4 months ago
Swedish filmmaker Ruben Östlund, whose movies “The Square” and “Triangle of Sadness” person won 2 of nan past 5 Palmes d’Or, will be Cannes this twelvemonth not arsenic a competitor but arsenic assemblage president. Over a lively telephone chat, Östlund (who lives connected Majorca pinch his fashion-photographer wife, Sina Görtz, and their son) shares his wildest aspirations for nan festival.
What made you want to return connected nan domiciled of assemblage president?
When you look astatine nan history of who has been nan president of nan Cannes Film Festival’s jury, you get humbled. My biggest inspirations travel from nan board connected to this festival. And nan measurement Cannes is fighting for nan intelligence European position of cinema is thing that is important and unsocial successful nan world.
I’m judge you’ll beryllium great, but you’re not a star.
Yes, I am!
You’re not arsenic celebrated arsenic Kristen Stewart, who presided complete nan Berlinale assemblage and joked during nan property convention that she doesn’t watch movies.
I cognize Kristen Stewart, and she’s decidedly not a stupid person. So I wouldn’t knock Berlin’s determination to put her arsenic nan caput of nan jury. There’s a logic why you usage nan reddish carpet and romanticist ideas astir occurrence and stars to tie attraction to nan contented of nan films.
What benignant of assemblage president will you be?
I’m going to beryllium a very Swedish president. I’ll beryllium a Swede alternatively than a president, and a shaper alternatively than a president. And I’m going to beryllium a Social Democratic one.
How so?
The biggest situation erstwhile it comes to being a assemblage president is to not autumn into nan trap of looking for consensus. You want each members to independently conflict for what they judge in, and not person nan astir socially skilled group dominating. I want america to person a large statement astir what films should win.
You said you wanted to beryllium nan first head to triumph 3 Palmes d’Or. But Ken Loach, who already has two, is competing.
Well, if Ken Loach made nan champion film, past he’s decidedly going to get nan Palme d’Or. And past I’ll person to triumph a fourth.
You’re truthful competitive!
You person to usage nan title to summation energy. And deliberation of really overmuch power nan Cannes Film Festival has fixed to filmmakers each complete nan world.
What astir a revered filmmaker for illustration Martin Scorsese, who apparently doesn’t want to beryllium successful title but is screening “Killers of nan Flower Moon” retired of title astatine nan festival?
Of course, if you’re a head of nan caliber of Martin Scorsese, to beryllium successful title pinch different films involves a consequence alternatively than a reward — critics successful Cannes tin beryllium harsh. But I would for illustration to promote everybody to participate nan competition.
All your films remark connected societal and governmental issues. As assemblage president, will you besides beryllium drawn to those kinds of movies?
If I don’t judge that a movie is simply a existent depiction of nan world, past I won’t conflict for it. But if I consciousness that this is simply a existent depiction of nan world, past I will. It’s very difficult to get distant from nan governmental facet of movies.
Did you person a opportunity successful who will beryllium connected nan assemblage pinch you?
I’ve made suggestions, but I’m not nan 1 deciding.
What was your acquisition successful nan Oscar title this twelvemonth pinch “Triangle of Sadness”?
It was absorbing to talk to nan different board — particularly Steven Spielberg. He talked to maine astir nan era of nan 1970s and nan 1980s, erstwhile you had a corporate of awesome board moving together, criticizing each other, pushing each other. We Europeans should find a measurement to activity together much and get power from a corporate and effort to not beryllium truthful lonely successful our profession.
What tin we expect from your adjacent film, “The Entertainment System Is Down”?
It’s going to create nan biggest walkout successful nan history of nan Cannes Film Festival.
