With the 72nd Cannes International Film Festival knocking on the door, we give you a rundown of what to look out for on this international cinema harbor. Festival de Cannes is set to commence from May 14 to 25, 2019 which will be held in Cannes, France.  Like every other year, prominent personalities from the film fraternity around the globe, are all prepared to attend this prestigious film festival.

The Official Poster

Agnès Varda, an impeccable filmmaker and film connoisseur has been part of Cannes for more than a decade now. Her films have been showcased thirteen times in the Official Selection at Cannes over the years. She was a Jury member in 2005 and the President of the Caméra d'Or Jury in 2013. She was also the recipient of the Honorary Palme d'Or, in 2015. In remembrance of her outstanding contributions and her exceptional flair in the world of cinema, the 72nd Festival de Cannes has designed their official poster with one of her photographs. The poster frames an image of 26-year-old Agnès, standing on the shoulders of a technician, shooting her first film La Pointe Courte in 1954. "Avant-garde but popular, intimate yet universal, her films have led the way," said the festival. "And so, perched high on this pyramid, surveying the beach at Cannes, young and eternal, Agnès Varda will be the inspirational guiding light of this 72nd edition of the Festival."

60 years of Marché du Film 

The ultimate bazaar for film professionals, Marché du Film is marking its 60th anniversary, making this year's festival more flamboyant and grand. Each year, the market opens up to serve as a hub for producers, distributors, buyers, programmers, etc. So that emerging filmmakers and innovators from all over the world can come here to muster finances, acquire international exposure and opportunities for their film projects. This was an innovative approach by the Festival de Cannes as it unlocked new possibilities for networking and international visibility.  From its beginning till date, this one-of-a-kind film market has been one of the more alluring and overwhelming aspects of the festival. Marché du Film will be open to film professionals from May 14 to May 23, 2019. 

2019 FIAF Awarded to Jean-Luc Godard 

The International Federation of Film Archives, 2019 FIAF Award was presented to one of the most prominent living exponents and legendary French-Swiss filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard. The award ceremony was held in Lausanne, Switzerland, on April 11, 2019. He was the founding father of the 1960s French New Wave film movement. His creativity and innovation set him apart from the others and everything he directs has his signature mark on it. He started out with his feature debut, Breathless in 1960 followed by several other noted films like, Week-End, Wind from the East, and Every Man for Himself, among others. He stepped out from the conventional narratives of cinema and brought new light to the art of filmmaking. He is a true inspiration for the young filmmakers. 

The Dead Don't Die

The 72nd Festival de Cannes will open with the screening of Jim Jarmusch's new film, The Dead Don't Die at the Palme d'Or competition. It will be shown on the screen of the Grand Théâtre Lumière on May 14, 2019. The actor and director, Edouard Baer will be the Master of Ceremony. The film is set in the small town of Centerville, which suddenly comes under zombie attack, and the local sheriffs fight the army of corpses. The star-studded cast includes Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Chloe Sevigny, Tilda Swinton, Selena Gomez, among others. Jarmusch first appeared at Cannes in 1984 with Stranger Than Paradise, which won the Caméra d'Or.

Honorary Palme d'or

The esteemed French actor, Alain Delon will receive the Honorary Palme d'Or for his exceptional acting charisma and contributions to the film fraternity. The festival said the Honorary Palme d'Or will "pay tribute to Delon's wonderful presence in the history of film." Among his noted performances, he has widely been appreciated for movies like Rocco and His Brothers, Plein Soleil, L'Eclisse, The Leopard and Le Samouraï.

The Jury

Mexican Director, Alejandro González Iñárritu will chair the main jury for the festival. He has received two Oscars in the Best Director category for Birdman and The Revenant.  Lebanese actor and director, Nadine Labaki will be leading the Un Certain Regard Jury. Noted French filmmaker, Claire Denis is set to be the President of the Short Films & Cinéfondation Jury and Ciro Guerra for the Critics' Week jury.

By Joana Nomrata Mazumder