The Cannes Film Festival has added Roman Polanski’s “Based on a True Story” (D’Apres Une Histoire Vraie) to the official selection — playing out of competition — along with several other new titles, Variety said.
Eva Green, Emmanuelle Seigner, and Vincent Perez star in Polanski’s French-language psychological thriller about a writer and her obsessive admirer. Olivier Assayas co-wrote the screenplay with Polanski, based on a novel by Delphine de Vigan. Sony Pictures Classics is the U.S. distributor, while Lionsgate is selling worldwide rights.
Polanski was forced to resign as president of the Cesar Awards in January after protests from feminist organizations over his longstanding rape case, so another round of protests could be in store.
“Force Majeure” director Ruben Ostlund’s art-world satire “The Square,” starring Elizabeth Moss and Dominic West, will play in competition. Sales are handled by Coproduction Office. The Swedish director’s “Force Majeure” won Un Certain Regard’s prize in 2014.
Un Certain Regard has added screenings of Santiago Mitre’s “La Cordillera” and Li Ruijun’s “Walking Past the Future.” “La Cordillera” is the third feature from Argentina’s Mitre, who won the Critics’ Week prize in 2015 for “Paulina.”
Just-added special screenings will include Barbet Schroeder’s new Burma documentary “Le Venerable W.,” the last in his “trilogy of evil” series, and Eric Caravaca’s “Carre 35.”
Longtime French director Andre Techine will be honored with a tribute and screening of his new film “Nos annees folles,” while Tony Gatlif’s “Djam” will screen on the beach with a concert event.
The festival has also added a children’s screening of “Zombillenium.”