Cannes Film Festival - 2021 Return

By: Amit Kumar Agarwal 

The big question on each & every film-professional worth their salt in film-industry worldwide is, will Cannes Film Festival finally happen in 2021. Last year, organizers after dilly-dallying till late, postponing its May date to June, and then realizing that the pandemic made the world’s most glamorous and crowded film festival impossible for 2020; held it, in the online format, the glamour was naturally missing!

This year everyone associated with the festival is confident that the festival will indeed take place from July 6 to July 17. On April 29, French president Emmanuel Macron announced that the country’s cultural venues that include movie theaters can reopen May 19. On May 28, Cannes plans to announce its lineup for the 74th edition. YET, many still are skeptical with Cannes regulars still waiting to book the flight-tickets or plan their travel itinerary. Rashmi, a prominent travel agent that handles the complete logistics for attendees during Cannes Film Festival, commented, "there is not a single booking that I have done so far, also the travel from India to France is as yet uncertain. I don't see it opening in July, so Indians will have to skip, even if the festival takes place on the scheduled dates".

With a mere seven-weeks to go before the festival, the approach of Cannes team is very bullish as they want the festival to return with full glory. Leos Carax’s Adam Driver musical Annette has been announced as the opening-night film, while Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch and Paul Verhoeven’s Benedetta are confirmed for the Official Competition. Paul Verhoeven knows the taste at Cannes with two of his controversial films Basic Instinct and Elle, bearing the flawless Cannes flavor earlier. Interestingly, Basic Instinct completes 3-decades this year; many feel Benedetta will follow up to Verhoeven's earlier works igniting the correct controversy, adhering to Cannes Film Festival.

Here's to all 'Canne'rs' as Cannes Film Festival regulars are called, Happy Festival.