Imagine if, in 1996, one of the most prestigious panels of judges on the planet had decided that, actually, they really liked the gangster bit in From Dusk Till Dawn, and it should probably be up for some sort of gong or something, even though they hated the vampire bit and no-one’s bothered to go and see it at the cinema anyway.
That, in essence, is what’s just happened – Quentin Tarantino’s been Palme d'Or shortlisted for Death Proof, which we’re sure pleases poor old Robert Rodriguez no end.
Old 'nana chin will be up against some biggies, including Gus Van Sant’s Paranoid Park, The Coen Brother’s No Country For Old Men, and Fincher’s Zodiac.
The smart money’s on Emir Kusterica, though. He’s taken home the Golden Palm twice before, and will be hoping that his tale of a Serbian pensioner praying for his son to bring back a wife from Belgrade, Promise Me This, will complete a historic hat-trick.
But if you’re not bothered about trinkets, comfort yourself with the news that some pretty exciting flicks will be making their debut at the Fest.
Michael Moore’s Sicko will start its wave of inevitable controversy, as the tubby helmer presents his completely unbiased take on America’s healthcare system to the Cannes crowds.
And Festival opener My Blueberry Nights has a cast to boast about, including Tim Roth, Natalie Portman, Jude Law, Ed Harris, and loads more brilliant names.
CANNES 2007: OFFICIAL SELECTION
OPENER
My Blueberry Nights - Hong Kong, Wong Kar Wai
IN COMPETITION
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly - France, Julian Schnabel
Auf der anderen Seite des Lebens - Turkey, Fatih Akin
No Country For Old Men - U.S., The Coen Brothers
Paranoid Park - U.S., Gus Van Sant
Death Proof - U.S., Quentin Tarantino
Zodiac - U.S., David Fincher
Mogari No Mor - Japan, Naomi Kawase
Promise Me This - Serbia, Emir Kusturica
Secret Sunshine - South Korea, Lee Chang-dong
4 luni, 3 saptamini si 2 zile - Romania, Cristian Mungiu
Stellet licht - Mexico, Carlos Reygadas
Import/Export - Austria, Ulrich Seidl
Alexandra - Russia, Alexander Sokurov
The Man From London - Hungary, Bela Tarr
The Banishment - Russia, Andrey Zvyagintsev
Une Vieille Maitresse - France, Catherine Breillat
Les Chansons d'amour - France, Christophe Honore
Persepolis - France, Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud
Tehilim - France, Raphael Nadjari
OUT OF COMPETITION - GALA SCREENINGS
A Mighty Heart - U.K., Michael Winterbottom
Sicko - U.S., Michael Moore
Ocean's Thirteen - U.S., Steven Soderbergh
CLOSER
The Age of Darkness - Canada, Denys Arcand
