12 Must See Films from Cannes ‘09 (plus one)

“A Prophet”, directed by Jacques Audiard
After its screening during the first weekend of Cannes, early speculation was that Audiard’s film could be the second French Palme d’Or winner in a row (“The Class took the festival’s top prize last year), but the film ended up with the Cannes jury’s second prize, the Grand Prix. iW called the film’s star, Tahar Rahim’s performance “a breakthrough” during the festival. The gangster story takes place mostly in a French prison pitting Corsicans against Arabs. Rahim plays Malik, a young naive prisoner who wins the favor of the ruling Corsican thugs running the prison and eventually amasses power himself, not unlike Ray Liotta’s “Henry Hill” in Scorsese’s “Good Fellas.” Though not quite the big winner, audiences will hopefully flock to this film, which some viewers called a ‘masterpiece’. It managed to receive thunderous applause during a final screening on awards day, despite being two an a half hours long. Sony Classics will handle U.S. distribution.

“Dogtooth”, directed by Georgios Lanthimos
The Greek feature won the top prize in this year’s Un Certain Regard section, stirring nearly universal praise among festivalgoers who ventured outside the competition to check out this distinctive sophmore feature. The drama is perhaps a warning sign for those who wish to home school their children… A father and mother keep their kids isolated in their suburban home under their total influence. They don’t see anyone except their father’s employee who is allowed in to satisfy their son’s sexual desires, but one day the daughter gives her a gift and asks for something in return… Or as Boyd van Hoeij wrote in a review for Variety, “Three indefinitely grounded siblings are stuck in an alternative universe dictated by their parents’ cruel whimsies - think an eternal ‘Big Brother’ house as designed by Lars von Trier…”

“Enter the Void”, directed by Gaspar Noe
Lars Von Trier wasn’t the only competition filmmaker to elicit a conflicting chorus of boos and cheers at the festival. Gaspar Noe’s latest made a splash and got the chattering classes - are there any other classes in Cannes? - buzzing during the fest with his film about a brother and sister who recently arrive in Tokyo. Oscar takes up small time drug dealing and Linda strips in a nightclub. Early on in “Enter the Void,” a main character is shot and the striking film becomes a hallucination and study of death, following the person’s spirit, witnessing flashbacks and memories of a rather tragic life and traveling ghost-like throughout Tokyo, mostly from above, moving in on the dramas of the people that are left behind. The film is comprised of continuous digital effects, psychedelic visuals, ambient electronic music, and saturated colors. It’s a fascinating cinematic experience to take in on a big screen. “What was it that Douglas Sirk said to Fassbinder,” Gaspar Noe asked during last week’s press conference, “To make a good melodrama you need, sperm, blood and tears. These are in this film.” Indeed.

“Go Get Some Rosemary”, directed by Josh & Benny Safdie
A rare American indie in Cannes, Josh & Benny Safdie’s “Go Get Some Rosemary” marked the filmmakers’ second year in a row at the festival. Last year, Josh brought his “Pleasure of Being Robbed” to the Director’s Fortnight sidebar and this year the brothers were hailed as the honorary mascots of the section (and praised by Fortnight’s Oliver Pere for restoring hope to American indie film). People talking about the movie in Cannes gave the actual title of the movie itself a thumbs down, but since we don’t judge by a cover (or at least we shouldn’t), we simply can’t overlook this distinctive new story about the lives of the Safdies themselves. “Go Get Some Rosemary” follows Lenny (Ronnie Bronstein in an exceptional performance), a single father who spends just two weeks every year with his young children. When you see the movie, you’ll realize why it could just be two weeks too many. Check it out.

“I Killed My Mother”, directed by Xavier Dolan-Tadros
A discovery in Cannes. Quebecois filmmaker Xavier Dolan-Tadros is all of 20 years old, but his first feature - described as a semi-autobiographical story about the filmmaker, a young homosexual at odds with his mother - made it to the Croisette. And even better, it swept the Directors Fortnight’s four prizes.

Six more films (plus one) on the next page.