1. Embryo (Ali Abbasi)
Sebastian Stan stars as Donald Trump in Iranian-Danish director Abbasi’s first English-language feature. The film follows Trump as a young real-estate executive in 1970s New York, where he enters into a “Faustian deal” with right-wing lawyer Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong). Abbasi’s previous film, “Holy Spider,” won Best Actress in Cannes for Zar Amir Ebrahimi, and “Embryo” is expected to be a strong contender for this year’s Palme d’Or.
2. The Zone of Interest (Margarethe Von Trotta)
German director Von Trotta brings her latest film to Cannes, based on the novel of the same name by Martin Amis. The film follows a young woman who works as a typist in the Auschwitz concentration camp and becomes entangled in a love affair with a high-ranking SS officer. The Zone of Interest” is a powerful and unflinching look at the horrors of the Holocaust.
3. Ashkal, Alwan Wala Tarikh (Youssef Chahine)
Egyptian filmmaker Chahine’s latest film is a romantic epic about a woman who seeks out her lover after he leaves without an explanation. Shot organically over 23 years with the same cast and crew, “Ashkal, Alwan Wala Tarikh” is a deeply personal and moving film about love, loss, and redemption.
4. Crimes of the Future (David Cronenberg)
The legendary David Cronenberg returns to Cannes with his latest film, a sci-fi horror about a grieving widower who invents a controversial technology that connects people with the dead. Cronenberg’s films are always visually stunning and thought-provoking, and “Crimes of the Future” is sure to be no exception.
5. Armageddon Time (James Gray)
James Gray’s latest film is a semi-autobiographical drama about a young boy growing up in Queens, New York, in the 1980s. The film stars Anne Hathaway, Jeremy Strong, and Anthony Hopkins, and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
6. Tori and Lokita (Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne)
The Dardenne brothers, who have won two Palme d’Or awards, return to Cannes with their latest film, about two young African immigrants who are trying to make a life for themselves in Belgium. The film is a powerful and moving look at the challenges faced by immigrants in today’s world.
7. Decision to Leave (Park Chan-wook)
Park Chan-wook, the director of “Oldboy” and “The Handmaiden,” brings his latest film to Cannes, a romantic thriller about a detective who falls in love with the widow of a murder victim. The film is sure to be a stylish and suspenseful thriller.
8. Showing Up (Kelly Reichardt)
Kelly Reichardt’s latest film is a comedy-drama about a sculptor who is struggling to complete her latest work. The film stars Michelle Williams, and is sure to be a witty and insightful look at the creative process.
9. Triangle of Sadness (Ruben Ostlund)
Swedish director Ruben Ostlund, who won the Palme d’Or in 2017 for “The Square,” returns to Cannes with his latest film, a satire about the fashion industry and the super-rich. The film stars Woody Harrelson, and is sure to be a hilarious and thought-provoking look at the excesses of modern society.
10. Stars at Noon (Claire Denis)
Claire Denis’ latest film is a romantic thriller about a young American journalist who becomes entangled in a dangerous love affair with an English businessman in Nicaragua. The film stars Margaret Qualley and Joe Alwyn, and is sure to be a stylish and suspenseful thriller.
