Cannes 2022: From Deepika Padukone to AR Rahman, Indians shine
What's the story
The 75th edition of the prestigious Cannes Film Festival is distinctive for India for multiple reasons. Not only has Deepika Padukone made it to the Cannes jury this year, but India has also been chosen as the "country of honor" at Cannes' film market, Marche du Cinema. The festival will run from May 17 to 28. Here's how the inaugural day went.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Since its inception in 1946, this cinematic extravaganza has been held annually at Palais des Festivals et des Congres, usually in May. A celebration of global, avant-garde cinema, it's considered an ideal place for the exchange of ideas, film screenings, brand endorsements, etc. In the previous editions, Indian films such as Salaam Bombay, Neecha Nagar, and Pather Panchali have earned accolades at the festival.
Comment
'Feels like slightly larger victory for South Asian community': Padukone
Padukone has been chosen as one of the jury members at the festival. She is accompanied by the likes of English actor-filmmaker Rebecca Hall, Swedish actor Noomi Rapace, and Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi, among others. Expressing her exultation, the Padmaavat actor said, "While it does feel like a personal victory, it also feels like a slightly larger victory for the South Asian community."
Presence
Who is part of biggest Indian contingent ever?
Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur led the Indian contingent at the festival's opening ceremony on Tuesday. It comprised actors Tamannaah Bhatia, Pooja Hegde, R Madhavan, Vani Tripathi, lyricist Prasoon Joshi, filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, musician AR Rahman, and folk singer Mame Khan. Actor Akshay Kumar was also slated to be a part but had to pull out due to testing COVID-19 positive.
Twitter Post
Kamal Haasan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui also attended event
😊😇📸 @Festival_Cannes
— A.R.Rahman (@arrahman) May 18, 2022
#CannesRedCarpet #Cannes2022 #Instapost pic.twitter.com/kaXzmwtg4K
Screenings
Which Indian films will be screened this year?
As mentioned above, Marche du Cinema will shine a spotlight on Indian cinema, and six films will get screened. This includes R Madhavan's Rocketry: The Nambi Effect, Nikhil Mahajan's directorial Godavari, Biswajeet Bora's Boomba Ride, and Jayaraj-helmed Tree Full of Parrots. Additionally, Dhuin, directed by Achal Mishra, and Alpha Beta Gamma, helmed by writer-director Shankar Sri Kumar will also be showcased at the festival.
Additional screenings
Other Indian movies to be screened at different sections
Aside from the Marche du Cinema, a few other screenings will also take place in different locations. Satyajit Ray's Pratidwandi (1970) and a restored version of G Aravindan's Malayalam classic Thampu (1978) have been included in the Cannes Classics section. Shaunak Sen's well-received documentary All That Breathes which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this year is part of the Special Screenings section.
Did you know?
These Indians have been on Cannes jury before
While Cannes 2022 will be remembered by Indians for numerous reasons, the most significant is Padukone's entry into the jury panel. Interestingly, this isn't the first time an Indian has achieved this incredible feat. Previously, filmmakers Mrinal Sen, Mira Nair, Shekhar Kapur, Nandita Das, author Arundhati Roy, and actors like Sharmila Tagore, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and Vidya Balan have graced the panel.