Cannes Festival Announces Selection
Star-studded English-language dramas from Todd Haynes, Gus Van Sant, Denis Villeneuve and Justin Kurzel will vie for the Palme d’Or alongside new films by Valerie Donzelli, Jacques Audiard, Hou Hsiao-hsien and Jia Zhangke at the 68th annual Cannes Film Festival, which unveiled its official selection lineup today. While there are only two U.S. directors in competition — Haynes with “Carol,†a 1950s lesbian love story starring Cate Blanchett (pictured), and Van Sant with his suicide drama “The Sea of Trees,†pairing Matthew McConaughey and my pal Ken Watanabe — this year’s Palme race looks to feature more high-profile Hollywood talent than any in recent memory. Canada’s Villeneuve (“Prisoners,†“Enemyâ€) will bring his Mexican drug-cartel drama “Sicario,†with Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin, while Australia’s Kurzel (“The Snowtown Murdersâ€) secured a Palme berth for “Macbeth,†his Shakespeare adaptation toplining Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard.
