Cannes Film Festival Announces Its Critics' Week Selections, Un Certain Regard Jury President

While most think of the main slate of the Cannes Film Festival as the be-all, end-all of the lineup, the importance of the various sidebars to the festival’s success cannot be overlooked. And today marked two big updates about the festival’s most popular siders, with the Cannes Critics’ Week setting its 2017 lineup and the Un Certain Regard jury naming a president. The Critics’ Week lineup looks to feature another strong year, with returning participants Fabio Grassadonia and Antonio Piazza and first-time filmmaker and “Saturday Night Live” alum Dave McCary bookending the series. As noted by The Hollywood Reporter, Critics’ Week “aims to promote young filmmakers with first or second films in competition,” with a total of seven films playing the festival. Here’s the full lineup of films courtesy of Deadline‘s coverage:

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FEATURE FILMS IN SPECIAL SCREENINGS
Sicilian Ghost Story, dir: Fabio Grassadonia & Antonio Piazza (Opening Night Film)
Bloody Milk, dir: Hubert Charuel*
A Violent Life, dir: Thierry de Peretti

SHORT FILMS SPECIAL SCREENING
After School Knife Fight, dir: Caroline Poggie & Jonathan Vinel
Bad Bunny, dir: Carlos Conceicao
Islands, dir: Yann Gonzalez

CLOSING FILM
Brigsby Bear, dir: Dave McCary*

COMPETITION
Ava, dir: Lea Mysius*
La Familia, dir: Gustavo Rondon Cordova*
Gabriel and the Mountain, dir: Fellipe Gamarano Barbosa
Makala, dir: Emmanuel Gras
Oh Lucy!, dir: Atsuko Hirayanagi*
Los Perros, dir: Marcela Said
Tehran Taboo, dir: Ali Soozandeh*

SHORT FILMS IN COMPETITION
Los Desheredados, dir: Laura Ferrés
Elsa – Sketches on a Departure, dir: Oliver Adam Kusio
Children Leave At Dawn, dir: Manon Coubia
Jodilerks Dela Cruz, Employee of the Month, dir: Carlo Francisco Manatad
Möbius, dir: Sam Kuhn
Real Gods Require Blood, dir: Moin Hussain
Selva, dir: Sofia Quiros Ubeda
Tesla: Luxiere Mondiale, dir: Matthew Rankin
Exposure, dir: Salvatore Lista

Meanwhile, according to another Deadline piece, actress Uma Thurman has been added as the president of the Un Certain Regard jury, the selections of which have yet to be announced. Un Certain Regard is meant to highlight films that offer “unique points of view,” typically by employing a different aesthetic than we’re using to seeing. Hopefully, the selection of a president means that the sidebar films will shortly follow.