A few weeks before the announcement of the official selection of the 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, taking place from May 16 to 27, Thierry Frémaux lifted the veil behind the scenes of the next festivities in a long interview with Variety.
After two editions engorged by a surplus of productions which did not find an outlet during the pandemic, the general delegate affirmed his desire to return to a more traditional edition.
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2023 should mark Martin Scorsese's return to the Croisette, for the first time in almost forty years, with
Killers of the Flower Moon
.
Adapted from the novel by David Grann, the film bringing together Leonardo di Caprio and Robert de Niro, distributed by Apple and Paramount will benefit from both a theatrical release, from October 18, as well as on the Apple TV + platform.
“
We are in talks with Apple and Paramount,
declared Thierry Frémaux.
For 2023, the important thing is to make sure that Martin Scorsese is present with his new film which is an important work.
The last time he came with a film was for
After Hours
in 1986!”.
Read alsoWill Martin Scorsese be in Cannes in 2023 with his Killers of the Flower Moon?
A film distributed by a platform in Cannes?
Thierry Frémaux has not changed his position, he assures us, specifying in passing where his stormy relations with Netflix were.
“Netflix movies are welcome
,” he says.
But
“as they are not released in theaters, they can be broadcast out of competition
”
.
“
I would like to convince them to come, not to stay away.
The world is changing, but Cannes is a film festival that defends cinemas”
, he argued, admitting the importance of the
“contribution to the creative world”
of the American operator.
Indiana Jones preview
In terms of glitter, the public will be served with the preview presentation of
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
“I saw the film, it is magnificent.
We would be delighted to show it at Cannes
,” affirmed Thierry Frémaux.
Cutting short a rumour, he assured that
Strange Way of Life,
a short film by Pedro Almodovar, would not open the event:
“It's a short film, so no, not on the evening of the premiere.
It's a rumour, but I like rumours, they are part of the Cannes mythology”.
The delegate general was less categorical on a possible presence of the controversial Woody Allen and Roman Polanski who plan to release a film each this year.
"I don't think Roman Polanski's film is ready for Cannes,
" he said
.
Maybe the Woody Allen movie will be.
We will position ourselves according to the situation.”
Read alsoThe new Polanski, The Palace, is trying to get a place in Cannes and at the Mostra
On the other hand, a profound optimism is in order when he evokes the return of the Hollywood studios to the Croisette, well represented last year with
Top Gun: Maverick
and
Elvis.
“The friendship between France and Hollywood is historic.
The studios have always loved coming to the Cannes Film Festival.
It was founded in 1939 and organized in 1946 by France and the United States: 2023 will once again prove the strength of this link, I am sure!
»
Question link, the general delegate will strengthen the one he created last year with the Chinese social network TikTok, whose partnership he renews.
“In France, TikTok has collaborated with the best cultural institutions, working with the Louvre Museum, the Palace of Versailles and now with Cannes.
We are happy to help make the festival more accessible to younger people.
And the figures are really impressive,
emphasizes Thierry Frémaux.
As far as we are concerned, we look at how creators are compensated and TikTok reassures us of their intentions.
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Paradoxically, the announcement comes at a time when recriminations are multiplying against the Chinese network, suspected of being a Trojan horse of the Chinese regime and directories on the private data of its users outside the standards.
“We also know that TikTok raises many questions from governments because it is a Chinese company,
temporized Thierry Frémaux.
We are certainly happy with the results of this partnership and the human relationship that we have established with them, but we are, with the new president Iris Knobloch, aware that the commitments made by TikTok must be respected.