{"id":1686,"date":"2008-05-13T18:50:59","date_gmt":"2008-05-13T17:50:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.filmdetail.com\/?p=1686"},"modified":"2008-05-14T03:03:08","modified_gmt":"2008-05-14T02:03:08","slug":"cannes-2008-preview-films-in-competition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.filmdetail.com\/2008\/05\/13\/cannes-2008-preview-films-in-competition\/","title":{"rendered":"Cannes 2008 Preview: Films in Competition"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 2008 Cannes Film Festival<\/strong><\/a> kicks off tomorrow and here are my pick of the films to look out for in competition for the Palme d\u2019Or<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Big<\/a><\/p>\n

IN COMPETITON<\/strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n

Blindness<\/strong><\/a> (Dir. Fernando Meirelles<\/a>): An adaptation of\u00a0Jos\u00e9 Saramago’s 1995 novel<\/a> about about an epidemic of blindness in a modern city, it stars Julianne Moore<\/a>, Mark Ruffalo<\/a>, Danny Glover<\/a> and Gael Garc\u00eda Bernal<\/a>.
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\nHotly anticipated because it has an excellent cast, is based on a Nobel prize winning novel and is directed by the man who brought us City of God<\/a> and The Constant Gardener<\/a>. (Screens: Wednesday 14th May)<\/p>\n

Un conte de Noel (A Christmas Tale)<\/strong><\/a> (Dir. Arnaud Desplechin<\/a>): The latest film from the director of Kings and Queen<\/a> is a family drama starring Catherine Deneuve<\/a> and Mathieu Amalric<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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The presence of a screen legend like Deneuve and the rising star of Amalric (who will be seen later this year as the new Bond villain in Quantum of Solace<\/a>) will make this a high profile French entry. (Screens: Friday 16th May)<\/p>\n

Linha de Passe<\/strong><\/a> (Dir. Walter Salles<\/a> and Daniela Thomas<\/a>): The new film from the director of The Motorcycle Diaries<\/a> is about four brothers from a poor family in Sao Paolo struggling to find a better life.<\/p>\n

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Although 2005’s Dark Water<\/a> was an unproductive attempt to bring his sensibility to a Hollywood film, Salles is always a director worth looking out for and this looks like a return to what he does best. (Screens: Saturday 17th May)<\/p>\n

Le Silence de Lorna (Lorna’s Silence)<\/strong><\/a> (Dir. Luc Dardenne<\/a> and Jean-Pierre Dardenne<\/a>): The new film from the Belgian brothers is about a young Albanian woman living in Belgium who becomes an accomplice to a local mobster’s plan.<\/p>\n

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The Belgian duo have achieved the remarkable feat of winning the Palme d’Or twice (with Rosetta<\/a> in 1999 and L’Enfant<\/a> in 2005) so all eyes will be on whether this can match the heights of those films. (Screens: Monday 19th May)<\/p>\n

Two Lovers<\/strong><\/a> (Dir. James Gray): Set in Brooklyn, this is a romantic drama about a bachelor (Joaquin Phoenix<\/a>) who is torn between two women (Gwyneth Paltrow<\/a> and Vinessa Shaw<\/a>).<\/p>\n

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Director James Gray is something of a favourite with Cannes, as he was here in competition just last year with We Own the Night<\/a>. The star power of Phoenix, Paltrow and Isabella Rossellini should ensure interest in this one. (Screens: Monday 19th May)<\/p>\n

Changeling<\/a> <\/strong>(Dir: Clint Eastwood): The new film from Clint Eastwood<\/a> is set in LA in 1928 and stars Angelina Jolie<\/a> as a woman whose young son goes missing. When the child is found months later, she suspects it might not be him.<\/p>\n

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If Clint can deliver the goods you would have to say this is a hot favourite to snag the Palme d’Or – the veteran actor\/director has long been a favourite at the festival (with films like Pale Rider<\/a>, White Hunter Black Heart<\/a> and Mystic River<\/a> all playing in official competition) but has never won the big prize. The star power of Jolie in the lead role will also ensure huge press interest. (Screens: Tuesday 20th May)<\/p>\n

Che<\/strong><\/a> (The Argentine<\/a> \/ Guerrilla<\/a>) (Dir: Steven Soderbergh): Possibly the most anticipated and ambitious film due to be shown at Cannes this year, director Steven Soderbergh<\/a> will screen his two films about Che Guevera<\/a> (played by Benicio del Toro<\/a>) back-to-back.<\/p>\n

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The first one is called The Argentine<\/a><\/strong> and will focus on the Cuban revolution, as Fidel Castro, Guevara\u00a0 and other revolutionaries topple the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista<\/a>. The second film is called Guerrilla<\/a><\/strong> and focuses on the years after the Cuban revolution with Che’s trip to the UN in 1964, until his death in the Bolivian mountains in 1967. (Screens: Weds 21st May)<\/p>\n

Adoration<\/strong><\/a> (Dir. Atom Egoyan): The new film from Canadian director Atom Egoyan<\/a> is about a young man obsessed with the idea that he is the spawn of two historical figures.<\/p>\n

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It stars Devon Bostick<\/a>, Rachel Blanchard<\/a> and Scott Speedman<\/a>. (Screens: Thursday 22nd May)<\/p>\n

Synechdoche, New York<\/strong><\/a> (Dir. Charlie Kaufman): Another one of the most hotly anticipated films of the festival, this sees screenwriter Charlie Kaufman<\/a> make his directorial debut.<\/p>\n

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It stars Philip Seymour Hoffman<\/a> as a theatre director in Schenectady, New York who has to cope with his wife leaving him and a mysterious illness. Worried about his life, he moves his theater company to a warehouse where he attempts to create a life-size replica of New York as part of his new play. Catherine Keener<\/a>, Michelle Williams<\/a>, Samantha Morton<\/a> and Hope Davis<\/a> co-star. (Screens: Friday 23rd May)<\/p>\n

Palermo Shooting<\/strong><\/a> (Dir. Wim Wenders): The German veteran who won Best Director at Cannes in 1987 with Wings of Desire<\/a>, returns with a new film about a German photographer (played by Campino<\/a>) who comes to Palermo<\/a> because he needs to escape his past.<\/p>\n

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Although Wenders’ output has been a little inconsistent of late (Don’t Come Knocking<\/a>, which screened at the festival in 2005, was a huge disappointent) some will be keen to see if the magic of his earlier work can return. (Screens: Saturday 24th May)<\/p>\n

The other films screening in competition are:<\/p>\n