TIFF 50: "Sentimental Value" falls victim to high expectations

by Cláudio Alves

To be loved so intensely, showered in adoration by a captive captivated crowd and the world beyond, can be as much of a curse as it is a blessing. Those who follow film festivals and the awards that come after are very familiar with such pitfalls. After all, who among us hasn't gone to the theater, hyped on months of exhaustive praise for a title that, when all is said and done, isn't as special as you thought it would be? Last year at TIFF, I wrote about my disappointment with Anora and loathing of Emilia Pérez, which was made worse by the reputation both films had accrued at Cannes and the palpable affection you could feel emanating from the Toronto crowd. 

This year, I come to you with a similar experience, another Cannes darling that failed to meet the high expectations placed upon it. Sorry, folks, but Joachim Trier's Sentimental Value left me cold…

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New Oscar Charts: Can Norway finally win "Best International Feature Film"?

by Nathaniel R

possible submissions from Japan & Norway

Counterintuitively, we begin this year's April Foolish Predictions (two months late --- woot!) with a category for which we currently have no proof of eligibility for. No country that competes in Oscar's annual Best International Feature Film category has (yet) announced their submission. But we do know, from past experiences, that many of the submissions each year will have premiered at film festivals ranging from last fall in 2024 through the fall of 2025. So we looked at recent editions of Sundance, Berlinale, and Cannes for clues. This is great fun to do as anything is possible this early; you don't even need a US distributor to compete (though of course it doesn't hurt)...

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Cannes at Home: Champions of the Neon God

by Cláudio Alves

Let's hope Neon gives Panahi's Palme winner a proper release. No LA CHIMERA nonsense, please.

Neon is on a hot streak. Jafar Panahi's It Was Just an Accident marks the sixth Palme d'Or winner in a row that the distributor will handle for its US release. Then again, they achieved this by leaving nothing to chance, going on a shopping spree of perceived frontrunners. To the point where they have American distribution rights for four of the eight prizewinning films. The other heavy-hitter was Joachim Trier's Sentimental Value, which took the Grand Prix, tantamount to second-place honors. But, of course, we shouldn't forget about the films that got no trophy. In between the two big champions, Mario Martone presented Fuori, and Carla Simón moved audiences with her Romería. If Oliver Hermanus' The History of Sound wasn't as acclaimed as one would hope, remember that much can change as far as critical consensus is concerned once more people see these Cannes titles. 

For the penultimate Cannes at Home special, let's examine some of these auteur's earlier efforts, all character studies in their own way. There's Panahi's The White Balloon, Martone's Nostalgia, Simón's Summer 1993, Hermanus' Moffie, and Trier's Reprise…

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Norway's Amanda Awards: "Worst Person in the World" and more...

by Nathaniel R

Trier and Vogt with their Amanda Award for "Worst Person in the World" © Grethe Nygaard˙

I once briefly lived in the breathtakingly beautiful town of Haugesund, Norway and made one of my best friends for life there (hei Thomas!). He now lives there again after many years in Los Angeles and if I had any money at all I would be there right now to attend the annual Norwegian Film Festival which takes place there each year. This year's festival runs from today, August 20th, through the 26th. One of the most interesting things about this festival is that it basically kicks off with Norway's annual Oscar-like ceremony, The Amanda Awards...

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Cannes Jury 2022: Vincent Lindon will preside.

by Nathaniel R

Vincent Lindon in Titane (2021)

Hot off his incredible work in Titane (2021), for which he received numerous accolades including a European Film Award nomination, Vincent Lindon will preside over this year's jury at the Cannes Film Festival. Lindon previously won Best Actor at Cannes for his role in The Measure of a Man (2015). The other members of the jury are...

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