The Cannes Film Festival is underway! Which means I get to spend my time on the internet seeing how some of my most anticipated films of the year are received by critics and also that I get to look at pictures of some of my favorite people!

To the right is Jia Zhangke - director of 24 City with his muse Tao Zhao and Joan Chen. 24 City like much of Jia’s recent work looks at a China in transformation. And like his prior work it blurs the ever-changing line between fact and fiction, as he explained at the film’s press conference:

China is going through a huge transformation as it makes the transition from a planned economy to the free market. I really wanted to make a film about this reality, this new influence on people’s lives. I began by filming about a hundred interviews with workers. Then, I asked myself about the idea of combining the two genres: having a documentary part followed by a fiction part. Isn’t that the best way to get information full of the depth necessary to speak of History with a capital H?”

Here’s another photo from the film’s Cannes premiere along with some stills from the film:

There’s already some buzz about Jia’s 24 City winning the Palme D’Or…

There’s also lot’s of media out and about from the festival, here’s a bunch from 24 City’s premiere, press conference and interviews:

• Photocall Interview
  
• Press Conference
• Cannes Update, the New York Times

to watch a clip from the actual film!