There are early murmurs that this year’s jury could make history by awarding Andrea Arnold the first female solo-director Palme d’Or for “American Honey.” Only one other female director, Jane Campion, has won the prize, but she had to split the 1993 honor for her film “The Piano” with a man — Chen Kaige and his “Farewell My Concubine.”
Oddsmakers are speculating that “American Honey” will appeal to at least to two jurors in particular: George Miller, because of the film’s kinetic cinematography; and Kirsten Dunst for its pop-fuelled soundtrack that bring mind the rhythmic backdrop of her own “Marie Antoinette.”
“Loving” received respectful but muted reactions. “Paterson” may be too understated for the top award. And German comedy “Toni Erdmann” has the raves, but it’s not weighty. Unless Sean Penn mounts a last-minute surge for “The Last Face,” this could be Arnold’s prize to lose …
Speaking of awards, Mark Rylance walked the Cannes “BFG” carpet in a hat, but it wasn’t the same one he wore at the Oscars. “This is my Sinatra hat,” he told us. “The hat I won at the Oscars is my lucky hat. It has a lucky thing on the side of it, and it’s green.” …
The final screening of “Neruda” (at the Cinema Alexandre III) was stopped for 30 minutes when an audience member suffered a seizure. Audience members graciously expressed their concern, tended to him until he was able to walk, and the pompiers were called and took care of the patient. The film restarted 15 minutes later, repeating four minutes before the interruption.
