As we begin to take inventory of 2019 and focus on 2020 and beyond, one of the first big projects that we’re excited about seeing in the new year is Wes Anderson’s “The French Dispatch.” We’ve been closely following the film’s progress, from rumors to casting to production to acquisition. And now, as we get closer to when we think the film will debut (I mean, Cannes seems logical, right?), some new wrinkles are being introduced that are seriously making our interest in “The French Dispatch” actually increase, if that was possible.
European actress Cécile de France isn’t expected to have a large role in “The French Dispatch,” as it’s rumored that she plays the Parisian friend of Frances McDormand’s character in the film, but in a recent interview with France24, she let some information slip about the upcoming movie that has our minds racing.
According to the actress, she said that filming “The French Dispatch” was an interesting experience because it’s difficult to know what the final version of the project will look like because there will be segments of “black and white” and “animation.” Now, animation isn’t anything new to a Wes Anderson film. He’s used stop-motion previously and it’s unclear if that’s what she means, or perhaps the filmmaker is using more traditional styles. However, the black and white aspect is new and leads us to believe that “The French Dispatch” could be structured in a very interesting way.
From all the reports, we know that “The French Dispatch” is a “love letter to journalism” and is said to focus on a US media outlet’s work in France over the course of decades. With the fact that the film is expected to jump from decade to decade, covering all sorts of political and social issues, utilizing a filmmaking style like black and white is a great way to illustrate the differences in time period. Perhaps Anderson is going to play around with his usual style a little to give each time period its own look and feel?
Hopefully, we’ll find out soon enough, as Fox Searchlight has announced that the film is coming in 2020. And as mentioned above, a spring debut at Cannes does seem like a good spot for a world premiere.
