#CANNES: “BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOUR” WINS TOP HONOURS AT CANNES

Concluding the 66th annual Cannes Film Festival, the Main Jury (headed by Steven Spielberg,  including Nicole Kidman and Ang Lee) handed-out their Prizes earlier today.  Winning top honours this year, the Palme d’Or, was Blue is the Warmest Colour (La vie d’Adèle), directed by Abdellatif Kechiche.  The racy Drama, clocking-in at over three hours, is about a teenage Girl who has an affair with a Woman.  It also has the distinction of winning the FIPRESCI Competition Prize.

In the acting categories Bérénice Bejo, who received an Oscar nomination for her silent performance in The Artist,  won Best Actress for Italian-French Production The Past, about a Parisian Woman looking to divorce her Iranian Husband.  Bruce Dern won Best Actor for his work in Nebraska, directed by Alexander Payne (Sideways, The Descendants), about a Father and Son who reunite to claim a Sweepstakes prize.  The Drama which stars SNL Alumni Will Forte, gets a November release via Paramount Pictures in North America.

Winning the Grand Prix was eagerly-awaited Coen Brothers Film, Inside Llewyn Davis. Set in the ’60s, the Drama about the Folk Music Scene stars an exciting Cast of Carey Mulligan, Justin Timberlake, Garrett Hedlund, John Goodman and Oscar Isaac.

Mexican Filmmaker Amat Escalante won Best Director for his work on Heli, a Mexican Drama about a Family torn-apart by drugs.

On our radars is Fruitvale Station, to be distributed by eOne Films in select Canadian Citiies on July 26, 2013.  The Ryan Coogler Drama, which was a Hit at Sundance earlier this year, picked-up the Future Prize and is about a 22-year-old Man’s final day on New Year’s Eve 2008.

Clearly on the Awards Trail and release dates scheduled for later this year, perhaps we can expect Nebraska, Inside Llewyn Davis, The Past and Blue is the Warmest Colour to surface in Toronto at TIFF this September?

Complete list of Winners here.

(Photo credit: Quat’sous Films)

#SUNDANCE: “FRUITVALE” WINS U.S. DRAMA AUDIENCE AWARD

Several Films are coming out of Sundance Film Festival in Park City this year with  Oscar potential/buzz and winning the Audience Award, U.S. Drama is The Weinstein Co.’s Fruitvale, produced by Forrest Whitaker’s Significant Productions and OG Project.  The Film from first-time Director Ryan Coogler, Fruitvale centers around Oscar Grant, who was shot to death on January 1, 2009 after Police responded to fight which took place aboard a Train in the Bay Area.  Michael B. Jordan, Octavia Spencer, Kevin Durand and Chad Michael Murray star in what is looking possibly like a TIFF 2013 Title.  The Sessions which won the same Award last year also en route to premiering at TIFF 2012, while Helen Hunt who starred in the Film went on to receive an Oscar nomination in the category of Best Supporting Actress for her work.

Watch Red Carpet Diary‘s Interview with Coogler below:

The Weinstein Co. also is gaining a fair amount of buzz with Lovelace, the Biopic about Pornstar Linda Lovelace starring Amanda Seyfried, Peter Sarsgaard, Sharon Stone, Juno Temple, James Franco and Wes Bentley.  The Hollywood Reporter already is calling it, “smartly done”.  Variety however has a more mixed reaction, but still feel the Film “goes down smooth”, despite its’ “Movie of the Week Melodrama”.

Watch this Clip below:

CBS Films also acquired Toy’s House, which on paper is reminiscent of Stand By Me, about three teenage Boys who try to make a life in the Wilderness.  The Comedy stars Breakout Stars Nick Offerman, Allison Bride, Moises Arias and Nick Robinson.

Kill Your Darlings perhaps is the Beat Generation Film which those disappointed by On the Road, are waiting for.  The Film centers around a Murder investigation surrounding three Icons of the era, Allen Ginsberg (Daniel Radcliffe), William S. Burroughs (Ben Foster)  and Lucien Carr (Dane DeHaan).  Variety praises the Drama, but admits “the Picture’s Pansexual content and intellectual focus will limit its specialty-market reach, but it should court a small, discerning audience.“.  The Hollywood Reporter raves about Up-and-Comer DeHaan most, stating that he is a “febrile, magnetic presence, making no mystery of why Ginsberg, Kammerer and Kerouac would be so drawn to fickle Carr.”.  Strong possibility we might see this one a TIFF 2013.

Ain’t Them Bodies Saints has gained lots of praise, the Drama starring Casey Affleck as an Outlaw who escapes prison to find his Wife (Rooney Mara) and Daughter, whom he has yet to meet.  Variety feels that the Film is “too lyrical for mainstream expectations… but a powerful Indie Player”. Likewise, The Hollywood Reporter says “this is an out-and-out Art Film”. IFC Films releases in the U.S.

jOBS possibly is the most hotly-buzzed Flick to screen at Sundance this year and although reviews still are scarce for the Biopic of Apple Founder Steve Jobs starring Ashton Kutcher, The Hollywood Reporter states, “Regardless of his outsized stature, their ability to keep the movie frequently engaging is an indication of their studious dedication to the Project.”.  Open Road Films  releases in the U.S. on April 13, 2013, commemorating Apple‘s 37th Anniversary. (UPDATE 3/16/13: It has been confirmed that this date is now postponed to allow for a proper promotional strategy).

Watch the Teaser Trailer below:

 

Last year’s Sundance Film Festival spawned Beasts of the Southern Wild, which currently is nominated for four Oscars including Best Actress, Best Directing, Best Writing and Best Picture.

(Photo credit: The Weinstein Co.)