Written by Kianna Best on Apr 16, 2023. Posted in Awards and Festivals

Cannes Film Festival announces its official selection for 2023

With just a month to go until the start of one of the most anticipated cinema celebrations of the year, the 2023 instalment of the Cannes Film Festival has announced its official lineup. The festival’s director made the announcement on 13 May alongside incoming festival president Iris Knobloch. As Swedish filmmaker and two-time Palme d’Or winner Ruben Östlund takes the helm as jury president, the material on offer for judging features entries from talent such as Jonathan Glazer, Ken Loach, Wes Anderson and many more. Delivering a star studded slate of projects, this year’s festival will also present a record number of women directors as well as a culturally diverse array of entrants  in competition.

Opening the competition will be Jeanne du Barry by Maïwenn. Starring the director as Madame de Barry, Johnny Depp, Pierre Ricard and Noémie Lvovsky, the film follows the life of Jeanne Bécu, born as the illegitimate daughter of an impoverished seamstress and goes on to rise through the court of Louis XV to become his last official mistress. The period feature began shooting during July 2022 in Versailles and other regions of Paris, bringing the essence of the authentic locale.

Jeanne du Barry © Stephanie Branchu / Why Not Productions.

Breaking their own record this year, Cannes Film Festival will include six female directors in their competition line up: Alice Rohrwacher (La Chimera), Jessica Hausner (Club Zero), Catherine Breillat (Last Summer), Justine Triet (Anatomie d’une chute), Ramata-Toulaye Sy (Banel et Adama), and Kaouther Ben Hania (Olfa’s Daughters). Sy will also be the second black woman to be included in the competition line up for the Palme d’Or.

With many anticipated projects making their way to the Palais, Hollywood will be in attendance with the return of the whip cracking explorer in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and directorial legend Martin Scorsese displaying his Leonardo DiCaprio led Killers of the Flower Moon. Strange Way of Life by Pedro Almodóvar is also included in the official selection as the western makes its world premiere. Shot in the south of Spain, the 30 minute short captures the moments when Silva played by Pedro Pascal and Jake portrayed by Ethan Hawke reconnect after 25 years.

The full selection can be found HERE.