Saturday, April 19, 2025

NOMINATIONS FOR GOLDEN CAMERA 2025

 

จับตาคู่แข่งของ A USEFUL GHOST (2025, Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke) สำหรับรางวัล “กล้องทองคำ” ในเทศกาลภาพยนตร์เมืองคานส์ปีนี้

 

เนื่องจาก A USEFUL GHOST หรือ ผีใช้ได้ค่ะ (2025, Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke) มีสิทธิเข้าชิงรางวัล “กล้องทองคำ” หรือ CAMERA D’OR สำหรับ “หนังยาวเรื่องแรกยอดเยี่ยม” ในเทศกาลภาพยนตร์เมืองคานส์ปีนี้ เราก็เลยอยากรู้ว่า คู่แข่งของ A USEFUL GHOST มีหนังเรื่องไหนบ้าง ซึ่งพอดูคร่าว ๆ ก็พบว่า คู่แข่งปีนี้มี 22 เรื่อง และมีทั้งหนังที่กำกับโดย Scarlett Johansson, หนังที่กำกับโดย Harris Dickinson, หนังที่นำแสดงโดย Alexander Skarsgard, หนังที่นำแสดงโดย Naomie Ackie, หนังอิรัก, หนังเกย์ชิลี, หนังอียิปต์ และหนังเรื่องอื่น ๆ ที่น่าสนใจอีกมากมาย

 

เราก็เลยรวบรวมข้อมูลภาษาอังกฤษจากเว็บไซต์ต่าง ๆ มาไว้ในอัลบัมนี้ เพื่อความสะดวกของตัวเราเองในการจับตาดูว่า หนังเรื่องใดในกลุ่มนี้ (ซึ่งรวมถึง A USEFUL GHOST) ที่จะคว้ารางวัลกล้องทองคำในคานส์ปีนี้

 

1. ELEANOR THE GREAT กำกับโดย Scarlett Johansson

 

นำแสดงโดย Chiwetel Ejiofor and June Squibb (NEBRASKA, THELMA)

 

After seventy years with best friend, Eleanor moves to New York City for a fresh start. Making new friends at ninety proves difficult. Longing for connection, she befriends a 19-year-old student

 

2.URCHIN (Harris Dickinson, UK)

 

Mike, a homeless person in London who is struggling to break free from a cycle of self-destruction while trying to turn his life around. As per the description, the film is “raw and absurd,” and a “story about the strange patterns that keep pulling us back.”

 

3. PILLION (Harry Lighton, UK)

 

Described as a “funny, filthy romance,” Pillion sees Alexander Skarsgård play Ray, an ” impossibly handsome leader of a bike gang” who takes on Colin (Harry Melling), a weedy wallflower, to be his new submissive. Ray uproots Colin from his dreary suburban life and introduces him to a community of kinky, queer bikers. But as Colin dives deeper into Ray’s world, he begins to question whether the life of a 24/7 submissive is really for him.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/pillion-alexander-skarsgard-harry-melling-1236028114/

 

Harry Lighton, BAFTA-nominated for his 2017 short Wren Boys, directed Pillion from his own script which is loosely inspired by Adam Mars-Jones’ 2019 novel Box Hill.

 

ตอนเราดูหนังสั้นเรื่อง WREN BOYS (2017, Harry Lighton, A+30) ในปี 2019 เราเขียนว่า “พอดูหนังเรื่องนี้แล้วก็เลยจินตนาการว่า อยากให้มีคนเอา "2499 อันธพาลครองเมือง" มาดัดแปลงใหม่ให้เป็นหนังเกี่ยวกับกลุ่มแก๊งเกย์”

https://web.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10221265493130224&set=a.10219540481446010

 

ปรากฏว่า Harry Lighton ทำแบบนั้นจริง ๆ ค่ะ 555555 หนังเรื่องใหม่ของเขาคือ PILLION มีเนื้อหาเกี่ยวกับกลุ่มแก๊งมอเตอร์ไซค์เกย์ และนำแสดงโดย Alexander Skarsgard โดยหนังเรื่องนี้ได้เข้าฉายในสาย UN CERTAIN REGARD ในเทศกาลภาพยนตร์เมืองคานส์ปี 2025

 

WREN BOYS ติดอันดับ 14 ในลิสท์หนังที่เราชื่นชอบที่สุดที่ได้ดูในปี 2019

 

4. SORRY, BABY (Eva Victor, USA)

 

หนังเรื่องนี้นำแสดงโดย Eva Victor, Naomie Ackie และ Lucas Hedges และได้รับคำชมอย่างรุนแรงสุดขีดจากนักวิจารณ์ใน Sundance

https://deadline.com/2025/01/sorry-baby-review-eva-victors-poignant-dramedy-sundance-1236270020/

 

5. AISHA CAN’T FLY AWAY (Morad Mostafa, Egypt/Tunisia/France)

 

Aisha, a 26-year-old Somali woman, lives and works in Ain-shams, a neighbourhood in Cairo with a large African migrant community. The authorities’ indifference to the violent tensions between Egyptians and various African nationalities, has allowed different gangs to seize control of the neighbourhood. The situation quickly turns sour after one of them offers Aisha security in exchange for a favour. 

