Pictures from the films : Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood - Les Hirondelles de Kaboul ( The Swallows of Kabul ) - Chicuarotes © DR
Cities take centre stage in this year’s Selection
This year, once again, the 2019 Festival de Cannes takes us on a journey. From Kabul to Los Angeles, via Dakar, Rome and Mexico, cities are omnipresent in several of the selected works. Much more than mere backdrops, the cities become characters in their own right. Here is a brief outline of the main films in this 72nd festival that place cities at the heart of their story.
Chicuarotes by Gael García Bernal: Mexico City's vibrant neighbourhoods
For his second feature, Gael García Bernal has placed Mexico City at the heart of the film, as we follow Cagalera and Moloteco, two young men navigating the cosmopolitan Mexican capital, determined to improve their social standing and make a change in their lives. Through their story, the Mexican actor and director explores this frenetic megalopolis, home to almost nine million people, and examines the history of Mexico, its past and its present..
Atlantique (Atlantics) by Mati Diop: between Dakar and the ocean
Partly inspired by the uprising of young opponents against the Senegalese state on the streets of Dakar in 2012, Franco-Senegalese filmmaker Mati Diop explores the peril of migration and the story of those who disappear at sea, in the context of a love story. Atlantics was mainly filmed in the Senegalese capital, where Mati Diop was keen to capture the city's atmosphere, giving her the perfect chance to explore her African roots and pay tribute to the diversity of Dakar's youth.
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood by Quentin Tarantino: the luminous City of Angels
Twenty-five years after receiving the Palme d'Or for his cult film Pulp Fiction, Quentin Tarantino is back with a brand new feature, shot in Los Angeles and set in the sixties. In this rejuvenated portrayal of the Californian city where he grew up, the American director follows the adventures of TV star Rick Dalton and his stunt double Cliff Booth in a context of upheaval in Hollywood. From the hilly heights of LA to the bright lights of cinemas and diners on Hollywood Boulevard, Tarantino paints a vibrant portrait of the city, a symbol of American cinema.
Tommaso by Abel Ferrara: a Roman holiday
Filmed in a documentary style, Abel Ferrara's new feature film tells the story of an American director living in Rome with his family. Strongly inspired by his own life, Abel Ferrara portrays the day-to-day life of Tommaso, in a city he now calls home. This feature film, some of which is shot in Ferrara's own apartment in Rome, shows Tommaso's relationship with the city, as we follow him, for example, on trips to the park with his daughter Dee Dee, and visits to local markets and bars.
Les Hirondelles de Kaboul (The Swallows of Kabul) by Zabou Breitman and Éléa Gobbé-Mévellec: the radiance of Kabul in ruins
This animated feature film follows Mohsen and Zunaira, two young lovers in the Taliban-occupied city of Kabul. Despite the ruins, Les Hirondelles de Kaboul (Swallows of Kabul) offers a colourful portrayal of the city's natural beauty, all designed by Éléa Gobbé-Mévellec, the film's graphic designer. The artist found the city of Kabul to be an "incredible source of inspiration, with everything there to set the scene and develop the characters in a very powerful way, in beauty and extreme violence at the same time."
