After a Cannes-less 2020, we were glad to welcome back cinema’s grandest event this year. Film Comment followed the much-awaited 2021 edition’s superb lineup with the help of an on-the-Croisette crew of contributors—you can read their thoughtful dispatches and interviews here, with more coming this week.

On today’s podcast—the first of an epic two-parter—Film Comment editors Devika Girish and Clinton Krute welcomed FC contributing editor Jonathan Romney and critic and programmer Miriam Bale to dig into some of their festival viewing. They talked about Julia Ducournau’s Palme d’Or–winner Titane, Bruno Dumont’s France, Paul Verhoeven’s Benedetta, Compartment No. 6, Red Rocket, La Fracture, Lingui, the Sacred Bonds, and more. Stay tuned for part two of the conversation, covering Annette, Memoria, The Souvenir Part II, and others.

Links & Things:

Jonathan Romney on the early days of the festival

Miriam Bale’s Cannes roundup at W Magazine

Read Film Comment’s Cannes 2021 coverage here