: Erin Dignam; Stars: Charlize Theron, Javier Bardem, Sibo Mlambo, Jean Reno, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Jared Harris, Ebby Weyime, Hopper Penn, Bronwyn Reed, Irina Miccoli, Dominika Jablonska, Christopher Stein, Justin Miccoli, Oscar Best, Sarah Muhoho)

World premiere.

Loving

Review preview for Loving

Despite Nichols’s softly-softly approach, the film packs a powerful punch, constantly reminding us of just how recent these historical injustices are.

Richard Mowe · 4 out of 5
Story of an interracial couple in 1950s Virginia who face the wrath of the law for getting married.

(Country: US, UK; Year: 2016; Director: Jeff Nichols; Writer: Jeff Nichols; Stars: Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Marton Csokas, Ruth Negga, Alano Miller, Nick Kroll, Jon Bass, Bill Camp, David Jensen, Quinn McPherson, Michael Abbott Jr., Sharon Blackwood, Terri Abney, Christopher Mann, Coley Campany)

Full review See: Jeff Nichols, Ruth Negga and Joel Edgerton talk Loving in Cannes

World premiere.

Ma' Rosa

A husband and wife who sell narcotics to help make ends meet. After Rosa is arrested, her family are willing to do anything to buy her freedom from the corrupt police.

(Year: 2016; Director: Brillante Mendoza)

World premiere.

Money Monster

Review preview for Money Monster

An efficiently diverting thriller.

Richard Mowe · 3 out of 5
A financial TV host and his producer are put in an extreme situation when an irate investor who has lost everything forcefully takes over their studio.

(Country: US; Year: 2016; Director: Jodie Foster; Writer: Jamie Linden, Alan DiFiore, Jim Kouf, Alan DiFiore, Jim Kouf; Stars: Caitriona Balfe, Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Giancarlo Esposito, Jack O'Connell, Dominic West, Condola Rashad, Greta Lee, Dennis Boutsikaris, Chris Bauer, Emily Meade, Grant Rosenmeyer, Aly Mang, Olivia Luccardi, Dante Briggins)

Full review See: Interview with Jodie Foster about Money Monster

World premiere. Out of competition.

The Neon Demon

Review preview for The Neon Demon

This is a film about greatness and those who have it thrust upon them.

Jennie Kermode · 4.5 out of 5
A young model faces jealous rivals in LA.

(Country: France, US, Denmark; Year: 2016; Director: Nicolas Winding Refn; Writer: Nicolas Winding Refn; Stars: Elle Fanning, Jena Malone, Bella Heathcote, Abbey Lee, Karl Glusman, Keanu Reeves, Christina Hendricks, Desmond Harrington, Alessandro Nivola) , Trailer

Full review See: Alessandro Nivola in conversation on The Neon Demon

World premiere.

The Nice Guys

Review preview for The Nice Guys

Gosling and Crowe are wondrous sparring partners.

Anne-Katrin Titze · 4 out of 5
An unlikely duo of detectives searches for a missing girl in 1977 Los Angeles.

(Country: UK, US; Year: 2016; Director: Shane Black; Writer: Shane Black, Anthony Bagarozzi; Stars: Starring: Ryan Gosling, Russell Crowe, Matt Bomer, Kim Basinger, Angourie Rice, Margaret Qualley, Lance Valentine Butler, Jack Kilmer, Maddie Compton, Ty Simpkins, Murielle Telio)

Full review See: Interview with Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling and Shane Black, about The Nice Guys

World premiere. Out of competition.

Paterson

Review preview for Paterson

After the initial disbelief that Jarmusch has written and directed a movie as simple and quiet as this, you settle into the rhythm of the piece and begin to appreciate the secret

Angus Wolfe Murray · 3.5 out of 5
Story of a bus driver and a poet and a maker of cup cakes and a dog walker and a week in New Jersey where small things happen

(Country: US; Year: 2016; Director: Jim Jarmusch; Writer: Jim Jarmusch; Stars: Adam Driver, Golshifteh Farahani, Kara Hayward, Sterling Jerins, Jared Gilman, Luis Da Silva Jr., Frank Harts, Rizwan Manji, Jorge Vega, William Jackson Harper, Masatoshi Nagase, Jaden Michael, Trevor Parham, Brian McCarthy, Troy T. Parham)

Full review See: Interview with Neal Huff about Spotlight, Wes Anderson, Hitchcock/Truffaut and Kimberly Levin

World premiere.

Personal Shopper

Review preview for Personal Shopper

Stewart valiantly tries to soldier through but cannot make her character spring to life.