 

I started thinking about this film a while ago, reflecting on moments stuck in my memory when I was riding a microbus. I was visiting the neighborhood and I noticed an African woman with a tired face, resting her head on the window and sleeping next to me. Suddenly, she woke up, frightened, and started crying uncontrollably. This startled the other passengers as well as me. Then, she left without any explanation. That triggered this project. The woman and that moment remained in my mind for days as I tried to penetrate her mind, wondering about her dreams and nightmares that had merged with the real world in a city that is cruel to its own people, let alone newcomers.

 

After I Promise You Paradise, Morad Mostafa further explores intimate and political filmmaking. Blending formal, contemplative, and rather silent style of filmmaking with the excitement of a thriller, he develops a very unique perspective on the migratory crisis as experienced in Egypt, thus upending the conventional European narrative. Drawing from documentary filmmaking and magical realism, Morad’s film is an elegy, a platform for those who have been long overlooked to have their voices and stories heard.

 

6. BRAND NEW LANDSCAPE (Yuisa Danzuka, Japan)

 

7. BYE BYE (Amelie Bonnin, France)

 

8. CARAVAN (Zuzana Kirchnerová, Slovakia)

 

Caravan, a poetic road movie about freedom, the different forms of love, and an urgent desire to finally start living instead of merely surviving

 

A devoted single mother dreams of a solo vacation in Italy at her friend's house, but when arrangements collapse, she must bring along her disabled teenage son on what was meant to be her private escape.

 

9. DANDELION’S ODYSSEY (Momoko Seto, France/Belgium)

 

Dendelion, Baraban, Léonto and Taraxa - four dandelion achenes that survive from a series of nuclear explosions destroying Earth - are propelled into the cosmos. After crash-landing on an unknown planet, they set out in search of soil where their species might survive. However, they must face countless obstacles: the elements, fauna, flora, the climate.

 

Momoko Seto was born in Tokyo, Japan, before coming to France to study at Le Fresnoy. She works as a director for the CNRS - the national scientific research center - where she makes scientific documentaries. In 2021, she was presented with the CNRS Crystal Award. In parallel, she directs films, including the series Planet (Planet Σ won the Audi Short Film Award at Berlinale in 2015).

 

10. THE FOXES ROUND (Valery Carnoy, France/Belgium)

 

Wild Foxes set in a sports-focused boarding school that explores the pressures around masculinity among young boys and stars Samuel Kircher.

 

At an elite sports boarding school, talented young boxer Camille narrowly survives a fatal accident, saved by his best friend Matteo. As pain forces him to step back, Camille starts questioning his dreams of greatness and his relation with the team. On the ring and in this men’s world, there’s no room for weakness.

 

11. THE GIRL IN THE SNOW (Louise Hémon, France)

 

1899. Hautes-Alpes. Soudain is a hamlet encircled by snow on the high plateaus of a remote mountain. Shortly after the arrival of a young primary school teacher, an avalanche claims its first local.

 

12. GIRL ON EDGE (Zhou Jinghao, China)

 

Jiang Ning, who grew up in a single-parent family, is training hard for the last chance of his career. Unexpectedly, the appearance of a talented opponent Zhong Ling takes away the favor of his mother/coach Wang Shuang. The relationship between the three begins to become complicated and confusing all while a fatal “murder” accident is quietly unfolding…

 

13. THE GIRLS WE WANT (Princia Car, France)

 

Plot Summary: In the vibrant setting of Marseille, a close-knit group of friends reunites to work at a summer camp. The unexpected return of one member after years away challenges their established relationships. As they navigate the complexities of friendship, sexuality, and self-discovery, the group confronts the tension between personal growth and the comfort of familiar bonds.​

 

Director's Vision: Prïncia Car aims to transcend typical portrayals of suburban fantasies by delving into the authentic experiences of youth. She focuses on the protective yet confining nature of group dynamics and the courage required to seek intimacy and personal freedom. ​

 

14. LOVE LETTERS (Alice Douard, France)

 

Céline is expecting her firstborn. But she’s not the one who’s pregnant. In three months, her wife Nadia will give birth to their daughter. Under the gaze of her friends, her mother, and the law, Céline looks for her place and sense of legitimacy.

 

While studying directing at La Fémis, Alice Douard made Extrasystole, her graduation film, which was acquired by Arte and presented in many festivals. She went on to direct two other short films, Girls and Due West. In 2022, she completed another short film - Expecting - which won the Céar for Best Short Film. She later received the CNC screenwriting grant for Love Letters , her first feature film that expands on the themes of Expecting.

