55 films and 'half Italian' in Cannes which is not there

The 73rd edition of the Cannes Film Festival did not take place but somehow it exists. Despite the cancellation of the most important film competition in the world due to the war on the coronavirus, the general delegate, Thierry Frémaux, presented this afternoon together with President Pierre Lescure - reconfirmed today for a third term - a selection of 56 films that will still be marked with the Festival logo, the famous Palma known at the four corners of the planet. "The selection exists, it is here, and it is also beautiful. It tells us that cinema, which disappeared from theaters for three months, in 2020 (...) is more alive than ever. Cinema is not dead. Nor is it sick", he exults the volcanic Frémaux, excited to have received "over 2,000 feature films, 2067 to be precise", an absolute record in the history of Cannes, which in his opinion shows the vitality of cinema despite the locdown. The Official Selection consists of 56 films this year (against 59 in 2019) from 147 countries. Sixteen those made by female directors, against 14 last year. Great attention also to the beginners, with 15 first works, but no Italian. The Cannes Film Festival, whose 2020 edition was supposed to take place from 12 to 23 May, only jumped twice, during the Second World War and in May '68. If this year it could not take its usual form, with the red carpet and all the glamor of the Croisette, due to the invisible enemy, the organizers were still keen to ensure continuity. "For us - says Frémaux - it was necessary to make sure that it might take on a new form, but that it would not disappear". Hence the idea of ​​the official selection against winds and tides. The aim is that the Cannes logo will induce the public to return to the theater to see the selected works when the theaters will reopen, at least in France, from 22 June. "Deciding to draw up an official selection is the best way to help the cinema", points out the general delegate, adding: "The reopening of the theaters, after months of closing, is a crucial challenge. Even in the absence of events on the Croisette, and above all in their absence, the Official Selection will retain all its role ". In any case, an atypical and exceptional situation that led the management to cancel the traditional categories' Compétition ',' Un certain Regard ',' Hors Compétition ',' Séances de Minuit ',' Séances Spéciales', to the advantage of new categories: ' Les fidèles', 'Les nouveaux venus',' Premiers films'. Selected films include "The French Dispatch" by Wes Anderson, "Été 85" by François Ozon, "True Mother" by Naomi Kawase, "Lovers Rock" by Steve McQueen, "Mangrove" by Steve McQueen, "Druk (Another Round ) "by Thomas Vinterberg," Last Words "by Jonathan Nossiter," ADN "by Maïwenn," Heaven: to the land of happiness "by Im Sang-soo," El olvido que seremos "by Fernando Trueba," La chasse aux truffes "by Michael Dweck and Gregory Keshaw," Neuf jour à Raqqa "by Xavier Tolosane," Antoinette dans les Cévennes "by Caroline Vignale," Les deux Alfred "by Bruno Podalydès. But not even an Italian film. "Why no Italian film?" Asked the president, Pierre Lescure, ironically mimicking a proverbial question asked in the past by Italian reporters. Frémaux's reply is dry: "I can say that there is one that is almost Italian, 'La chasse à la truffe'", a US film shot in Italy ", on a group of passionate truffle hunters.