Interestingly, the Cannes Film Festival's 2013 lineup announced on Thursday features work from some of the globe’s most dangerous locales for artists, and a sprinkling of works by old favourites including Roman Polanski, the Coen brothers and Steven Soderbergh.

Furthermore, celebrating world cinema from countries with limited freedom of expression is clearly one of this year’s stories, with a lineup with features from Chad, China, Mexico and Iran among the 19 films competing for the Palme d’Or, one of cinema’s most coveted prizes.

Cannes President Gilles Jacob, who announced the nominees on Thursday said that the festival is a house that shelters artists in danger.

Celebrating World Cinema

Harking from Africa, “Grigris” by Chadian filmmaker Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, will feature alongside “The Life of Adele” from French-Tunisian director Abdul Latif Kechiche. “Zulu” a police thriller shot in South Africa and starring Forest Whitaker and Orlando Bloom - will close the festival but is not competing.

In fact, the list also includes “A Touch of Sin” by Chinese director Jia Zhangke” “The Past,” from Iranian director Asghar Farhadi, featuring Tahar Rahim and rising star Berenice Bejo who garnered attention for “The Artist”” and Mexican narco-film “Heli” by director Amat Escalante, who explores how love and family ties can provide solace in the desperation stemming from drug trafficking. Old favourite filmmakers of the festival where also known to be fared well.

Joel and Ethan Coen, who won the Palme d’Or in 1991 for “Barton Fink,” will show their latest film “Inside Llewyn Davis,” set in New York 1960s folk music scene, starring Carey Mulligan, Justin Timberlake and John Goodman.

Soderbergh, who caused controversy with 1989’s Palme d’Or winner “Sex, Lies and Videotape,” is back with “Behind the Candelabra,” based on the autobiographical novel in which Scott Thorson recounts his relationship with the flamboyant pianist Liberace. Roman Polanski’s “Venus In Fur” could give Oscar-winning Polish director his second Cannes accolade. He won in 2002 with “The Pianist.”

As a matter of fact, organisers sifted through 1,858 submissions over recent months. Some were submitted as late as Wednesday night, 12 hours before the official selection would be announced.

Previous year, Cannes was charged of sexism for a shortlist that included no women while this year, there is one female Palme d’Or contender, Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi with her first feature “A Chateau in Italy.” Bruni-Tedeschi is the sister of former French First Lady Carla Bruni.

“The Great Gatsby,” with Leonardo DiCaprio in the title role and directed by Australian Baz Luhrmann, will open this year’s Cannes festival in 3-D, no less and that the film will be making its premiere but has not entered in the competition.



As a concluding fact, Hollywood giant Steven Spielberg heads the jury at the Cannes festival this year, which runs from May 15-26.

It's a matter of excellence in cinema!

Image source: Cannes Film Festival's 2013

(AW:Samrat Biswas)