Spanish director Pedro Almodovar’s latest film will open the festival May 12.
PARIS (AP) – “The Ladykillers,” the Coen brothers’ remake of a 1955 comedy caper, will be among the 18 films in competition at the Cannes Film Festival next month.
For the first time, a Thai film will be shown in competition, Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s “Tropical Malady.” And in another first, two animated films will be in the running: “Shrek 2” by American director Andrew Adamson and “Innocence” by Oshii Mamoru of Japan.
Organizers also announced Wednesday that three French films had made it into competition: “Clean” by Olivier Assayas; “Comme une Image” by Agnes Jaoui; and “Exils” by Tony Gatlif.
Among other films to vie for the coveted top honor, the Palme d’Or: “The Motorcycle Diaries” by Brazilian Walter Salles; “Life is a Miracle” by Bosnian filmmaker Emir Kusturica; “2046” from Hong Kong’s Wong Kar-Wai; “La Nina Santa” by Argentinian Lucretia Martel; “La Femme est l’Avenir de l’Homme” by South Korean director Hong Sang Soo; and “Fahrenheit 9/11” by Academy Award-winning documentarian Michael Moore.
Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill – Vol. 2” will be among films shown outside of competition, and Tarantino will preside over the jury at this year’s festival, which runs May 12-23.
Other jury members: French actress Emmanuelle Beart, Belgian performer Benoit Poelvoorde, American director Jerry Schatzberg, U.S. star Kathleen Turner and Scottish actress Tilda Swinton.
Another film to be shown separately from the contest is Wolfgang Petersen’s “Troy” starring Brad Pitt, who’s expected to make his first appearance at Cannes to promote the film.
“Bad Education” by Pedro Almodovar, which tackles the topic of clerical sexual abuse, will kick off the festival. The closing film will be Irwin Winkler’s “De-Lovely,” starring Kevin Kline, Ashley Judd and Jonathan Pryce.
The U.S. entries include previous Cannes winners: Moore, whose “Bowling for Columbine” (2002) went on to win an Oscar; and Joel and Ethan Coen, who won two prizes for “Barton Fink” in 1991.
AP-ES-04-21-04 1221EDT
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