77th Cannes Film Festival honors Akira Kurosawa through official poster
What's the story
The 77th Cannes Film Festival has revealed its poster for the upcoming cinematic gala, featuring a scene from Rhapsody in August, a film by the celebrated Japanese director Akira Kurosawa.
The image on the poster depicts an elderly woman—a survivor of the 1945 Nagasaki atomic bombing—imparting her belief in love and integrity amid war to her young grandchildren.
This year's poster has been described as "poetic and hypnotic."
Context
Why does this story matter?
The 77th Cannes Film Festival is scheduled from May 14 to May 25. This year's festival will also witness a first: the Honorary Palme d'Or will be awarded to a collective rather than an individual—Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli.
Meanwhile, coming back to Kurosawa's film—it was showcased in Out of Competition at Cannes in 1991.
Kurosawa's overall illustrious repertoire, including Sanshiro Sugata, Rashomon, and Seven Samurai, highlights the profound importance of unity in the pursuit of harmony and happiness.
Twitter Post
Here is the stunning poster
La beauté poétique, la magie hypnotique et l’apparente simplicité du cinéma. Le 77e Festival de Cannes s'affiche ! 🌕💙
— Festival de Cannes (@Festival_Cannes) April 19, 2024
La scène est extraite de Rhapsodie en août réalisé par Akira Kurosawa en 1991. L’avant-dernier film du grand maître japonais rappelle l’importance de se… pic.twitter.com/7SrHxOXwl9
Festival statement
Cannes poster celebrates Kurosawa's legacy and cinema's power
Cannes's official statement regarding the poster reads: "Mirroring the movie theater, this year's poster celebrates the Seventh Art, with naivety and wonder. Because it gives everyone a voice, it enables emancipation. Because it remembers wounds, it combats oblivion. Because it bears witness to perils, it calls for union. Because it soothes trauma, it helps repair the living."
The statement emphasizes cinema's role in healing and unity while honoring Kurosawa's contribution to film.
Festival's stance
Cannes Festival asserts cinema's role in emphasizing humanity
The festival further stressed that cinema serves as a "universal sanctuary for expression and sharing."
"The Festival de Cannes reaffirms a conviction: cinema is a universal sanctuary for expression and sharing."
In a world that continually scrutinizes differences, the Festival de Cannes asserts that "our humanity is written as much as our freedom."
The creative minds behind this year's poster are Lionel Avignon and Stefan de Vivies from Hartland Villa.
Festival highlights
A look back at Cannes's poster history
Cannes's posters have consistently drawn attention over the years, sometimes sparking controversy.
In 2017, there were claims that an image of Italian actor Claudia Cardinale was digitally altered to appear thinner.
Other memorable posters include Catherine Deneuve on a beach near Saint Tropez in 1968, a romantic shot of American actors Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, and a contemplative Spike Lee looking at the Cannes palm trees.