FRANCE 24 film critic Jon Frosch left New York in 2002 for Paris, the best movie-going city in the world. His work has appeared in The New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, the Boston Globe, The Atlantic, The Village Voice, LA Weekly, The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, and other publications, and he has served on critics’ juries at the Venice Film Festival and Montreal Film Festival. In this Cannes blog, Jon brings you the latest on the movies, people, controversies, and gossip at the year's biggest international cinema event. You can contact Jon directly via email: jfrosch@france24.com.
 
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Sun, 05/26/2013 - 20:44

Kechiche’s powerful same-sex love story wins Palme d’Or

French-Tunisian director Abdellatif Kechiche's heartbreaking, erotic lesbian romance "Blue is the Warmest Color" ("La vie d'Adèle") won the Palme d'Or at Cannes Sunday night. The Coens' "Inside Llewyn Davis" took the second-place Grand Prize.
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Sat, 05/25/2013 - 17:54

Vampires, Polanski, and Palme d’Or predictions

The last two competition films, Jim Jarmusch's "Only Lovers Left Behind" and Roman Polanski's "Venus in Fur", were minor pleasures. Meanwhile, Kechiche's "Blue is the Warmest Color" and Farhadi's "The Past" are among frontrunners for the Palme d'Or.
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Fri, 05/24/2013 - 16:27

‘The Immigrant’ divides as Kechiche, Ozon court controversy

As "Cannes fatigue" set in, James Gray's long-awaited "The Immigrant", a solid, but uninspired period drama starring Marion Cotillard, screened for the press. Meanwhile, French directors François Ozon and Abdellatif Kechiche sparked controversy.
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Thu, 05/23/2013 - 18:04

Abdellatif Kechiche’s lesbian romance is a masterpiece

Cannes' competition soared Thursday with French-Tunisian director Abdellatif Kechiche's "La Vie d'Adèle" ("Blue is the Warmest Color"), a brilliantly acted, intensely erotic three-hour drama about a teenage girl in love with a slightly older woman.
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Wed, 05/22/2013 - 14:54

Ryan Gosling a no-show as Cannes jury member opens up

Ryan Gosling was a no-show for the competition entry he headlines, Nicolas Winding Refn's "Only God Forgives", and Chadian crime film "Grigris" was underwhelming. Meanwhile, juror Lynne Ramsay told us what she's looking for in a Palme d'Or winner.
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Tue, 05/21/2013 - 15:29

Michael Douglas, Matt Damon light up Cannes in gay romance

Valéria Bruni Tedeschi's "Un chateau en Italie" ("A Castle in Italy") was all but forgotten when Michael Douglas and Matt Damon stepped in the spotlight as lovers in Steven Soderbergh's entertaining competition entry "Behind the Candelabra".
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Mon, 05/20/2013 - 20:10

US, Palestinian thrillers about violence and vengeance electrify Cannes

Outside the main competition, two thrillers struck a nerve at Cannes the last two days: American Jeremy Saulnier's "Blue Ruin", about a drifter out for blood, and Palestinian Hany Abu-Assad's "Omar", about young men fighting the Israeli occupation.
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Sun, 05/19/2013 - 16:55

Coens' deadpan gem 'Inside Llewyn Davis' ranks with their best

The Cannes competition screened its strongest film yet Sunday: the Coen brothers' deeply felt deadpan comedy "Inside Llewyn Davis", about a struggling folk singer in 1960s New York. The cast features Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan and Justin Timberlake.
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Sat, 05/18/2013 - 19:01

At Cannes, directors disappoint as chefs to the stars delight

Though Cannes had an action-packed 24 hours (a jewel heist, a man firing blanks into a crowd), competition films from Arnaud Desplechin and Kore-eda Hirokazu were sluggish. A meal prepared by a chef to the stars was consolation.
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Fri, 05/17/2013 - 17:57

Asian auteurs Farhadi, Jia explore emotional and physical violence

The sun is back, but competition films from admired Asian auteurs were particularly bleak: Jia Zhangke's "A Touch of Sin", a scorching portrait of contemporary China, and Asghar Farhadi's "The Past", a melodrama about romantic and familial conflicts.
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Thu, 05/16/2013 - 19:25

Ozon, Coppola win over Cannes with tales of teens behaving badly

While one competition film had critics racing for the exit, Sofia Coppola and François Ozon got warmer receptions on Thursday with "The Bling Ring" and "Jeune et jolie" ("Young and Beautiful"), strong movies dealing with adolescents, sex and money.
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Wed, 05/15/2013 - 17:08

Cannes lifts off with DiCaprio in flawed, flashy, endearing ‘Gatsby’

The 2013 Cannes Film Festival officially kicked off Wednesday with Baz Luhrmann's "The Great Gatsby", a bold, lavish 3D adaptation of the literary classic that is as endearing as it is flawed and flashy.
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Tue, 05/14/2013 - 19:57

As Cannes 2013 raises curtain, a question: is the selection too French?

As Cannes prepares to raise the curtain on its 2013 edition, opinions are already flying about the competition line-up. Is it too French? Too American? Just right? Various critics, as well as Cannes artistic director Thierry Frémaux, weigh in.
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Mon, 05/13/2013 - 18:07

Sofia Coppola, James Franco, and Mideast films light up Cannes side sections

Some of the most interesting films at Cannes are usually found outside the main competition. This year, new works from Sofia Coppola, Claire Denis, and James Franco, as well as films from Israel and Palestine, are some of the most eagerly awaited.
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Wed, 05/08/2013 - 15:27

Ten duos to watch at Cannes 2013

This year's competition is full of films featuring intriguing duos of actors: Michael Douglas and Matt Damon as lovers, Marion Cotillard and Joaquin Phoenix as prostitute and pimp, Kristin Scott Thomas and Ryan Gosling as mother and son, and more.
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Tue, 05/07/2013 - 15:37

Jury chair Spielberg and Cannes head for fascinating collision

Jury head Steven Spielberg and the Cannes Film Festival should be a fascinating collision of cinematic tastes and tendencies. Other collisions may take place behind closed doors; Spielberg is chairing the most heavyweight jury in recent memory.
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Fri, 05/03/2013 - 15:34

Cannes selection: Sex, revenge, and family dysfunction

The 2013 Cannes competition films look to be be ripe with drama of all varieties - erotic, romantic, domestic, existential, supernatural – and pairs of potentially juicy lead performances.
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Sun, 05/27/2012 - 21:13

Palme d'Or goes to Michael Haneke's 'Amour', a portrait of love and death

The coveted Palme d’Or went to Austrian filmmaker Michael Haneke’s “Amour”, a sober, gorgeously directed portrait of an elderly couple facing terrifying questions of life and death. Some of the jury's other choices left people scratching their heads.
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Sat, 05/26/2012 - 17:29

Palme of reason or Palme of passion?

One day before the big prizes are handed out, Cannes has a serious case of Palme fever. Will the jury go for the Palme of reason ("Amour"), the Palme of passion ("Holy Motors"), or something unexpected?
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Fri, 05/25/2012 - 15:39

Heartthrob Robert Pattinson fails to deliver in Cronenberg's 'Cosmopolis'

"Twilight" heartthrob Robert Pattinson fails to deliver in David Cronenberg's sleekly beautiful, but dramatically lifeless competition entry "Cosmopolis". Elsewhere on the Croisette, three furry, four-legged performers picked up prizes.
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