Greta Gerwig, the director and co-writer of "Barbie," "Little Women," and "Lady Bird," has been announced as the jury president for the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival. She will be the first-ever female American director to hold this role and the second youngest person to do so. Cannes organizers described Gerwig as the "obvious choice" and praised her for embodying the renewal of world cinema and breaking down barriers. Gerwig expressed her excitement and honor at being named the jury president, stating that Cannes has always represented the pinnacle of the universal language of movies. The lineup for the festival will be announced in April.
Greta Gerwig, the acclaimed American director, will make history as the first female American director to serve as Jury President at the 77th Cannes Film Festival in May 2024. Gerwig, known for her films such as "Lady Bird" and "Little Women," has achieved significant success in the film industry, including being the first woman to surpass the one billion mark at the worldwide box office. Cannes praised Gerwig for her ability to combine arthouse blockbusters with exploring contemporary feminist issues, and described her as a representative of an era breaking down barriers and elevating the values of intelligence and humanism.
Greta Gerwig becomes the first female director to achieve a billion-dollar movie with "Barbie," which has dominated the box office for three consecutive weeks. While other female directors have reached the billion-dollar mark through co-directing with men, Gerwig stands alone as a solo female director. This milestone highlights the bankability of women both in front of and behind the camera, and it marks a historical feat in the film industry.
The comedy film "Barbie," directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie, has made a record-breaking $155 million in its opening weekend at the box office, surpassing expectations and becoming the biggest North American debut for a female director. Alongside it, Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer," a three-hour biopic, also exceeded projections, collectively earning $235.5 million in a single weekend. The success of these original films highlights the audience's appetite for fresh characters and storylines, challenging the dominance of tired sequels and franchises. This weekend's box office results provide a much-needed boost for the struggling movie industry, but challenges remain, including a strike by unionized actors and the question of whether franchises or original stories will shape the future of cinema.
Greta Gerwig discusses the ending of the movie "Barbie," which features a final joke where Barbie happily announces she's going to see her gynecologist despite not having any genitals. Gerwig explains that the line is meant to evoke both humor and emotion, aiming to empower girls and challenge societal taboos surrounding the female body. The film has received positive reviews and broke records for the biggest opening ever for a film directed by a woman.
Greta Gerwig has made history as Barbie, her latest film, breaks the domestic box office record for a female director, surpassing the opening weekend earnings of Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel. Barbie is on track to make $155m in North America and has delivered a massive global debut of $337m. Meanwhile, Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, which has received critical acclaim, is set to amass $80.5m in North America and has earned $174.2m globally.
Chelsea Peretti's directorial debut film, "First Time Female Director," has been acquired by Roku at the Tribeca Festival. The comedy follows a playwright who takes over the production of a local play after the theater's director is fired. The film stars Peretti, Megan Mullally, Blake Anderson, Megan Stalter, and Kate Berlant. The price of the acquisition has not been disclosed.
