Unveiling the line-up for the 72nd edition of the cinema showcase, festival director Thierry Fremaux described the selection as a “romantic and political” mix highlighting a colorful array of characters, from the walking dead to painters and migrants.
One major name not to make the list, however, was Tarantino, whose “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood” was hotly tipped to make it to the festival, held in May on the French Riviera.
The movie, starring Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and Margot Robbie, was still in post-production, organizers said.
“Quentin Tarantino’s film is not ready...but he is sprinting” to finish it, Fremaux told a news conference, adding there was a slim chance it could yet make the line-up.
The May 14-25 festival will kick off with US director Jim Jarmusch’s latest film, “The Dead Don’t Die”.
One of the 19 contenders for the Palme D’Or top prize, the tale of a small town under siege from zombies boasts a star-studded cast including Murray, Tilda Swinton, Iggy Pop, Danny Glover and Selena Gomez.
Spanish director Pedro Almodovar - who presided over the jury at Cannes two years ago, a spot handed this year to Mexico’s Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu - will also be in contention for the top award with “Pain and Glory”.
Britain’s Ken Loach, 82, who won the Palme D’Or in 2016 with “I, Daniel Blake”, returns with “Sorry We Missed You”.
Terrence Malick will also enter the competition with “A Hidden Life”, set against the backdrop of World War Two.
Newcomers in contention include France’s Justine Triet with “Sibyl” and Senegalese-French director Mati Diop’s “Atlantique.”
NETFLIX ABSENT
As last year, Netflix films will be conspicuously absent from Cannes, with the online streaming and media group at odds with the festival over its rules requiring productions to be shown in French cinemas.
Organizers said that no Netflix films were ready in time for the festival this year in any case, and the requirements had not yet shifted, though the battle was forcing the industry to rethink.
