Cannes Critics Week, the sidebar festival running alongside the main Cannes line-up, dedicated to debut and sophomore films, has announced the line-up for its 61st edition. The festival will be kicking off with “When You Finish Saving the World,” the directorial debut of Jesse Eisenberg starring Julianne Moore which made its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year (read our review here).
The festival will also showcase female directors and has four women filmmakers in its main competition (currently, Cannes’ main competition line-up only features three female filmmakers, a fact that has been hit with criticism from various media and pundits).
“When You Finish Saving the World” is an A24 dramedy that centers around the estranged relationship between a politically-engaged mother (Moore) and her fame-obsessed teenage son (Finn Wolfhard from “Stranger Things”) who is trying to become internet famous with his folk music.
Another main highlight is “Da-eum-so-hee” (“Next Sohee”), a gripping feminist crime film according to Variety that stars Bae Doo-na (“Cloud Atlas”), known for her work in the films of Hirozaku Kore-eda, Park Chan-wook and Bong Joon-ho. The film is from South Korean filmmaker Jung July.
Another competition title to look out for is Charlotte Wells’ “Aftersun,” which features “Normal People” star Paul Mescal opposite Francesca Corio, in a father/daughter story. Leila Hatami (“A Separation”) also stars in “Tasavor” (“Imagine”) the feature debut of Iranian director Ali Behrad. The Directors Fortnight Cannes sidebar revealed its line-up yesterday, so that’s basically the full Cannes line-up aside from the up-to-ten more titles the Cannes organizers have teased in various interviews that will still be announced at some point. Cannes Critics Week runs May 18 through May 28.
Here’s the full lineup:
Competition
“Aftersun,” Charlotte Wells
United Kingdom – United States
“Alma Viva” (“Love According to Dalva”), Cristèle Alves Meira
France – Portugal
“Dalva,” Emmanuelle Nicot
Belgium – France
“La Jauría,” Andrés Ramírez Pulido
Colombia – France
“Summer Scars,” Simon Rieth
France
“Tasavor” (“Imagine”), Ali Behrad
Iran
“The Woodcutter Story,” Mikko Myllylahti
Finland – Denmark – Netherlands – Germany
Special Screenings
“When You Finish Saving the World,” Jesse Eisenberg
United States (Opening Film)
“Sons of Ramses,” Clément Cogitore
France
“Everybody Loves Jeanne,” Céline Devaux
France
“Da-eum-so-hee” (“Next Sohee”), Jung July
South Korea (Closing Film)