Another 13 short films will also be showcased, selected from 2,340 entries.
Why did you select this film for your opening?
AVA CAHEN:Laura shook spectators with her first film [Playground].
Cannes Critics' Week Artistic Director Ava Cahen© Aurélie Lamachère
There, we were at the level of a child.
Here we are at the level of an adult.
Without saying too much, the story taps into the Munchausen syndrome.
Its a film that truly astounded us.
Its barely an hour and a quarter long, its a slap in the face.
DEADLINE:Six of the 11 features in the lineup are directed by women.
Was that a deliberate move?
CAHEN:Among the 1,000 film submissions, a third were directed by women.
DEADLINE:Going back to the theme of precariousness, its not only tackled through the prism of motherhood.
There are also films like Martin JauvatsBaise en Villeand Guillermo GaloesSleepless City.
These films tackling serious social topics do so through a prism of light and hope.
These films are delicate, but venture to move toward the light and not toward darkness.
Its the message of the selection.
Theres much less security.
DEADLINE:The lineup feels predominantly European and Asian this year…
CAHEN:Asia is in full force.
Thats been the case for a while.
The last Spanish film we selected wasLibertadby Clara Roquet in 2021, when I wasnt the artistic director.
DEADLINE:The Netherlands is also represented in the selectionfor the first time since 1998, with Sven BressersReedland.
He begins to investigate or counter-investigate and take the police to task.
Sven Bresser is very talented.
You dont know if what youre watching is reality, or if it is the mans fantasies.
DEADLINE:Many of the selected films involve minority or majority French co-producers.
Whats behind this trend?
CAHEN:Not everyone can rely on a body like Frances CNC.
There were Colombian, Brazilian and Argentinian films until last year.
Id love to say there is a strong film industry in Chechnya but its not the case.
The director is a refugee in France.
We found it atypical and singular.
Are you making a special effort to include documentary?
CAHEN:Theres no quota.
The only quota that exists is that a film is a first or second film.
The fact weve had two documentaries over the past two years is a happy coincidence.
It shows the strength of documentaries, and Id say thats the case everywhere.
Weve seen documentaries from all over the world.
Its not about filling in blanks.
Every time we make a selection, we ask ourselves what do we want to defend here.
DEADLINE:The 2025 edition will close with Momoko SetosDandelions Odyssey.
Can you tell us a bit about the film?
Its an ecological fable reminiscent ofFlowin the sense that its an adventure film without dialogue.
DEADLINE:2024 Cannes Palme dOr winner Sean Baker is involved in competition titleLeft-Handed Girlby longtime Taiwanese-American collaborator Shih-Ching Tsou.
Is it in a similar vein to his work?
CAHEN:The film was edited by Sean.
DEADLINE:Will Sean Baker accompany Shih-Ching Tsou and the film to Cannes?
CAHEN:I dont know and what interests me most is obviously the director.
There is a mix of American and Asian cinema.
Theres a fusion that works.
Its a cocktail that Ive never seen before …
