In 2019, Hors Normes (The Specials), directed by Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano, closed the official Selection of a memorable edition. The Festival has announced that OSS 117, Alerte rouge en Afrique noire (From Africa With Love), directed by Nicolas Bedos, will be shown at the 74th edition’s “Final Screening” on July 17th in the Grand Théâtre Lumière at the Awards Ceremony.
By renaming the closing film as the “Final Screening”, the Festival de Cannes aims to rekindle the tradition of the last screening, drawing inspiration from huge evening galas gone by like the screening of Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (in the old Palais in 1982) or Ridley Scott’s Thelma and Louise (in the new Palais in 1991).
This year, the 74th Festival will round off with the premier of the latest chapter in the adventures of Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath, code name OSS 117, played by Jean Dujardin who will appear onscreen alongside Fatou N’Diaye, Pierre Niney, Natacha Lindinger and the late Wladimir Yordanoff.
The first two films of the new series – OSS 117 : Le Caire, nid d’espions (OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies) (2006) and OSS 117: Rio ne répond plus (OSS 117: Lost in Rio) (2009) – were directed by Michel Hazanavicius. This third instalment is still penned by Jean-François Halin and is directed by Nicolas Bedos, who was featured amongst the 2019 Official Selection with La Belle Époque, starring Daniel Auteuil, Guillaume Canet and Doria Tillier, who will play the role of the Festival’s Master of Ceremonies this year.
Originally scheduled in France in February 2021, OSS 117, Alerte rouge en Afrique noire (From Africa With Love) will be released in cinemas on Wednesday, 4 August 2021.
The Festival de Cannes will open on Tuesday, 6 July with Leos Carax’s film Annette. The Awards will be announced on Saturday, 17 July by the Jury which will be presided over by the American filmmaker Spike Lee.
