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The 2021 Cannes Film Festival in 2021 officially kicked off on July 6th. It’s a very different festival this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic. There are excellent safety protocols in place for controlling the virus, but the attendance levels remains far below what I’ve seen in previous years. In fact, only about a third of those I’m used to seeing here have arrived and there are many more new faces. This is especially true in the Market section of the festival where many booths are empty. The halls, though are still crowded and it’s quite pleasant that after such a long time we can get back into the cinemas. Even if we’re still required to wear masks and follow the rules. We watched three films on the first day from the main competitive part of the festival. The opening film was “Annette” by Leos Carax, followed by “Ahed’s Knee ” by Israeli director Nadav Lapid and finally a film by the well-known director, François Ozon, called “Everything Went Fine.” Here are my thoughts on these first three films.
First was the latest film by Leos Carax. After an eight year hiatus, he’s returned to filmmaking with Annette. This is perhaps his most ambitious film in terms of budget and production. The film features actors such as Marion Cotillard and Adam Driver. The film, however, is far more American and Hollywood than his previous projects. A musical film with a tragic love story that was sometimes reminiscent of La La Land. Annette was structurally and formally different from Carax’s previous work. And despite its more American flavor, Carax’s innovative style is still on full display. This includes sexually explicit sequences that we don’t find very often in American-style cinema. Carax also uses Brecht’s distancing techniques, which are far more common in European films. Annette can also be considered as part of a fantasy sub-genre. But on the whole, I would say that the usual crazy and unexpected Carax was not to be found here.
I was very impressed by the latest film by the Israeli director, Nadav Lapid, who had previously won the Berlin Award for Synonyms. A brilliant film with unexpected cinematography and completely innovative moves that once again showed that directing is unpredictable. In this film, Lapid has taken a critical look at his own society and the many issues that plague it. Inspired by the director’s own personal experiences, Ahed’s Knee is a story about a filmmaker who is invited to a city in Israel to screen one of his films. We see here the filmmaker’s personal concerns and background in the face of the Israeli government. It should be noted that throughout the film, the camera has the mood of the director himself, which is shown with a special and unexpected playfulness. Ahed’s Knee is indisputably one of the director’s best films.
The third film of the first day of Cannes 2021 was directed by French director François Ozon. This time, Ozon has turned to the issue of voluntary suicide, which is still banned in France. In this film, the director introduces the viewer to various issues of suicide and its difficulties even in France through a story that alternates between drama and comedy. The story is about a wealthy old man who commits suicide after suffering a stroke. In addition to wrestling with the issue of euthanasia, the film also traces the daughter’s emotional struggle in the face of her father’s decision. Although it is an entertaining film, it does not show much growth compared to the director’s previous work.
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