The forthcoming Cannes Film Festival is set to showcase the final work of iconic director Jean-Luc Godard, who passed away the day after completing his latest creation in 2022.
The 18-minute short film titled "Scénarios," crafted by the revered French-Swiss filmmaker will make its debut at the prestigious event, accompanied by a 34-minute introduction meticulously crafted by Godard himself. Described as a blend of "still and moving images, halfway between reading and seeing," the introduction promises to offer audiences a unique insight into the artistic vision of the legendary director.
This announcement comes on the heels of last year's unveiling of "Trailer of the Film That Will Never Exist: 'Phony Wars'", a fragment of an unfinished documentary that also premiered at Cannes, marking Godard's posthumous contribution to the cinematic world. However, it has since been revealed that Godard had several other projects in the pipeline before his passing, with collaborators Fabrice Aragno and Jean-Paul Battaggia now striving to bring these envisioned works to fruition.
According to Aragno, "Scénarios" will exhibit a blend of classic video style interspersed with Super-8 imagery, showcasing Godard's innovative approach to filmmaking till the very end.
The news of Godard's death, attributed to his decision to undergo assisted suicide due to exhaustion rather than illness, reverberated across the film community, marking the end of an illustrious career spanning masterpieces such as "Breathless," "Pierrot le Fou," and "Alphaville."
"He was not sick, he was simply exhausted," a statement read at the time. "So he had made the decision to end it. It was his decision and it was important for him that it be known."
"Scénarios" will be featured as part of the Cannes Classics sidebar, alongside notable presentations of Akira Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai" and Jacques Demy's "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg," as well as premieres of documentaries exploring the lives of Faye Dunaway and Jim Henson.
With dates set for May 14th to 25th, the Cannes Film Festival is poised to be a celebration of cinematic excellence, punctuated by the bittersweet debut of Jean-Luc Godard's final opus, "Scénarios."
