The 77th Festival de Cannes will open its doors in three days. In a small survey, we asked Cannes travelers what they expect from this year’s A-festival in the South of France. This time it’s Patrick Heidmann’s turn, freelance film journalist from Berlin.
The 77th Festival de Cannes and its Marché are just around the corner. Do you think it will be a good year? Is there a film you are particularly looking forward to?
Patrick Heidmann: It’s rarely as easy as it looks to assess a festival year in advance just looking at what’s on paper. But this year’s mixture of (sometimes very) old veterans and a number of almost completely newcomers could definitely be exciting. I’m lowering my expectations as a precaution, not least for some of the old masters – and then I’ll be delighted if they do deliver. I’m most excited about „The Substance“ by Coralie Fargeat. Feminist genre cinema from a French director who loves Cronenberg, Lynch and Haneke, with a cast including Demi Moore, Dennis Quaid and Margaret Qualley – that sounds more exciting than most of the other films in the competition.
What are your expectations and what’s in your diary?
Patrick Heidmann: First and foremost, I expect business as usual. The major wars and crises that are currently dominating world events will not determine everyday festival life as much as in Berlin, for example. It will be more about local conflicts, from potential strikes by festival employees to overdue #MeToo revelations.
So far, the press screenings of the competition films, which make up the bulk of my reporting, have been the main focus of my schedule. Beyond that, like every year, I have to be spontaneous. Because for the dozens of interviews I will be conducting at the Croisette, final confirmations are usually only given one or two days in advance! Hopefully I’ll still find time for drinks and chats with all the people you don’t usually meet again until Venice.