Woody Allen’s ‘Cafe Society’ to Set Record With Cannes Opening

By Maia Efrem March 29, 2016

Woody Allen’s “Cafe Society,” his 46th feature as a director, has been chosen to open the 69th annual Cannes Film Festival.

, the May 11 premier at the Palais des Festivals’ Grand Théâtre Lumière will make Allen the first and only director with three opening-night films at the prestigious French festival. His previous premiers include “Hollywood Ending” (2002) and “Midnight in Paris” (2011). “Cafe Society” is also the first Amazon produced film to make Cannes, signaling that streaming services are in league with established production houses.

The official Cannes description of the Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart starrer tells the story of a “young man who arrives in Hollywood during the 1930s hoping to work in the film industry, falls in love, and finds himself swept up in the vibrant café society that defined the spirit of the age.” The cast includes Steve Carell, Parker Posey, Blake Lively, Corey Stoll, Jeannie Berlin and Ken Stott and will premier on Amazon later this year.

Maia Efrem is the former research editor and assistant to the editor and was also responsible for the Forward’s annual Salary Survey. Previously she served as the editor of Blognik Beat, a blog written by students who emigrated from or have ties to the Former Soviet Union. Maia is a graduate of Hunter College and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.

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