10 May,2009 04:38 PM IST | | PTI
The market at this year's Cannes may be a subdued affair due to the recession but the competitive section of the festival will be as grand as ever with titans like Quentin Tarantino, Ang Lee and Von Trier competing for the coveted Palm d'Or.
The 62nd edition of the French film festival, which is all set to roll on May 13, has seldom missed out on great directors. "Hungry moviegoers will find a healthy spirit of artistic discovery and renewal in this 62nd edition," festival's general-delegate, Thierry Fremaux promises.
It is one of the most impressive line-up of great directors since the golden era when legends like Satyajit Ray, Federico Fellini and Akiwa Kurosawa showcased their cinema at the festival. From Quentin Tarantino, Michael Haneke, Lars Von Trier, Pedro Almodovar, Lou Ye, Marco Bellocchio, Ken Loach, Michael Haneke to Ang Lee, a galaxy of 20 great directors will showcase their work this year.
Tarantino, Von Trier, Campion and Loach will be looking for their second Palme d'Or while Almodovar, Bellocchio and Haneke, described as "perpetual bridesmaids", will be vying for their first trophy.
Tarantino, who won the Palm d'Or for his cult classic 'Pulp Fiction' in 1994 is back in the fray with his World War II drama 'Inglorious Basterds' while Cannes perennial favourite Oscar-winning Ang Lee will return with 'Taking Woodstock'. Controversial Chinese director Lou is back again with his 'Spring Fever', which he made secretly after he was banned by the Chinese authorities for five years after 'Summer Palace' in 2006.
'Summer Palace', a story set in the backdrop of the Tiananmen Square massacre, did not go down well with the Chinese government and now his 'Spring Fever' might turn out to be as controversial with its story of three people caught in lust and passion.
Von Trier is back at the festival with his horror work, 'Antichrist', which is about a grieving couple retiring to a secluded forest for solace only to find that nature has other plans. If Von Trier is the enfant terrible of Danish cinema, Park Chan-wook is the bad boy of Korean cinema.
His latest competition entry, 'Thirst' is a vampire thriller. Austrian director Haneke will compete at the festival with his young fascist period drama, 'The White Ribbon'.