 

15. LUCKY LU (Lloyd Lee Choi, USA)

 

A delivery driver in New York City discovers his e-bike has been stolen. With his family en route after many years apart, Lu must contend with a community that has turned its back on him while he tries to replace the only thing promising to keep his family afloat.

 

16. MY FATHER’S SHADOW (Akinola Davies Jr., UK/Ireland/Nigeria)

 

Two young brothers explore Lagos with their estranged father during the 1993 Nigerian election crisis, witnessing both the city’s magnitude and their father’s daily struggles as political unrest threatens their journey home.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/akinola-davies-jr-first-look-my-fathers-shadow-film-cannes-1236191046/

 

17. THE MYSTERIOUS GAZE OF THE FLAMINGO (Diego Céspedes, Chile)

 

Set in the early 1980s, in the Chilean desert, the film tells the story of 11 year-old Lidia who “grows up in a loving queer family pushed on the edge of an unwelcoming dusty mining town. They are blamed for a mysterious illness that’s starting to spread – said to be passed through a single gaze, when one man falls in love with another. In this modern western, Lidia leads a quest for vengeance, facing violence, fear and hatred, where family is her only refuge and love might be the real danger,” the synopsis reads.

 

A rising Chilean filmmaker, Céspedes is no stranger to Cannes. He previously took part in the Cinefondation program at the Cannes Film Festival and won a prize with his first short “El verano del león eléctrico” in 2018; his second short “The Melting Creatures” world premiered at Cannes’ Critics Week and played at San Sebastian.

https://variety.com/2025/film/global/charades-the-mysterious-gaze-of-the-flamingo-cannes-1236365703/

 

18. NINO (Pauline Loquès, France)

 

In three days, Nino will face a major challenge. But first, his doctors have assigned him two vital tasks. Two missions that will lead the young man on a journey through Paris, compelling him to reconnect with the world - and himself.

 

After studying literature and law, Pauline Loquès turned to journalism to quench her thirst for writing. After being a contributor for cultural programmes, she trained as a screenwriter. For her first film, La vie d’une jeune fille, she embraced simplicity and modesty, focusing on portraying those closest to her as earnestly as possibleIn the same spirit, Pauline Loquès wrote and later directed her first feature film, Nino.

 

19. THE PLAGUE (Charlie Polinger, Australia/USA)

 

A socially awkward tween endures the ruthless hierarchy at a water polo camp, his anxiety spiraling into psychological turmoil over the summer.

 

20. THE PRESIDENT’S CAKE (Hasan Hadi, Iraq/Qatar)

 

It’s “draw day” across Iraq, when schools select students for the honour of bringing items to their mandatory local celebrations of President Saddam Hussein’s birthday. Nine-year-old Lamia lives in the historic marshes with her spirited grandmother, Bibi. Before school, Bibi teaches Lamia clever tricks to avoid being chosen for the president’s cake. However, when Musa, the authoritative teacher, calls Lamia’s name for the most challenging task—the birthday cake—she has no choice but to accept. Refusing could mean imprisonment or even death.

Back home, Lamia finds solace in her beloved pet rooster, Hindi, as she wrestles with the idea of lying. Ultimately, she confesses the truth to Bibi. Together, they prepare an ingredient list and, at dawn, set off for the city with their treasured belongings and Hindi in tow. Upon arrival, Lamia makes a startling discovery about Bibi’s plan. Soon, Lamia finds herself embarking on a quest filled with turbulence, unexpected joys, and heartfelt tears.

 

21. REEDLAND (Sven Brasser, Netherlands/Belgium)

 

When reed cutter Johan discovers the lifeless body of a girl on his land, he is overcome by an ambiguous sense of guilt. While taking care of his granddaughter, he sets out on a quest to track down evil. But darkness can thrive in unexpected places.

 

Sven Bresser is a filmmaker based in the Netherlands. His first short film L'été et tout le reste (2018) was selected for the official competition at Venice Film Festival, TIFF, and numerous other film festivals, where it received multiple national and international awards. Sven’s feature debut Reedland is set in the same rural landscape he grew up in.

 

22. SLEEPLESS CITY (Guillermo Galoe, Spain/France)

 

Toni, a 15-year-old Roma boy, lives in the largest illegal slum in Europe, on the outskirts of Madrid. Proud to belong to his family of scrap dealers, he follows his grandfather everywhere. But when demolition companies start closing in on their land, the family is divided: while some decide to move to the city, his grandfather refuses to abandon their land. Night after night, Toni must make a choice: leap into an uncertain future, or hang on to the world of his childhood.

 

Guillermo Galoe is a filmmaker born in Madrid, Spain. His first work, Fragil Equilibrio, won the Goya Award for Best Documentary Feature after its world premiere at IDFA. His short film Aunque es de noche (2023) premiered at the Festival de Cannes Official Selection, won the Goya for Best Short Fiction Film and was part of the Selection at the César 2025. Also in the Festival de Cannes in 2023, he premiered his short film As Gaivotas Cortam O Ceu at the Quinzaine des Cinéastes

 

 

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