With Cannes just over a month away, the guessing game begins prior of the end of April announcement that will officially confirm which titles will or won’t be making their debut on the Croisette. So far, what we do know is that “Robin Hood” will be opening the festival, while “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps” will be getting a splashy out-of-competition premiere.
The title that everyone seems to be anxious to see is Terrence Malick’s “Tree Of Life,” but its also been the one that has met inquiries with the cagiest of answers. As was previously reported, Apparition honcho Bob Berney said that the picture will hit U.S. theaters in November and, “that doesn’t mean it won’t be ready for Cannes.” Not exactly a confirmation, but not a denial either. Ratcheting up the speculation a notch further, Anne Thompson reported this weekend that “[the film] is in fact finished, but that River Road and Apparition chief Bill Pohlad is not putting pressure on Malick to deliver in time for Cannes.”
Normally we might display a heavy dose of skepticism here, but Thompson is tight with Bearney and the Apparition folks and has been before the company started. While we’re sure that Pohlad is leaving Malick to determine if and when he’s ready to show his film to the public, if its far enough along to be called, for all intents and purposes “finished” we can imagine that Pohlad also wants to unspool his highest profile film of the year (which also apparently contains a performance by Brad Pitt that shatters his nice guy image) at the biggest film event of the year. That said, Malick is a perfectionist and if he isn’t ready than that will pretty much be the final word on the matter.
And there shouldn’t even be any question as to whether or not Cannes would even accept the film — would they dare turn down one of the most heavily anticipated films of the year by one of current cinemas greatest auteurs? Hell no.
