Why “Cosmopolis” is Headed to Cannes and Why You Should Care

Why “Cosmopolis” is Headed to Cannes and Why You Should Care

David Cronenberg

Background: Canadian; born in Toronto, Ontario 1943.

Known for / style: Videodrome and A History of Violence; bizarre films that are often gruesome, eerie, or otherwise disturbing. (In contrast, his most recent film A Dangerous Method was received as very “un-Cronenberg” because of it being rather tame)

Film he’s bringing to Cannes: Cosmopolis, an adaptation of Don DeLillo’s novel of the same name. Robert Pattinson plays Eric Packer, a 28-year-old billionaire whose day becomes an “odyssey” as a multitude of characters turn his life upside-down in a futuristic Manhattan. Stars include Robert Pattinson, Jay Baruchel and Paul Giamatti.

Notable accolades: Won (and nominated for) many Genie awards; two-time winner of the National Society of Film Critics’ (USA) Best Director award (A History of Violence and Naked Lunch), including a Best Screenwriting award (Naked Lunch).

Previous Cannes appearances: All three of Cronenberg’s previous Competition films (A History of Violence, Spider, Crash) were snubbed for the Palme, but Crash won the Special Jury Prize in 1996. Cosmopolis will be his fourth film at the Festival.

Could it win the Palme? Cosmopolis is likely the biggest film at this year’s Festival, if Twilight fans have anything to say about it. Despite Robert Pattinson’s immortal reputation as Edward the vampire, he isn’t a terrible actor. Of course, Cronenberg is also an excellent director, and is more than capable of bringing the best out of his cast. If Cosmopolis is a return to form for Cronenberg – and from the trailer, it looks like it is – it has a very good shot at impressing the jury. It could be Cronenberg’s year.

Why you should care: In addition to Cosmopolis being the most buzzed-about film leading up to the Festival, Cronenberg’s son Brandon will be debuting his first feature film Antiviral in the Un Certain Regard program. The father/son dynamic holds the possibility for some incredibly interesting discussion, and the world is watching to see if Brandon is anything like his father. Of course, David Cronenberg is known informally as the Baron of Blood in Canada (a country that has never won the Palme), and it will be exciting to see if the same macabre tendencies reside in his own – excuse the pun – brood.

Source => Movie City News / Via => Spunk Ransom