The Best and Worst of Cannes 2024
Digest
David Canfield and Richard Lawson, hosts of Vanity Fair's 'Little Gold Men' podcast, delve into the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, offering their insights and predictions for the upcoming awards season. They discuss the Palm d'Or winner, 'Anora,' a Sean Baker film starring Mikey Madison, praising its unique blend of comedy and drama and highlighting Madison's breakout performance. They also discuss 'Emilia Perez,' a Jacques Audiard film starring Zoe Saldana and Selena Gomez, which they found to be a bold and entertaining musical with a trans allegory. The hosts also touch on 'The Substance,' a body horror film starring Demi Moore, which they believe could be a strong contender for awards recognition. They also discuss other notable films from the festival, including 'All We Imagine as Light,' 'The Seed of the Sacred Fig,' 'Kinds of Kindness,' 'Horizon,' 'Megalopolis,' and 'The Apprentice,' analyzing their potential for awards success and discussing the challenges they may face in finding distribution. The episode concludes with a discussion of 'Bird,' an Andrea Arnold film, and 'On Becoming a Guinea Fowl,' a film by Rude Ganno Neone, both of which they found to be strong contenders for awards recognition.
Outlines
Introduction and Cannes Film Festival Overview
This Chapter introduces the podcast and its hosts, David Canfield and Richard Lawson, who are discussing the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. They highlight the unique scheduling system of the festival, which makes it difficult to determine the best films early on. They also discuss the general atmosphere of the festival and the anticipation surrounding the awards.
Palm d'Or Winner: 'Anora'
This Chapter focuses on the Palm d'Or winner, 'Anora,' a Sean Baker film starring Mikey Madison. The hosts discuss their positive impressions of the film, praising its unique blend of comedy and drama, and highlighting Madison's breakout performance. They also discuss the film's potential for awards season success and the role of Neon, the distributor, in its potential success.
Other Notable Films: 'All We Imagine as Light' and 'The Seed of the Sacred Fig'
This Chapter discusses two other notable films from the festival, 'All We Imagine as Light' and 'The Seed of the Sacred Fig.' The hosts discuss the political context of 'The Seed of the Sacred Fig,' a film by Mohamed Rasulov, and its significance as an act of bravery. They also discuss 'All We Imagine as Light,' an Indian film by Payal Kapadia, and its potential for awards recognition.
The Substance and Demi Moore's Performance
This Chapter focuses on 'The Substance,' a body horror film starring Demi Moore. The hosts discuss their positive impressions of the film, praising Moore's performance and the film's potential for awards recognition. They also discuss the film's acquisition by A24 and its potential for a wider audience.
Best Actor Winner: Jesse Plemmons for 'Kinds of Kindness'
This Chapter discusses the Best Actor winner at Cannes, Jesse Plemmons, for his performance in 'Kinds of Kindness.' The hosts discuss Plemmons's performance and the film's potential for awards recognition. They also discuss the film's unique structure and the challenges it may face in finding a wider audience.
Other Notable Films: 'Horizon,' 'Megalopolis,' and 'The Apprentice'
This Chapter discusses other notable films from the festival, including 'Horizon,' 'Megalopolis,' and 'The Apprentice.' The hosts discuss the challenges these films may face in finding distribution and awards recognition. They also discuss the potential for 'The Apprentice' to be released closer to the 2024 election.
Andrea Arnold's 'Bird' and 'On Becoming a Guinea Fowl'
This Chapter discusses two films by Andrea Arnold, 'Bird' and 'On Becoming a Guinea Fowl.' The hosts discuss their positive impressions of both films, praising Arnold's filmmaking and the performances of Barry Keogin and friends. They also discuss the potential for both films to find a wider audience.
Conclusion and Looking Ahead
This Chapter concludes the discussion of the Cannes Film Festival, with the hosts expressing their excitement for the upcoming awards season and the potential for many of the films discussed to find success. They also mention some upcoming releases and events to look forward to.
Keywords
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France. It is one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world, and is known for its competitive nature and its focus on art cinema. The festival awards the Palme d'Or, the highest prize, to the best film in competition.
Palm d'Or
The Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival. It is a golden palm tree, and is given to the best film in competition. The Palme d'Or is considered to be one of the most prestigious awards in the film industry.
