The much anticipated film has received mixed reviews since its first screening in the U.S., though DiCaprio has been praised for his performance as Jay Gatsby, the main character of the book. The Director and cast were all in high spirits though for the occasion, with Luhrmann “shrugging” off previous criticism by taking inspiration from F. Scott Fitzgerald, who was highly criticised when his novel was published.
The Cannes Film Festival runs from 15-26 May. Steven Spielberg heads this year’s judging panel made-up of Nicole Kidman, Ang Lee and Christoph Waltz. There are 20 films in total that are in competition for the Palme d’Or, the highest award at the festival which is awarded to the Director of the winning film. There are no British films included in this year’s line up but here are some films that are in the running to look out for:
Soderbergh, who won Cannes' top prize in 1989 for his film Sex, Lies and Videotape, is back with his eagerly-awaited film Behind the Candelabra, starring Michael Douglas as the flamboyant entertainer Liberace, who masked his homosexuality from public view.
Ryan Gosling and Director Nicholas Winding Refn have partnered up for the second time after the success of their first film, Drive. Their second film is called Only God Forgives.
Carey Mulligan is making a second appearance on the red carpet as she stars in new film Inside Llewyn Davis, written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. Set in the 1960s, the film is about a young folk singer, and stars Garrett Hedlund and Justin Timberlake.
Italian director Paolo Sorrentino, who directed Sean Penn as a faded rock star in This Must Be The Place, is in the running with his film The Great Beauty.
The festival also includes films that are grouped into other sections, for example the Un Certain Regard event which is hosting new films The Bling Ring, starring Emma Watson, and As I Lay Dying, directed by James Franco. Closing the festival is the new cop thriller Zulu, set in South Africa and starring Orlando Bloom and Forest Whittaker.
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