Sunday, May 22, 2011

The Tree of Life & Cannes

If you're the type of person who makes Oscar prediction list, often well before it's truly appropriate, then Terrance Mallick's The Tree of Life may have previously appeared on those list.

If I recall right, this film has been in some form of talks since 2005, and so for the past three years I've been seeing this film on people's best picture prediction list, often including certain stars as contenders in the acting races (especially Jessica Chastain).

So finally the film universe can collectively release an anticipatory sigh of relief that this film has finally premiered. The Tree of Life, which premiered at the Cannes film festival has finally come out! And with so much anticipation, it's hard to fully measure what that said about the film. Was early excitement over-rated, or less than excitement a reflection of hopes raised too high?

Whichever the case, the film has now gone on to win the Golden Palm. The Palm d'Or the biggest prize of the competition is not in itself indicitive of later award season success.

Typically the non-English language film winners have seen little play in award season, but in a situation like The Tree of Life winning, you have to think this is more like a win for a film like The Pianist (2002) or Pulp Fiction (1994), rather than the Irish fim The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006), or the Thai winning film from last year Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (2010).

Actor/Actress Side-Note


Similar hits and misses with award season occurs in the actor and actress race, so based on those trends I would say this years French-winning actor Jean Dujardin (The Arist) probably won't be on Oscar contender, but I expect people to suggest the possibility of this years female winner, Kristen Dunst (who won for Lars Von Tier's Melencholia).

Pictured is Kristen Dunst at the Cannes closing ceremony and an international released poster for The Tree of Life featuring a still of Brad Pitt.

3 comments:

Employment Experts said...

This makes me very, very happy! All of his films, except one, are perfection¬.

Lorna said...

As always, thanks for expanding my horizons.

Anonymous said...

Actually I think this is the opposite situation. Jean Dujardin is starring the crown pleased movie from Cannes. Critics and audience LOVED it. With the European support and with Harvey Weinstein behind, the nomination would be more easy than Dunst