At this point last year, it was clear the 2020 Cannes Film Festival was canceled. We were knee-deep in the worst of the pandemic and in-person film festivals seemed like an absolutely ludicrous idea. Well, a year later, not only is Cannes returning for 2021 (though a few months late), but according to Thierry Fremaux, the director of the festival, the event is going to be bigger than ever, in more ways than one.
In a new interview with Variety, Fremaux detailed the big changes that are going to happen at this year’s Cannes. Other than the change in date from April to July, the event is going to take advantage of the summer months by spreading out the screenings to more outdoor events and offering more venues for folks to check out the features. Obviously, this is also a by-product of the necessary social distancing requirements and safety concerns, but it does sound like there will be more places than ever before to watch a film at the festival.
In addition, while the number of new films that are being selected from is on par with previous years, the fact that Cannes didn’t happen in 2020 has led the event to deal with the fact that there are already more solid choices than ever before (including Wes Anderson’s “The French Dispatch,” which was supposed to premiere last year and seems primed and ready to go for 2021). And in addition to the films that will play in-competition, it appears that there’s going to be at least one major film in the out-of-competition field that Fremaux is excited about.
“First off, we have seen some beautiful American films and the selection will reflect that,” said the Cannes director. “When studios put forward films, the discussions are productive. For that matter, one of them has just made a great offer — a planetary blockbuster that will please all festivalgoers.”
“Planetary blockbuster,” huh? While discussion around The Playlist has put forth a number of films that might fit that sort of criteria, given Cannes’ interesting past when it comes to out-of-competition picks, it really could mean anything. This is the festival that premiered “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” “Shrek,” “Blues Brothers 2000,” “Dirty Dancing,” “Godzilla” (the 1998 version), and “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith.” So, really there’s no way of knowing what film could fit the criteria? “Black Widow?” “Space Jam 2?”
For those cinephiles interested in non-blockbuster fare, you’ll be excited to know that there are changes to one of the major sections at Cannes, the coveted Un Certain Regard.
“We have decided, with Stéphanie Lamome and Christian Jeune, to refocus Un Certain Regard on its origins, meaning on young filmmakers, and innovative and personal films that we only see in a cinema,” said Fremaux.
So, even though this is shaping up to be one of the more unique Cannes Film Festivals, if you’re planning on attending the French event this summer, it appears there will be plenty of chances to watch quality films and perhaps get a glimpse of what Cannes will look like moving ahead.
The 2021 Cannes Film Festival is expected to begin on July 6.