The Phoenician Scheme (The Wrap link)
Cannes Day 6: Wes Anderson’s Scheme
Sales, Godard and Wes Anderson, oh my! Sunday at Cannes was packed with action, from the premiere of a new Wes Anderson movie (and star-studded red carpet to go along with it, natch) to the first major sale of the festival. Let’s get going.
Wes Anderson brought the cast of his new film The Phoenician Scheme to France, and while the ensemble only featured a few newcomers – namely Mia Threapleton (Kate Winslet’s daughter) and Michael Cera – most critics agreed that the idiosyncratic filmmaker has brought something fresh to the table: a tale about capitalism. Benicio del Toro stars as the wealthiest man in Europe who tries to get his soon-to-be-nun daughter in on his latest scheme, hence the title.
In his review for TheWrap, William Bibbiani made note that while the film is very much in keeping with Anderson’s established aesthetic and style, “The Phoenician Scheme is “a huge departure.”
He hasn’t gone out of his way to tackle capitalism before, even though many of his films feature posh bourgeois protagonists who can afford to be so peculiar,” our critic noted. “The themes of enlightenment and materialism are frequently set at odds with one another, as though they are mutually exclusive, but Anderson’s ‘Scheme’ finds the two meeting in the middle and making a tidy, loving little life together. In a way it’s his most challenging work, even though it is — as his films often are — breezy and friendly.”
It’s a warmer reception than the one that greeted Anderson’s pandemic-themed “Asteroid City” back in 2023, but we’ll go to bat for that one as an underrated title in his esteemed filmography.
And during Monday’s press conference for the film, Anderson was feeling spicy, mocking Trump’s proposed tariffs on films made outside the U.S.
“The tariff is fascinating,” Anderson said when asked about the issue. “I’ve never heard of a 100% tariff. I feel that he’s saying he’s going to take all the money, and then what do we get?” He grinned and shrugged. “It’s complicated to me. Can you hold up the movie in customs? I want to know the details first. And I’ll hold off on my official answer.”
Screen Dailies Day 6 (all sections)
08:45 NINO de Pauline Loquès | 1h37 | VOSTA | Compétition
11:30 CIUDAD SIN SUEÑO de Guillermo Galoe | 1h37 | VOSTFR+A | Compétition
14:45 COURTS MÉTRAGES PROGRAMME 1 | 1h40 | VOSTFR+A | Compétition
17:45 CIUDAD SIN SUEÑO de Guillermo Galoe | 1h37 | VOSTFR+A | Compétition
20:45 COURTS MÉTRAGES PROGRAMME 1 | 1h40 | VOSTFR+A | Compétition
