The Cannes/Oscars Connection: Could One of This Year’s Fest Titles Wind Up the Next ‘Anora’?

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Since 1955’s “Marty” film won the Palme d’Or at Cannes and later the best picture Oscar, there was minimal indication of a link between Cannes and Oscars for many years. However, in the past five years, movies like “Parasite” and more recently, “Anora”, have mirrored the success of “Marty”.

It’s worth noting that the connection between various events, particularly over the past year, has become increasingly difficult to refute. This is because a remarkable 31 Oscar nominations were given to films that had previously screened at Cannes, distributed among the movies “Anora“, “The Apprentice“, “Emilia Pérez“, “Flow“, “The Girl with the Needle“, “The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent“, “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” and “The Substance“. Furthermore, as much as 40% of the eventual Oscar winners were linked to Cannes, with “Anora” taking home awards for best picture, director, actress, original screenplay, and film editing, “Emilia Pérez” winning in the original song category, “Flow” being recognized as the best animated feature, and “The Substance” earning an award for makeup/hairstyling.

It’s possible that the growing similarity between the Academy and international film festivals like Cannes might be due to a larger proportion of its members now being based outside the U.S. over the past few years, leading to more global or cosmopolitan preferences. Regardless, there’s already buzz about whether some films selected for screenings in Cannes this May could potentially appear at the Oscars next March.

Among the top contenders, according to industry chatter and their previous filmmaking successes, are Wes Anderson’s “The Phoenician Scheme” (Focus) and Spike Lee’s “Highest 2 Lowest” (A24).

The movie titled “The Phoenician Scheme” featuring Benicio del Toro portraying a wealthy businessman who names his daughter, a nun, as the sole beneficiary of his estate is competing, much like three other Anderson films – “2012’s Moonrise Kingdom“, “2021’s The French Dispatch“, and the upcoming 2023 release “Asteroid City” – all of which failed to secure any Oscar nominations. However, it is being touted that “Phoenician” is Anderson’s strongest work since “The Grand Budapest Hotel“, which debuted at Berlin and received nine Oscar nominations, including best picture, four of which resulted in wins in the craft categories, where his films typically excel.

Following in the footsteps of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 masterpiece “High and Low,” Lee’s fresh take, titled “Highest 2 Lowest,” is a gripping crime-thriller that brings me back to work with my long-standing muse, Denzel Washington. Our past collaborations, such as the iconic 1992 film “Malcolm X” and several other overlooked gems, have been an incredible journey.

Recently, it seems like there’s a growing understanding between me and the Academy. For instance, in 2018, our film “BlacKkKlansman” was showered with six Oscar nominations, including best picture, and I took home the award for best adapted screenplay. Similarly, my latest project, “Da 5 Bloods,” also earned a nomination in 2020.

In essence, “Highest 2 Lowest” is another exciting chapter in our creative partnership, and I can’t wait to see where it takes us next!

I’d also recommend paying attention to a new entrant in the competition, the dark comedy titled “Die, My Love,” directed by Lynne Ramsay. This film features Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence as a mother grappling with post-partum depression. It is rumored to be a strong comeback for Lawrence, who is also a producer of this project, and might help Ramsay finally gain recognition from the Academy, which has thus far ignored her exceptional work, particularly in 2011’s “We Need to Talk About Kevin.

Richard Linklater is always a director worth keeping an eye on. His latest work is titled “Nouvelle Vague,” a black-and-white, French-language film competing in the category of movie production, which revolves around the creation of the iconic French New Wave film, “Breathless.” The Academy has a soft spot for movies about cinema, as evident by films like “The Artist,” “The Fabelmans,” “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” “Mank,” “Hugo,” and “La La Land.” This film features Guillaume Marbeck and Zoey Deutch among its cast.

Noteworthy films in the English language to watch out for: The movie “The Mastermind” in competition, directed by Kelly Reichardt, known for her slow-paced movies that have not been well-received by the Academy, but this time around it’s a ’70s heist film featuring Josh O’Connor. Another contender is “Eddington,” also in competition, from Ari Aster who typically creates genre films that are seldom recognized by the Academy, but his latest film, which stars Pedro Pascal, Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, and Austin Butler, seems to focus on COVID-era politics. Additionally, “The History of Sound” by Oliver Hermanus is another competition entry, starring Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor in a gay love story set in the early 20th century. Lastly, “Sorry, Baby,” directed by Eva Victor, which stars Naomi Ackie as a college professor attempting to heal from a sexual assault, was produced by Moonlight Oscar winner Barry Jenkins and has already secured backing from A24.

