Unmissable: Pandolin Picks From Cannes 2015

The twelve-day film fete on the French shores, The Cannes International Film Festival, is about to conclude and based on reviews and reactions here’s a list of movies, Indian and foreign, that one should look out for in the coming months.

It’s that time of the year when the focus of all film media shifts to the French Riviera. From the feathered gowns to the selfie ban to the ‘heels-only rule’ to dramatic debates over gender equality to brawls, there’s a lot happening at Festival de Cannes 2015. But all this is just ancillary to the main event – movies.

Masaan

MBA professional-turned-first time moviemaker Neeraj Ghaywan’s Masaan was part of Un Certain Regard (A category for original films from different cultures) at the reputed festival. Starring Richa Chadda and Sanjay Mishra, the film has received an overwhelming response at Cannes. Masaan tells tales of two women in India. While one story is about a young woman who is trapped in a sex scandal by a law-keeper, the other story is a romance between an upper caste girl and a lower caste boy.

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Chauthi Koot

For the first time a Punjabi film was screened at Cannes and it was National Award winning filmmaker Gurvinder Singh’s Chauthi Koot, that was part of Un Certain Regard. The film is based on Waryam Singh Sandhu’s two short stories that are set in militancy-era Punjab. One story is of a militant diktat that prohibited family-owned dogs from barking and another about two friends travelling to Amritsar in a nearly empty train.

Dheepan

A known name at Cannes, French filmmaker Jacques Audiard’s Dheepan is in Competition for Palme d’Or (highest award at the festival). No, the movie isn’t by an Indian filmmaker or about India. Dheepan stars a bunch of non-professional Tamil actors like Antonythasan Jesuthasan, Kalieaswari Srinivasan and a few others. The film revolves around a Tamil militant from Sri Lanka, who with a fake family, moves to Paris to start a new life.

Amy

Indian descent British filmmaker Asif Kapadia, after the award-winning documentary Senna (about Brazilian motor racing driver Aryton Senna), came out with another documentary on an iconic figure, Amy Winehouse. His film digs deep into the life and death of the English singer and songwriter.

Miyan Kal Aana

Hindi film actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s brother Shamas Siddiqui’s short film, Miyan Kal Aana is part of the Short Film Corner. The film is about a man who wants to remarry his ex-wife.

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Carol

Filmmaker Todd Haynes’ Carol, starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, is a tale of lesbian love set in the 50s. The film is based on Patricia Highsmith’s novel ‘The Price of Salt’. Buzz is that it is the strongest contender for Palme d’Or this year.

Tale of Tales

Italian director Matteo Garrone, who has previously screened films and won awards at Cannes, returned to the coveted fete with the visually stunning collection of fairy tales, titled Tale Of Tales. It’s a surreal and hallucinatory depiction of folk lore.

Mountains May Depart

Chinese filmmaker Jia Zhang-ke’s Mountains May Depart has been getting great reviews at the fest. It’s a futuristic drama that takes place in three different parts: 1999, 2014 and 2025.

Sicario

Denis Villeneuve’s crime thriller, Sicario, is about a FBI agent, played by Emily Blunt, out to hunt down a drug cartel on the US and Mexico border.

Inside Out

Pete Docter’s animation Inside Out, produced by Disney and Pixar, is about a young girl’s mind, where five emotions – Joy, Anger, Disgust, Fear and Sadness – try to lead her through her life.

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