Cannes 2024 - Anora by Sean Baker

Sean Baker’s Anora is exactly the kind of film only he could make, a brash, loud, and unapologetically vibrant portrait of life on the margins, infused with chaotic comedic energy and a lingering tinge of sadness. Following the story of Anora or Ani as she wants to be called, an lap dancer trying to carve out a better life for herself, the film is a whirlwind of emotions, anchored by a phenomenal, star making performance from Mikey Madison. 

Cannes 2024 - The Shrouds by David Cronenberg

In The Shrouds, prominent businessman Karsh (Vincent Cassel), inconsolable since the death of his wife Becca (Diane Kruger),  invents a revolutionary and controversial technology that allows the living to monitor their deceased loved ones in their graves. 

While the synopsis sounds very David Cronenberg indeed, those expecting graphic horror and the kind of gasp inducing moments delivered in his most celebrated films will be sorely disappointed. With its glacial pace, a tone that verges on the detached at times but with a surprising humour at other times, very dialogue heavy in some parts but with a lowkey dreamlike quality in others, this feels very him while still a departure from his usual style in some ways.

Cannes 2024 - Rumours by Guy Maddin

Guy Maddin’s Rumours is a film that defies easy categorisation, a surreal, deadpan political horror comedy that feels like The Thick of It directed by Jean Rollin, with a dash of Eurotrash absurdity thrown in for good measure. Set in the misty woods surrounding a castle at night, the film follows a group of G7 leaders who become stranded during a summit and must navigate a series of increasingly bizarre and unsettling events. 

The first act is absolutely hilarious, with Cate Blanchett, who plays the German chancellor, delivering an unhinged performance complete with a comedy German accent and she is complemented by the ensemble supporting cast around her, a game ensemble of international actors who match her energy and keep the film engaging, at least for a while. Maddin’s sharp wit and knack for absurdity shine through in moments of biting political satire and surreal visual gags. One particularly memorable scene involves the leaders attempting and failing to draft a joint statement, a sad indictment on the standstill world politics seem to be at the moment. 

Cannes 2024 - The Substance by Coralie Fargeat

Genre cinema still remains a rarity in Cannes outside the midnight screenings and especially in competition so the presence of Coralie Fargeat 's second film after Revenge and the few mysterious stills recently released were intriguing. Yet from its very first scenes all the way to its glorious finale, its inclusion feels more than justified. 

The story follows a fading Hollywood star, Elisabeth Sparkle, stuck in post glory fitness TV hell, who loses her job just as she turns 50 and who goes through a mysterious, experimental procedure to regain her youth, the substance. What begins as a Faustian bargain quickly spirals into a nightmarish descent as her new, idealised self (a game Margaret Qualley begins to eclipse her original identity, leading to battle for (self) control.

Cannes 2024 - Black Dog by Guan Hu

Guan Hu’s Black Dog is a film of quiet power and understated beauty, a story that explores the unlikely bond between an ex-convict and a stray dog against the backdrop of a rapidly changing China. Unsentimental yet deeply warm, the film is filled with a melancholic and lingering poetry. It is also a meditation on redemption, resilience, and the fragile connections that sustain us, set against the harsh but breathtaking landscapes of the Gobi Desert. 

Cannes 2024 - Three Kilometres to the End of the World by Emanuel Parvu

Emanuel Parvu’s Three Thousand Kilometres to the End of the World is a film that lingers in the mind long after the credits roll, a quietly devastating exploration of prejudice, systemic corruption, and the suffocating weight of silence. Set in a picturesque Romanian village, the film contrasts its idyllic surroundings with the psychological violence simmering beneath the surface, creating a tension that is as unsettling as it is compelling. 

Cannes 2024 - Bird by Andrea Arnold

Andrea Arnold’s Bird begins as a quintessential Andrea Arnold film: gritty, intimate, and unflinchingly real. Shot in her signature style, with handheld cameras and natural lighting, the film immerses you in the lives of its characters from the very first frame. But as the story unfolds, it reveals a depth of emotion and an unexpected tenderness that transcends Arnold’s usual social realism. By the end, Bird becomes something profoundly poetic, a film that lingers in the heart long after the credits roll.