“Let’s hold on to our dreams because together we can change the world. Anything is possible for those who dare, work, and never give up.” With this statement, filmmaker Xavier Dolan received the Jury Prize for “Mommy” at the 67th Cannes Film Festival in 2014. Now, he’s been announced at the helm of the 2024 Un Certain Regard Jury, where he will celebrate the thirst for discovery and passion for others’ talent.
“I am humbled and delighted to return to Cannes as President of the Un Certain Regard Jury,” declared Xavier Dolan. “Even more than making films myself, discovering the work of talented filmmakers has always been at the very heart of both my personal and professional journeys. I see, in this responsibility I’m assigned, the opportunity to focus with the members of the Un Certain Regard Jury on an essential aspect of the art of film: stories told truthfully.”
Self-taught, Dolan wrote, directed, produced, and starred in his first feature film, “I Killed My Mother,” at 19. Adapted from a short story he had written a few years earlier, this was considered a masterstroke and was chosen to represent Canada for the Academy Awards With his film, “Heartbeats,” he made his first entrance in Un Certain Regard at Cannes when he was just 21. Two years later, “Laurence Anyways” premiered at Un Certain Regard and won the section’s award for Best Actress ex-aequo for Suzanne Clément. Dolan’s first award in Cannes highlighted his delicate sense for directing actors and actresses, with whom he has developed loyal, intense collaborations.
“Mommy” gave new exceptional roles to Anne Dorval and Suzanne Clément after the psychological thriller “Tom at the Farm.” This 5th feature –Dolan’s first in Competition– depicts a single mother’s difficulties in raising her son. With deep emotion and poetry, he received from the hand of the New Zealand director Jane Campion the Jury Prize tied with Jean-Luc Godard’s “Goodbye to Language.” With this choice, the Jury rewarded both the oldest (84) and the youngest (25) filmmakers in Competition, proving that originality was not the prerogative of youth, nor maturity that of experience. The following year, Xavier Dolan joined the Jury chaired by the Coen brothers at the 68th Cannes Film Festival.
His return to directing sounded like a new declaration of love to actors and audiences alike. “It’s Only the End of the World,” an adaptation of Jean-Luc Lagarce’s play, was awarded the Grand Prix at the 69th Festival de Cannes. His fascination with acting could also be found in his next two films. “The Death and Life of John F. Donovan” is the story of a young boy’s correspondence with his favorite actor, and “Matthias & Maxime,” was presented in Competition in 2019.
He played a few notable roles for other filmmakers, including in Xavier Giannoli’s “Lost Illusions,” which earned him a nomination for the César Award for Best Supporting Actor. In 2022, Xavier Dolan then directed his first TV series, “The Night Logan Woke Up.”
Greta Gerwig will preside over the Main Competition Jury for the 77th Cannes Film Festival, which will take place from Tuesday, May 14th to Saturday, May 25th, 2024.
The Official Selection will be announced on Thursday, April 11th, 2024.
Are you excited for the 2024 Cannes Film Festival? Are you planning to attend the festival this year? Which films are you hoping will be announced for this year’s lineup? Please let us know in the comments section below or on our Twitter account.
