As we approach the end of the 2024 Cannes film festival all eyes are on what will win the top prize: the Palme d’Or. Of the 22 films in the competition, only four are directed by women. Whilst this is a comparatively low number, down from the previous two years, these films are some of the most exciting in the lineup.
So, we are turning the spotlight onto the films by women you can look forward to at this year’s Cannes.
Bird (Andrea Arnold)
Andrea Arnold is a British filmmaker known for feature films such as Red Road, Fish Tank and American Honey. She is a well-renowned director, having won several BAFTAs and an Academy Award for Best Short Film for Wasp.
There is high anticipation for her new film Bird.
Arnold is known for her raw, authentic storytelling often highlighting unique voices and the gritty realities of life.
Bird is a journey of identity that captures an attempt to achieve a sense of belonging. This film looks to be another insight into social realities that audiences may be fascinated by.
From the outset, the film is well positioned to be a commercial success thanks to being another starring role for Saltburn’s Barry Keoghan. The film also features the star of last year’s beloved Passages, Franz Rogowski.
All We Imagine as Light (Payal Kapadia)
Payal Kapadia is a Mumbai-born filmmaker best known for winning the Golden Eye award for her documentary A Night of Knowing Nothing at Cannes 2021. She is the first female Indian director to be up for the prestigious Palme d’Or, and All We Imagine as Light is the first Indian film to be up for the award in 30 years.
Her newest feature is All We Imagine as Light, which follows a nurse who faces disruption to the monotony of her life when she receives a gift from her estranged husband. As this is happening, her younger roommate attempts to find a secluded space to be intimate with her boyfriend. Both nurses explore their personal desires and future manifestations as we follow them on their journey to the beach.
The Substance (Coralie Fargeat)
Coralie Fargeat is a French film director and screenwriter known for her debut feature film Revenge which achieved several awards on the independent film festival circuit. Her work is situated in feminist horror and gore. Her visual style aims to provoke visceral reactions from the audience.
For her first selection at Cannes, we’re presented with The Substance, starring Margaret Qualley and Demi Moore. The film follows a celebrity’s attempt to regain her youthfulness by using a black-market drug that temporarily takes her back to her younger days. Dubbed a ‘Feminist Body Horror Film,’ we can expect a story about the aesthetic pressures placed on women in society combined with slick and fast 80s overtones.
Wild Diamond (Agathe Riedinger)
French director Agathe Riedinger is debuting her first feature at this year’s festival. She is the only director at the festival who has been selected for their debut. Her previous works have mainly consisted of her short films, like Eve and Waiting for Jupiter.
Wild Diamond follows a young woman in the south of France who attempts to climb the rungs of reality television stardom. The film is an insight into the hypersexualisation of women in popular culture, connecting with Riedinger’s personal obsession with reality TV.
Keep an eye out for the Palme d’Or to be announced by the Cannes jury president Greta Gerwig at tomorrow’s Closing Ceremony. Despite these being an exciting set of films, it is disappointing how heavily weighted the lineup is towards men for one of the industry’s most prestigious awards.
We at DirectHer predict these films will be some of the most beloved films to come out of this lineup, and will be well rewarded tomorrow come the announcement of the awards. We’re especially holding out hope that a potential fourth recipient of the Palme d’Or will come out of this lineup and help improve the festival’s gender parity in the future.
