The official selection of the Cannes Film Festival has been unveiled.
The line-up was revealed by the festival’s president Pierre Lescure, and general delegate Thierry Fremaux, during a press conference at the Normandie Cinema in Paris’s Champs-Elysees.
A healthy mix of international and Hollywood films are planned for the festival's grand comeback after a year affected by the pandemic. The 2021 iteration has been delayed from the usual May date to July 6 to 17.
Da 5 Bloods filmmaker Spike Lee, who was scheduled to be head of the jury in 2020, is taking up the mantle of jury president.
The musical Annette will open the festival and is among the films in the Competition. The film is directed by French filmmaker Leos Carax and stars Marion Cotillard and Adam Driver.
Regional picks in the competition include Casablanca Beats by French-Moroccan filmmaker Nabil Ayouch and A Hero by Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi. Catherine Corsini's La Fracture, Wes Anderson's The French Dispatch and Drive My Car by Ryusuke Hamaguchi are also in the Competition list.
The Un Certain Regard selection, Fremaux said during the press conference, has returned to its original intention of recognising young talent and experimental cinema. At least six of the 12 films in the selection are debut features.
These include La Civil by Teodora Ana Mihai, a film about a mother whose teenage daughter is kidnapped in Northern Mexico; Un Monde by Laura Wandel, which contrasts a schoolgirl's attempts to fit in a new school with her desire to stand up for her bullied brother; and Moneyboys by C B Yi, a drama that follows a hustler in China at odds with his family, who accept his money but not his lifestyle.
There's also Noche de Fuego by Tatiana Huezo, which explores a town at war, and Lamb by Valdimar Johannsson, a supernatural drama about a couple who discovers a mysterious newborn on their farm in Iceland.
Actress Gessica Geneus will also debut her first fiction feature with Freda.
In a 2020 interview with Woy Magazine, Geneus said the film "is a portrait of a woman, of a family, in the context of the current sociopolitical crisis in Haiti".
The Cannes Premiere also has several intriguing titles in this year's selection. Documentary Cow by Andrea Arnold, offers a detailed study of the daily lives of two cows.
Another highlight is Love Song for Tough Guys by Samuel Benchetrit. The film follows the lives of a group of social outcasts, who, though used to violence, are influenced by the strong love they feel for one another.
Eva Husson's post-First World War drama Mothering Sunday is also scheduled to premiere, as will Hong Sang-soo's newest feature In Front of Your Face.
Cannes Film Festival 2021 official selection
Competition
Annette, Leos Carax (festival opening film)
Tre Piani, Nanni Moretti
Tout s'est bien passe, Francois Ozon
Un Heros (A Hero), Asghar Farhadi
Titane, Julia Ducournau
The French Dispatch, Wes Anderson
Red Rocket, Sean Baker
Petrov's Flu, Kirill Serebrennikov
Par un demi-clair matin, Bruno Dumont
Nitram, Justin Kurzel
Memoria, Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Lingui, Mahamat-Saleh Haroun
Les Olympiades (Paris 13th District), Jacques Audiard
Les Intranquilles (The Restless), Joachim Lafosse
La Fracture, Catherine Corsini
Casablanca Beats, Nabil Ayouch
Julie (En 12 Chapitres) (The Worst Person In The World), Joachim Trier
Hytti nro 6 (Compartment No 6), Juho Kuosmanen
Ha'berech (Le Genou d'Ahed / Ahed's Knee), Nadav Lapid
Drive My Car, Ryusuke Hamaguchi
Bergman Island, Mia Hansen-Love
Benedetta, Paul Verhoeven
A Feleségem Története (The Story of My Wife), Ildikó Enyedi
Flag Day, Sean Penn
Out Of Competition
Aline (Aline, The Voice Of Love), Valerie Lemercier
Stillwater, Tom McCarthy
The Velvet Underground, Todd Haynes
Emergency Declaration, Han Jae-rim
De son vivant, Emmanuelle Bercot
Bac Nord, Cedric Jimenez
Babi Yar, Sergei Loznitsa
Midnight Screening
Oranges Sanguines (Bloody Oranges), Jean-Christophe Meurisse
Cannes Premiere
Cette Musique Ne Joue Pour Personne (Love Song For Tough Guys), Samuel Benchetrit
Cow, Andrea Arnold
Tromperie (Deception), Arnaud Desplechin
Evolution, Kornel Mundruczo
In Front Of Your Face, Hong Sang-soo
Serre-moi fort (Hold Me Tight), Mathieu Amalric
Mothering Sunday, Eva Husson
Special Screenings
H6, Ye Ye
Cahiers Noirs (Black Notebooks), Shlomi Elkabetz
O Marinheiro Das Montanhas (Le Marin Des Montagnes / Mariner Of The Mountains), Karim Ainouz
JFK Revisited: Through The Looking Glass, Oliver Stone
Jane par Charlotte, Charlotte Gainsbourg
Un Certain Regard
The Innocents, Eskil Vogt
After Yang, Kogonada
Lamb, Valdimar Johannsson
Noche de Fuego, Tatiana Huezo
Bonne Mere, Hafsia Herzi
Blue Bayou, Justin Chon
Moneyboys, C.B Yi
Freda, Gessica Geneus
Un Monde, Laura Wandel
Commitment Hasan, Hasan Semih Kaplanoglu
House Arrest, Alexey German Jr
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5.55am: Wheelchair Marathon Elites
6am: Marathon Elites
7am: Marathon Masses
9am: 10Km Road Race
11am: 4Km Fun Run
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Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
The%20US%20Congress%2C%20explained
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Calls
Directed by: Fede Alvarez
Starring: Pedro Pascal, Karen Gillian, Aaron Taylor-Johnson
4/5
A cryptocurrency primer for beginners
Cryptocurrency Investing for Dummies – by Kiana Danial
There are several primers for investing in cryptocurrencies available online, including e-books written by people whose credentials fall apart on the second page of your preferred search engine.
Ms Danial is a finance coach and former currency analyst who writes for Nasdaq. Her broad-strokes primer (2019) breaks down investing in cryptocurrency into baby steps, while explaining the terms and technologies involved.
Although cryptocurrencies are a fast evolving world, this book offers a good insight into the game as well as providing some basic tips, strategies and warning signs.
Begin your cryptocurrency journey here.
Available at Magrudy’s , Dh104
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
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