CANNES 2011

Woody Allen's 'Midnight in Paris' to Open 64th Cannes Film Festival

by Alex Billington
February 2, 2011

Delivering his 45th feature film, the Cannes Film Festival has announced that Woody Allen's new drama Midnight in Paris will open this year's fest. The rom-com, which was shot last year in the French capital, brings together a broad international cast, including Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams and Marion Cotillard, Kathy Bates, Adrien Brody, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy & Léa Seydoux. After London (Match Point) and Barcelona (Vicky Cristina Barcelona), it’s the turn of Paris to be honoured by the lens of the New York director most appreciated by European audiences. Looks like it won't be a big Hollywood movie opening the fest this year.

"Midnight in Paris is a wonderful love letter to Paris", declared Festival director Thierry Frémaux in the press release. "It’s a film in which Woody Allen takes a deeper look at the issues raised in his last films: our relationship with history, art, pleasure and life. His 41st feature reveals once again his inspiration." I'm not sure where they got that 41st count, because I've been tracking his films, and I thought he was up to 45, but oh well. Si vous êtes de la France, the film is to be released in France the same day it is screened at Cannes. French audiences will thus be able to enjoy it in 400 theatres throughout the country. As always, I will be at the Cannes Film Festival again this year, for my third year. I saw You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger last year and wasn't impressed, so let's hope Woody Allen has really stepped up his game for Midnight in Paris.

The Cannes Film Festival takes place from May 11th to May 22nd in the South of France. The remaining line-up will be announced in April, so we've still got a ways to go. Visit festival-cannes.com for more info.

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