Ten talented personalities showcased at the 78th Festival de Cannes
Edition after edition, the Festival de Cannes shines the spotlight on young talented individuals. More often than not, those who walk up the Red Steps for the first time are destined to plant their roots in the cinema landscape. For this 78th edition, we present ten personalities who, whether behind or in front of the camera, have already made a name for themselves.
10 talented names to keep tabs on
Llúcia Garcia
© Kristy Sparow / Getty
SPAIN – Actress in ROMERÍA (ROMERIA) by Carla Simón
At 18 years old, Llúcia Garcia lights up Carla Simón’s fantastic film, presented in Competition. In the film, she embodies the spitting image of the director on a journey following the footsteps of her parents, who died of AIDS.
The filmmaker chose her to be like a mirror:
“She seems very young, yet she also exudes maturity. Llúcia can play with this duality, and I also knew how to play with it in my youth. I saw myself in her.”
Akinola Davies Jr
© Paul Gransard
UNITED KINGDOM – Director of MY FATHER’S SHADOW
The 40-year-old Nigerian living in London presents a cathartic, semi-autobiographical film that premiered at Un Certain Regard. Written by his brother and shot in Lagos, this deeply moving film gives an account of a day in the life of a father, affected by the political chaos of the 1993 election crisis.
His next project?
“We are interested in the Delta region in Nigeria — an area riddled with many conflicts and generational trauma — and I think that it’s important to remember the sacrifices that were made for the population, biodiversity and politics in the region.”
Nadia Melliti
© Paul Gransard
FRANCE – Actress in LA PETITE DERNIÈRE by Hafsia Herzi
In Competition, this ex-footballer, discovered in the street during an open call, moved the audience in her reserved role as a young Muslim woman discovering her attraction to women. Nadia Melliti studied to be a sports teacher, but after her film debut, she wanted to leave the door open to new opportunities.
Hafsia Herzi reflects on the casting:
“I really confirmed my choice when I saw her leave the room, from behind. Looking at her silhouette, I had the camera in my head. I can’t explain it. Like that, it was an artistic impulse.”
Harry Lighton
© Manon Boyer / FDC
UNITED KINGDOM – Director of PILLION
By engrossing us in a plot about gay bikers, the 32-year-old British director spiced things up at Un Certain Regard, while also exploring the realism of the topic.
What’s next for this young director?
“Maybe it’ll be about hair transplants or sumo wrestlers. Or both.”
Deborah Christelle Lobe Naney
© Paul Gransard
IVORY COAST – Actress in PROMIS LE CIEL (PROMISED SKY) by Erige Sehiri
Showcased at the opening of Un Certain Regard, she shines alongside Aïssa Maïga. The character of Naney was created after the director met this woman who planned to cross the Mediterranean.
The director Erige Sehiri explains:
“I was attracted by both her strength and her vulnerability, and her sense of humor too. Her story reminded me of stories that I compiled during my research — about women who came to Tunisia alone, leaving their children behind.”
Diego Céspedes
© Paul Gransard
CHILE – Director of LA MISTERIOSA MIRADA DEL FLAMENCO (THE MYSTERIOUS GAZE OF THE FLAMINGO)
For his funny, yet equally serious tale about the advent of AIDS, the Chilean winner of the 2018 Cinéfondation First Prize, sets his camera down in a desert town and introduces us to a queer family living in a community of minors.
The director, who presented his film at Un Certain Regard, tells us:
“I’d like this film to be a reminder of how important it is to look at faces that don’t look like our own — especially in these dark times that we live in.”
Yui Suzuki
© Paul Gransard
JAPAN – Actress in RENOIR by Chie Hayakawa
The Japanese actress shines in the delicate light of Renoir, Chie Hayakawa’s film that premiered in Competition. At 11 years old, Yui Suzuki is a multi-talented actress who brings the innocence of her character to life, in the midst of family chaos.
The director muses on her choice of actress:
“She was the first to audition for the casting. I virtually didn’t need to give her any instructions: she acted naturally, with no hesitation.”
Amélie Bonnin
© Tristan Fewings / Getty
FRANCE – Director of PARTIR UN JOUR (LEAVE ONE DAY)
The Festival opened on a fresh and joyful note with Amélie Bonnin’s first feature film, a musical comedy featuring Juliette Armanet and Bastien Bouillon.
She explains:
“When it comes to my film, we talk a lot about ‘class defector’, but there’s also something along the lines of the artistic, the dream and especially about the cinema — an art that allows you to create images attached to a perception.”
Guillaume Marbeck
© Joachim Tournebize / FDC
FRANCE – Actor in NOUVELLE VAGUE (NEW WAVE) by Richard Linklater
To portray his Godard, Richard Linklater wanted an unknown face… but that of Guillaume Marbeck would not stay that way for long.
The actor and photographer, who was accustomed to silhouettes and appearances, enjoyed the spotlight at the Cannes Competition, but he almost missed his opportunity to play this role. Discovered in an online video, he thought that the casting email was a hoax. Luckily, he replied…
Or Sinaï
© Sameer Al-doumy / AFP
ISRAEL – Director of MAMA
Presented at a Special Screening, her touching debut film portrays a complex character: a domestic employee in Israel returning to her Polish village.
The director was inspired by her own family story:
“I grew up in a patriarchal family. When a Polish immigrant worker came to stay, she became the new woman of the house. It fascinated me. She was funny, close to my age, and had a rich life full of stories about her family and her lover back in Israel.”