Richard Mowe · 2 out of 5
Ghost story set against the backdrop of the Paris fashion world.

(Country: France; Year: 2016; Director: Olivier Assayas; Writer: Olivier Assayas; Stars: Kristen Stewart, Lars Eidinger, Nora von Waldstätten, Anders Danielsen Lie, Pamela Betsy Cooper, David Bowles, Sigrid Bouaziz, Ty Olwin, Fabrice Reeves, Benoit Peverelli, Abigail Millar)

Full review See: Kristen Stewart and Olivier Assayas on Personal Shopper in Cannes

World premiere.

The Salesman (Forushande)

Review preview for The Salesman

The film's slow burn is gripping but, as it builds to a climax, the plot becomes overwrought.

Amber Wilkinson · 4 out of 5
Forced out of their apartment, Emad and Rana move into a new flat. An incident linked to the previous tenant will dramatically change the young couple’s life.

(Country: France, Iran; Year: 2016; Director: Asghar Farhadi; Writer: Asghar Farhadi; Stars: Shahab Hosseini, Taraneh Alidoosti)

Full review

World premiere.

Sieranevada

Drama set at a family reunion to commemorate the anniversary of the death of the family patriarch.

(Country: Romania, France, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Republic of Macedonia; Year: 2016; Director: Cristi Puiu; Writer: Cristi Puiu; Stars: Mimi Branescu, Bogdan Dumitrache)

World premiere.

Slack Bay (Ma Loute)

Review preview for Slack Bay

The absurd exaggerations and the wild parishes of humor are completely original, never cruel, and attached to a physicality that is pure cinema.

Anne-Katrin Titze · 5 out of 5
Period comedy, set in 1910, about the investigation into disappearances from beaches in France.

(Country: Germany, France; Year: 2016; Director: Bruno Dumont; Writer: Bruno Dumont; Stars: Fabrice Luchini, Juliette Binoche, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Thierry Lavieville, Jean-Luc Vincent, Didier Desprès, Raph, Laura Dupré, Brandon Lavieville, Cyril Rigaux, Angélique Vergara)

Full review See: Interview with Bruno Dumont about Slack Bay and Jeannette, L'Enfance De Jeanne d'Arc , Bruno Dumont in conversation on Slack Bay (Ma Loute) and his Cannes musical

World premiere.

Staying Vertical (Rester Vertical)

Review preview for Staying Vertical

He may provide too much shock detail for some audiences but the director proves himself a master story-teller.

Richard Mowe · 4 out of 5
A man is seduced by a free-spirited shepherdess and finds himself left holding the baby.

(Country: France; Year: 2016; Director: Alain Guiraudie; Writer: Alain Guiraudie; Stars: Laure Calamy, Damien Bonnard, India Hair, Christian Bouillette, Raphaël Thierry)

Full review

World premiere.

Toni Erdmann

Review preview for Toni Erdmann

The film really shouldn’t work, but it does.

Richard Mowe · 4 out of 5
A father drops in on his daughter and poses as a stranger to her friends.

(Country: Germany, Austria; Year: 2016; Director: Maren Ade; Writer: Maren Ade; Stars: Peter Simonischek, Sandra Hüller, Lucy Russell, Trystan Pütter, Hadewych Minis, Vlad Ivanov, Ingrid Bisu, John Keogh, Ingo Wimmer, Cosmin Padureanu, Anna Maria Bergold, Radu Banzaru, Alexandru Papadopol, Sava Lolov, Jürg Löw)

Full review See: Maren Ade and Sandra Hüller in conversation on Oscar nominee Toni Erdmann , Maren Ade and Sandra Hüller in conversation on Toni Erdmann

World premiere.

The Unknown Girl (La Fille Inconnue)

A doctor tries to discover the identity of a patient who died after she refused to treat her.

(Country: Belgium; Year: 2016; Director: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne; Writer: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne; Stars: Adèle Haenel, Jérémie Renier, Olivier Gourmet, Fabrizio Rongione, Thomas Doret, Christelle Cornil)

World premiere.

The Wailing (Goksung, The Strangers)

Review preview for The Wailing

There is less concern here with logic than with mood.

Jennie Kermode · 3.5 out of 5
When a stranger arrives in a village, a sickness begins to spread.

(Country: South Korea; Year: 2016; Director: Na Hong-jin; Writer: Na Hong-jin ; Stars: Chun Woo-hee, Jo Han-Chul, Hwang Jeong-min, Jang So-yeon, JoHan-Cheol, Won Kwak Do )

Full review

World premiere. Out of competition.