Jeanne Dubarry, director. Maiwenn – at the box office from 20 July
A lively costume drama follows Jeanne Vaubernier, a young woman rising from humble beginnings to a place of influence at the royal court. She encounters King Louis XV and quickly becomes his favored companion in the eyes of the court. Yet the king’s inner circle resents the closeness between a commoner and the sovereign, and soon a web of politics and danger starts to tighten around the monarch.
The film opened the 76th Cannes Film Festival and marked Johnny Depp’s return to major cinema after a widely publicized trial. The premiere drew particular attention in Europe as his return represented a significant moment in the talk of the festival year.
Anatomy of a Fall, director. Justine Triet – at the box office from 14 September
Winner of the 76th Cannes Film Festival, the movie leans into the judicial thriller genre. The plot revolves around Sandra, whose husband is found dead near their home. The circumstances of the death remain cloudy—an accident, foul play, or suicide—and Sandra must confront the suspicion looming over her, especially after a recent quarrel with the deceased.
Anatomy of a Fall, with its detective elements and forensic drama, keeps viewers guessing as masks peel away. It eventually unfolds into a contemplative study of a family fracture, echoing Bergman’s intimate explorations of marriage and memory. The film offers a tense, well-crafted, and thoughtfully staged narrative about appearances and the truth behind them.
“The cage is looking for a bird”, dir. Malika Musaeva – at the box office from October 12
Malika Musaeva makes her feature debut, following in the footsteps of Russian cinema’s late-appearing talents at the Berlinale. The film touches on themes of personal freedom and the weight of patriarchal norms through the lens of a 17-year-old girl who has recently lost her father. With a sparse circle of family and a single close confidant, she slowly discovers how constricting the surrounding world can feel and longs for emancipation.
Lead actress Khadija Batayeva earned recognition for her performance at a major festival, earning Best Acting honors at Sounds Festival.
Fairy Tale, director. Alexander Sokurov – release date unknown
Four iconic figures—Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini, and Churchill—cross paths in a surreal afterlife that roams through a Dantean landscape and the ruins of Rome. On the eve of judgment, these figures reflect on lives spent in pursuit of power and the limits of what they kept and left behind. The film blends documentary-like recall with a cinematic meditation on authority and memory.
Sokurov again reshapes cinema, presenting a work that stands apart from conventional storytelling. Fairy Tale integrates historical reverie with a philosophical mood, exploring how past leaders confront their legacies beyond death, and what that means for the living. The film invites viewers to ponder the fragility of power and the persistence of memory.
“Happiness”, director. Ilya Povolotsky – release date unknown
The sole Russian project at Cannes 2023, Bliss follows a patient, unhurried road trip about a father and daughter traveling from Kabardino-Balkaria to Murmansk in search of a sea view. In truth, the journey traces a longer arc—from nowhere to nowhere—as the pair carry a heavy cargo: a film projector and a vase containing their late mother’s ashes, reluctant to let go of the past.
This feature marks the debut of documentary filmmaker Ilya Povolotsky as a writer-director. The film’s road-dust texture and foggy mood reflect a preference for letting reality breathe on screen, while strong camera work and a striking turn by Maria Lukyanova anchor the film in a memorable, human scale.