Additionally, two movies in the Un Certain Regard selection feature debutant directors who were previously actors:

1. “Scarlett Johansson’s ‘Eleanor the Great’,” with June Squibb portraying an elderly woman struggling to restore her life following the death of her best friend. This film has garnered attention from Oscar contenders Sony Classics.

2. “Harris Dickinson’s ‘Urchin’,” a story about a homeless man striving to break free from a destructive pattern in his life.

In terms of non-English films, take note of the competition piece titled “Sentimental Value“, which brings filmmaker Joachim Trier and actress Renate Reinsve together again. They previously worked on 2021’s “The Worst Person in the World“, for which Reinsve earned Cannes’ best actress award, and was nominated for a Best International Feature Oscar. The North American rights to this Norwegian-language drama-comedy have already been purchased by Neon, a company that has won the Palme d’Or prize for the last five years.

Additionally, there’s “The Wave” directed by the Chilean filmmaker Sebastian Lelio, which is showcased in the Cannes Premiere section. This film should not be overlooked as Lelio previously won the best international feature Oscar for “A Fantastic Woman” in 2018, five years after his movie “Gloria” was also Chile’s submission for that competition. His latest work, a musical production, seems to follow his distinctive quirky style. It is inspired by the 2018 feminist protests against gender-based violence and Chile’s patriarchal government.

Any film featuring Isabelle Huppert is worth noting, and Thierry Klifa’s French-language film “The Richest Woman in the World,” which is being screened out of competition, appears to be an excellent platform for the Oscar-nominated best actress from “Elle.” This movie is based on a true story about the billionaire behind L’Oreal’s fortune who fell in love with a significantly younger man.

Mario Martone, the creator of Italy’s 2022 Oscar entry “Nostalgia,” is returning with “Fuori,” a competitive film. This new work is an adaptation from a 1983 novel and tells the story of three women who form a lasting friendship after meeting in prison.

Julia Ducournau’s previous film, titled “Titane,” won the Palme d’Or in 2021, but it wasn’t France’s entry for the Best International Feature Oscar. Yet, her upcoming work, Alpha, follows the success of The Substance, suggesting that the Academy might be becoming more accepting of films like these.

Renowned Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, who has yet to receive an Oscar nomination, is gaining attention with his latest work titled “It Was Just An Accident“, a film that revolves around the ripple effects of a seemingly minor incident. Notably, the Academy has shown increasing interest in Persian-language films over the past decade, as evidenced by last year’s nomination for best international feature and a win for best animated short.

It’s intriguing to consider the situation of the film “Lucky Lu,” chosen for Directors’ Fortnight, which is a contemporary reinterpretation by Canadian director Lloyd Lee Choi, set in New York and told in Chinese. This work serves as a fresh take on the Italian neorealist classic “The Bicycle Thief.” One might wonder if Canada could potentially submit a Chinese-language film for the best international feature Oscar competition?

Ultimately, the strongest evidence supporting the hypothesis of a stronger Cannes/Oscars link could be observed if the Dardenne brothers from Belgium – Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne, renowned neorealist filmmakers who have amassed more awards at Cannes than any other director or team, including two Palme d’Or awards – finally receive their first Oscar nomination. Their latest film, “The Young Mother’s Home,” is currently in competition, which means it could very well be selected as Belgium’s entry for the Best International Feature Film Oscar, as four of their previous films have been. This movie focuses on five women and their children residing together at a center for young mothers.

Indeed, apart from showcasing competitive films in various categories, Cannes also frequently highlights award-worthy documentaries and animated features. This year, some noteworthy documentaries to catch are “I Am Not Your Negro,” an Oscar-nominated work by Raoul Peck titled “Orwell: 2+2=5, delving into the life of George Orwell; Mascha Schilinksi‘s German language film “Sound of Falling“, which explores the lives of four women from different eras connected by a common thread; and “Militantropos“, offering insights into the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. On the animated front, “A Magnificent Life” stands out as a promising contender. This French film, directed by Sylvain Chomet who has been nominated for the best animated feature Oscar twice, follows the life of Marcel Pagnol.

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2025-05-01 00:55