Surprise! A Woody Allen film set in Paris is set to open the world’s most prestigious film festival in that respective country. The 64th Cannes Film Festival has selected Allen’s Midnight in Paris to be the opening night film (via OnTheCroisette), following after Ridley Scott‘s Robin Hood last year.
Midnight in Paris is a romantic comedy featuring a large ensemble cast of Owen Wilson, Marion Cotillard, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, Michael Sheen, Adrien Brody, Nina Arianda, Corey Stoll, Mimi Kennedy, Kurt Fullerby, Carla Bruni, and Léa Seydoux. The film follows “a family traveling to the French capital for business. The party includes a young engaged couple forced to confront the illusion that a life different from their own is better.” Check out Festival director Thierry Frémaux’s statement below:
“Midnight in Paris is a wonderful love letter to Paris. 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.”
There have also been rumors of new films from Wong Kar Wai, Pedro Almodovar, Lynne Ramsay, Paolo Sorrentino, Lars von Trier, Virginie Despentes, Gus Van Sant, and Terrence Malick.
We reported earlier last month that Robert De Niro will head the jury for the festival running May 11th to 22th, 2011. Midnight In Paris will open later this year via Sony Pictures Classics.
What do you think of this selection?