Anora
Anora is a 2023 film by Sean Baker, starring Mikey Madison. It won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. The film is a unique blend of comedy and drama, and follows the story of a stripper who gets caught up with the son of a Russian oligarch.
Sean Baker
Sean Baker is an American filmmaker known for his independent films that often explore themes of poverty, marginalization, and social justice. His films are known for their realism, their focus on character development, and their use of non-professional actors. Some of his most notable films include 'Tangerine,' 'The Florida Project,' and 'Red Rocket.'
Mikey Madison
Mikey Madison is an American actress known for her roles in films such as 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,' 'Better Things,' and 'Scream.' She won critical acclaim for her performance in 'Anora,' which earned her the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
Emilia Perez
Emilia Perez is a 2023 film by Jacques Audiard, starring Zoe Saldana and Selena Gomez. The film is a musical with a trans allegory, and follows the story of a lawyer who helps a Mexican drug cartel member transition. The film won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
Jacques Audiard
Jacques Audiard is a French filmmaker known for his films that often explore themes of social justice, crime, and human relationships. His films are known for their realism, their focus on character development, and their use of strong performances. Some of his most notable films include 'A Prophet,' 'Rust and Bone,' and 'Dheepan.'
Zoe Saldana
Zoe Saldana is an American actress known for her roles in films such as 'Avatar,' 'Guardians of the Galaxy,' and 'Star Trek.' She won critical acclaim for her performance in 'Emilia Perez,' which earned her the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
Selena Gomez
Selena Gomez is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is known for her roles in Disney Channel shows such as 'Wizards of Waverly Place' and for her music career. She also starred in the film 'Emilia Perez,' which won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
The Substance
The Substance is a 2023 body horror film starring Demi Moore. The film follows the story of a former movie star who becomes a TV fitness guru and is obsessed with staying young. The film was acquired by A24 and is considered to be a potential awards contender.
Q&A
What was the Palm d'Or winner at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival?
The Palm d'Or winner at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival was 'Anora,' a Sean Baker film starring Mikey Madison.
What other notable films were discussed in the episode?
Other notable films discussed in the episode include 'All We Imagine as Light,' 'The Seed of the Sacred Fig,' 'Emilia Perez,' 'The Substance,' 'Kinds of Kindness,' 'Horizon,' 'Megalopolis,' 'The Apprentice,' 'Bird,' and 'On Becoming a Guinea Fowl.'
What are some of the challenges that films face in finding distribution and awards recognition?
Some of the challenges that films face in finding distribution and awards recognition include the film's subject matter, the film's structure, the film's reception at festivals, and the film's budget. For example, 'The Apprentice,' a film about Donald Trump, may face challenges in finding distribution due to the political climate. 'Horizon,' a Kevin Costner Western, may face challenges in finding a wider audience due to its length and structure. And 'Megalopolis,' a Francis Ford Coppola film, may face challenges in finding distribution due to its mixed reception at festivals.
What are some of the key takeaways from the episode?
Some of the key takeaways from the episode include the importance of strong performances in awards season, the potential for independent films to find success, and the challenges that films face in finding distribution and awards recognition. The episode also highlights the importance of festivals like Cannes in showcasing new and emerging filmmakers.
What are some of the films that the hosts are most excited about for the upcoming awards season?
The hosts are most excited about 'Anora,' 'Emilia Perez,' and 'The Substance' for the upcoming awards season. They believe that these films have the potential to be strong contenders for awards recognition.
What are some of the factors that the hosts believe will influence the success of films in the upcoming awards season?
The hosts believe that the following factors will influence the success of films in the upcoming awards season: the film's reception at festivals, the film's distribution, the film's marketing campaign, and the film's critical reception. They also believe that the political climate and the overall mood of the awards season will play a role in the success of films.
Show Notes
David and Richard are back from the Croisette and ready to break down the highlights (and lowlights) from the Cannes Film Festival 2024. They dig into the big prize-winners, including the potentially Oscar-bound Anora and Emilia Perez, as well as the films that struggled to make much of a splash, including the heavily hyped auteur projects of Francis Ford Coppola (Megalopolis) and Kevin Costner (Horizon). Plus, they share some personal, under-the-radar favorites that deserve to lead long lives out of the festival.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @vfawardsinsider
Follow our hosts: @rilaws, @beccamford, @davidcanfield97
Our editor and producer is Brett Fuchs.
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