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Ah, the summertime. A time where many go to relax and unwind after the hardworking year has treated them. A time for vacations, beaches, and spending time with friends and family more often. As a film fan, that is not the case. The summer is known for big blockbuster spectacles and this year will be unlike any other. With releases from 2020 making their way over to the summer of 2021. However, for big film fans or cinephiles, the summer is known for film festival season where the big-name auteurs debut their newest work to critics who attend. Why is this big news? Well for movies that reach a loud word of mouth, the Academy will recognize some of these films and possibly announce them for the upcoming Academy Awards.
The French Dispatch
The latest from critically acclaimed filmmaker Wes Anderson will debut at Cannes and New York Film Festival this year. Titled The French Dispatch, this follows a newspaper company as they tell stories of France in its past and future. With a star-studded cast like Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Timotheé Chalamet, and Owen Wilson among others; this dark comedy will sure to be the big movie of the year with both critics and audiences.
Red Rocket
Indie darling Sean Baker returns to the big screen with his latest titled Red Rocket. The film tackles the coming of age story of an adult actress who returns to her small town in Texas. This film will be distributed by A24, once again. Red Rocket will debut at Cannes this summer and will make its way into theaters later this year
A24 Buys Sean Baker’s Porn Star Comedy ‘Red Rocket’ https://t.co/uSyI7Bb8mE
— Variety (@Variety) February 25, 2021
Memoria
If there is one filmmaker that is infamous with film fans, it is Apichatpong Weerasethakul. His melancholic stories combined with his slow and elusive camerawork want audiences to find pieces of the puzzle of what is on screen. His latest, Memoria, is his first English language film and stars Tilda Swinton and follows a woman who befriends an archeologist who is fascinated by their art, however, it increasingly becomes more personal and real as their friendship continues. NEON is distributing the film for the US release and will make its premiere at Cannes and surely will receive notoriety during the course of the year.
Neon acquires Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s 'Memoria' starring Tilda Swinton https://t.co/Dq1q6MjtBa pic.twitter.com/xPyGILo5BT
— Screen International (@Screendaily) November 7, 2019
Flag Day
One thing that critics love is actors turned directors. They are impressed with their work on screen and behind the camera. Sean Penn is the latest to turn to a filmmaker with Flag Day. Another Cannes debut, this film follows a daughter of a con artist who is having trouble coming to terms with her past. The film stars Sean Penn, Dylan Penn, and Josh Brolin.
The last time Sean Penn competed at Cannes it was the notorious failure "The Last Laugh." Can his new movie "Flag Day" mark a comeback? The #Cannes2021 lineup puts cinema from America, France, and the Middle East at the forefront, writes @erickohn: https://t.co/PGSdkiff5P pic.twitter.com/U4icI1tHtG
— IndieWire (@IndieWire) June 4, 2021
Annette
Another filmmaker infamous among film buffs is Leos Carax. His visual storytelling and weird and broad concepts attract audiences that ponder life’s questions of morality and the human experience. His latest takes a bit of a shift with Annette. Starring Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard as two lovers in a changing world once their daughter enters their life. This will be the opening night film at Cannes and will surely make its talk due to the music being done by hit band, Sparks. Amazon will distribute the film and this will surely gain cultural heights as La La Land did.
Dune
The Academy is very picking when it comes to nominating blockbusters for major awards but as of recent years, they have nominated some in the genre that defies expectations and make a beautiful piece of art. Denis Villeneuve after surprising fans with his masterpiece Blade Runner 2049, is tackling Frank Herbert’s sci-fi novel, Dune. The film has a star-studded cast of Timotheé Chalamet, Zendaya, Dave Bautista, Oscar Issac, and more. The film will make its debut at Venice International Film Festival and will release in theaters and on HBO Max on October 1st.
