The 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival is returning with a bang, and Indians are already creating a buzz. The prestigious film fest will be held from May 16 to May 27 in France.
The Cannes Film Festival (French: Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (Festival international du film) and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from all around the world. Founded in 1946, the invitation-only festival is held annually (usually in May) at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès. The festival was formally accredited by the FIAPF in 1951
Sara Ali Khan will walk the red carpet
Bollywood actress Sara Ali Khan will walk the red carpet at the much-awaited Cannes Film Festival in 2023, following the list of other well-known Indian celebrities who have previously represented their nation at the illustrious occasion. Despite the fact that it is rumored to be her debut attendance at Cannes, the event’s program is yet unknown. Sara Ali Khan seemed to be very eager to add this flashy achievement to her filmography, though.
The festival opens Jeanne du Barry
The festival opens with the premiere of Johnny Depp’s film, Jeanne du Barry directed by Maïwenn. According to an AP report, the festival chief was asked about the selection of Jeanne du Barry as the festival’s opening film, and he said, ” I don’t know about the image of Johnny Depp in the US. To tell you the truth, in my life, I only have one rule, it’s the freedom of thinking, the freedom of speech, and the freedom to act within a legal framework. If Johnny Depp had been banned from acting in a film, or the film was banned we wouldn’t be here talking about it.”
Other Details
The red carpet will roll out next week with the premiere of Johnny Depp’s comeback film ‘Jeanne du Barry’, in which he is essaying the role of King Louis XV of France.
Michael Douglas will be honored with the Palm d’Or award. The red carpet will also be graced by Leonardo DiCaprio, Natalie Portman, and Harrison Ford, among other Hollywood personalities.
Cannes Debutants
Desi divas are all set to make India proud at Cannes 2023.
Actress Anushka Sharma, who is the brand ambassador of L’Oréal Paris, will represent India at Cannes red carpet. A source close to the information said that she will present an award to honour women in cinema alongside Hollywood actress Kate Winslet.
Earlier this month, Sharma even met the France ambassador to India, Emmanuel Lenin, with her cricketer-husband Virat Kohli at French Embassy, in New Delhi. They discussed Sharma’s trip to the film festival which will take place in the fashion capital of the world, France.
On the other hand, 2017 Miss World and actress Manushi Chillar will also make her Cannes debut this year. She will be joining Sharma at the prestigious film fest.
Singer Kumar Sanu’s daughter Shannon K will also.
make her Cannes debut. Shannon Kumar Sanu, who started her career as a singer in 2018 with ‘Poo Bear’, added acting feather in 2020 with ‘The Big Feed’ in Hollywood and an anti-bullying song, ‘Give Me Your Hand’ with David Arquette, Ed Westwick, Brittany Snow that has received love from a global audience.
Content creator and social media influencer Dolly Singh will also be seen at the Cannes Film Festival this year.
Expected Attendees
Bollywood beauties have never missed a chance to mesmerise the audience at Cannes.
Some of the regular attendees include Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Sonam Kapoor, Mallika Sherawat and Hina Khan, among others. Actresses Katrina Kaif, Pooja Hegde, Tamannaah Bhatia and Aditi Rao Hydari have also walked the red carpet, but it is to be seen who all make a grand comeback next week.
It is believed PeeCee, Ash, Hina and Aditi will also return for several movie premieres. Bollywood personalities like Rai Bachchan, Vidya Balan, Sharmila Tagore, and Padukone, among others, have earlier been part of the jury for the French festival, but this year the panel didn’t have any Indians.
Desi Movies Take Centre-Stage
At this year’s festival, several Indian films will be screened.
Director Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Kennedy’ has been selected as part of the Midnight Screenings section of the festival.
Rahul Roy-starrer ‘Agra’ will have its world premiere at the Directors’ Fortnight section of the fest. Written and directed by Kanu Behl, the film is an exploration of sexual dynamics within a family and the deep dystopian fractures created in modern India that are fast shrinking into pigeon-holed spaces.
Manipuri film-maker Aribam Syam Sharma’s award-winning film of 1990 ‘Ishanou’ will be screened at Cannes this year. It has been officially selected for a red-carpet world premiere on May 19 at the prestigious Cannes Classic section of the Cannes Film Festival 2023. This restored film becomes the only Indian film to be considered under the Classic Section of the Cannes Film Festival this year, a segment that celebrates restored versions of all-time classics.