Cannes 2021 Video #2: Annette, Jury Press Conference | Chaz at Cannes

Spike decided to be true to his roots and he chose to speak Brooklynese rather than French. The last Palme d’Or winner – Bong Joon-ho for “Parasite” – was on hand to officially open the festival.  And he got a little help so the Festival could be opened in four languages: Spanish, French, Korean, and English.

With the Festival officially open, it was time to screen its first film – “Annette” from Leos Carax, starring Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard. Driver plays an angry standup comic, and Cotillard an opera singer – both famous in their own right, and at the beginning, very much in love. And it’s a musical in the form of a rock opera with almost all the dialogue sung, featuring music by the Sparks Brothers, who co-wrote the story and screenplay. But this is no musical comedy. It’s a dark look at the downside of fame and ambition as two famous entertainers struggle to keep their relationship together: something Cotillard spoke to at the press conference.

If you are familiar with Carax’s last film at Cannes, “Holy Motors,” you know to expect the unexpected – and this film did not disappoint in that regard, with one wild choice after another. I hope I am not giving too much away by telling you the baby Annette, is portrayed in a very unusual way. This film is dark and wild, but I enjoyed it’s unique flavor and inventive imagination. It certainly delivers something I hadn’t quite seen before in one sitting. And the enigmatic director made another wild choice at the press conference, leaving before it was over….

Well, it’s time for us to go too. Coming up later in the week, we’ll feature more films in and out of competition, including two documentaries – one about actor Val Kilmer, and another about the rock band, the Velvet Underground.

So be sure to check in often at RogerEbert.com/Festivals for regular reports by Ben Kenigsberg and our other correspondents along with our regular video reports. Until then, a bientot.