Yesterday, two competition titles screened: Jafar Panahi’s “A Simple Accident” and Mario Martone’s “Fuori.” They have emerged as the highest- and lowest-scoring titles, respectively, on Screen International’s Cannes jury grid.
It wasn’t until yesterday—nine days into the festival—that the usual whispers began to swell into something more certain: at last, a real Palme d’Or contender had arrived. And now, almost overnight, the bookies have “A Simple Accident” as the odds-on favorite.
Panahi’s Iranian drama, which explores the ripple effects of a seemingly minor event, is tied for the top spot with Sergei Loznitsa’s “Two Prosecutors,” both earning a 3.1 average from the grid’s panel of critics. This marks a notable improvement for Panahi, whose last Competition title, “3 Faces” (2018), received a 2.6 average.
Meanwhile, Martone’s “Fuori” currently sits at the bottom of the grid with a 1.0 average—an uphill climb even if the remaining two critics award it top marks. In the best-case scenario, it would still only reach a 1.5 average.
In all my years watching Cannes unfold, I can’t recall a lineup so crowded with low-scoring entries. It doesn’t just feel like a coincidence—it begins to paint a portrait of a Competition slate that, at least for now, and with the exception of a few titles, seems to be struggling to find its footing. Whether it’s a matter of bold swings that miss or simply muted ambition, the pattern is hard to ignore.
EDITED: As it stands, the bottom tier of the Cannes Screen Jury Grid is composed of “Fuori” (1), “Alpha” (1.5) “Eddington” (1.5), “Eagles of the Republic” (1.9), “Woman and Child” (1.9) “History of Sound” (1.9), “The Little Sister” (2), and “The Phoenician Scheme” (2.3).
Today, three competition titles will be screened: Carla Simon’s “Romeria,” Oliver Hermanus’ “The History of Sound,” and “Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value.”
