Cannes 2022: 10 Films We Expect To See

Following several years of turmoil, including the cancellation of its 73rd Edition, the Cannes Film Festival is back on track, reclaiming its place as the world's foremost international film festival for the cinephile crowd.

For those not already in the know, Cannes is the hip, prestigious, all-inclusive European cousin to the Oscars, and to many a Palme d'Or (the festival's highest honour) is worth far more than a Best Picture statuette.

While any of a thousand films could be appearing at the festival this year, from all across the globe, some are more likely than others, and we are here to give you a rundown of 10 of the best that we expect to see, whether in competition or merely making a splash with a big, extravagant premiere.

Contrary to rumours about Blonde (Andrew Dominik) and other Netflix titles appearing at Cannes, it is unlikely we will see anything from the streaming giant, as they are generally unwilling to commit any of their awards-level features to a strict theatrical release window as per the festival's rules (which entails an enforced 15-month wait before a title can be released for streaming).

Equally, certain directors simply haven't been able to push production through at a swift enough pace to place their work this year. For example, Claire Denis – French arthouse auteur and natural choice for the festival – has already stated that her Denis Johnson adaptation The Stars At Noon will not be ready in time.

Though Brandon Cronenberg's initial rise to directordom was cast in the shade of his father, body horror legend David Cronenberg, Cronenberg Jr has since carved his own niche, cemented once and for all by 2020's Possessor, a psychological screamer led by Andrea Riseborough.

His next feature, Infinity Pool, is set to be a sci-fi thriller with big-name talent in the form of Alexander Skarsgård, whose genre cred has been fleshed out in a variety of hits and oddities including Melancholia, Mute and Godzilla Vs. Kong. A rich couple (Skarsgård and Mia Goth, the latter hot off the back of this year's porn-shoot slasher X) are on holiday at an all-inclusive island resort, but something dangerous and seductive lurks beyond the sun-kissed beaches and the safety of the hotel gates.

Announced during Cannes 2019, where he premiered his short film Please Speak Continuously And Describe Your Experiences As They Come to You, Brandon Cronenberg has spent the past year working hard to get Infinity Pool through filming and production after various pandemic-driven delays.

While not a completely safe bet for Cannes 2022, the fact that production concluded on Infinity Pool last year, plus Cronenberg's steady history with Cannes and other global film festivals make this a common-sense starting point for what promises to be his biggest release yet.