In May, a southern French coastal town will once again become the hotspot of the international film world. Then, for the 76th time, the Cannes Film Festival takes place, the most important film festival in the world. Today the festival management around Iris Knobloch and Thierry Frémaux announced the program of the prestigious event. This means that these films will be presented to the public for the first time in Cannes.
Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio alongside Indiana Jones in Cannes
The festival will be opened by director Maïwenn’s Jeanne du Barry, in which Johnny Depp will be seen in a cinema film for the first time since 2020.
Martin Scorsese’s new epic Killers of the Flower Moon, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, is also part of the program but, like the opening film, is screened out of competition. That means the film doesn’t compete for the Palme d’Or. The same goes for the Hollywood blockbuster Indiana Jones and the Wheel of Destiny, starring Harrison Ford, who will play adventure archaeologist Indy for the fifth time.
Jonathan Glazer returns 10 years after his sci-fi masterpiece
The 2023 Cannes Film Festival competition will feature some big and up-and-coming names. Jonathan Glazer returns 10 years after his sci-fi film Under the Skin with the Holocaust film The Zone of Interestin which Sandra Hüller (Toni Erdmann) takes on one of the main roles.
Wes Anderson’s new retro sci-fi movie Asteroid City, starring Scarlett Johansson, is in competition, as is Perfect Days by legendary German director Wim Wenders. Wenders also has the 3D film The Noise of Time about the painter Anselm Kiefer in the Special Screenings subsection. American Todd Haynes (Carol) also returns to the Croisette with May December, which stars Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore.
The program of the 76th Cannes International Film Festival
Official selection – competition
These films will be in the running for the festival’s big prizes, including the Palme d’Or for Best Feature Film.
Out of competition
Un Certain Regard
Cannes premiere
special screenings
Midnight Screenings
Six directors in the competition
Overall, the program stands out due to several positive characteristics. With six women, there are more female directors in the competition than in a long time represented, including Catherine Breillat (The Sleeping Beauty), whose last film was also ten years ago.
Also, the selection overall shows a strong Asian presence with names like the Japanese Takeshi Kitano, Vietnamese Tranh Anh Hung, Indian Anurag Kashyap and South Korean Kim Ji-woon. At the same time, the program not only relies on the old masters, but also gives up-and-coming filmmakers such as Karim Ainouz (The Longing of the Gusmao Sisters), Justine Triet (Sybil) or debutant Ramata-Toulayse Sy a place in the prominently featured competition.
The Cannes International Film Festival will take place from 16th to 27th May 2023 this year. The two-time Palme winner Ruben Östlund (Triangle of Sadness), as President of the jury, will decide this year on the awarding of the main prize: the Golden Palme.
This year, Moviepilot will again be reporting on the Croisette and presenting the highlights of the program to you every day.