Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan returns to Cannes with his latest drama

Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s latest drama among films to vie for prestigious award Palme d’Or.

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Türkiye’s award-winning director Nuri Bilge Ceylan is back to the Cannes Film Festival this year with his latest drama About Dry Grasses (Kuru Otlar Ustune), the organizers have announced.

Ceylan’s latest drama focuses on the story of a young teacher who hopes to be appointed to the Turkish metropolis Istanbul after his mandatory duty at a small village in eastern Türkiye.

British director Ken Loach, American Wes Anderson, French Catherine Breillat, German Wim Wenders, Japanese Kore-eda Hirokazu, and Finnish director Aki Kaurismaki are among other film directors whose films will be vying at the 76th edition of the festival which will be held on May 16-27.

In 2014, Ceylan won the Palme d’Or at Cannes. In 2009, he was a member of the main competition jury at Cannes.

Festival's President Iris Knobloch, who took over the post last year from Pierre Lescure, and festival's artistic director Thierry Fremaux announced the lineup during a news conference in Paris.

The festival’s opening film Jeanne du Barry, starring Hollywood actor Johnny Depp, was directed by French actress and filmmaker Maiwenn.

Meanwhile, Turkish broadcaster TRT said in a statement that three films that it supported have been selected for competition in the festival. Among them are Ceylan’s About Dry Grasses, Austrian award-winning director Jessica Hausner's Club Zero, and Italian director’s Alice Rohrwacher, it added.

A total of 19 films, selected to run for the prestigious award Palme d’Or, are as follows:

  • Club Zero by Jessica Hausner
  • The Zone of Interest by Jonathan Glazer
  • Fallen Leaves by Aki Kaurismaki
  • Les Filles D’Olfa (Four Daughters) by Kaouther Ben Hania
  • Asteroid City by Wes Anderson
  • Anatomie D’une Chute by Justine Triet
  • Monster by Kore-eda Hirokazu
  • Il Sol Dell’Avvenire by Nanni Moretti
  • L’Ete Dernier by Catherine Breillat
  • About Dry Grasses by Nuri Bilge Ceylan
  • La Chimera by Alice Rohrwacher
  • The Passion of Dodin Bouffant by Tran Anh Hung
  • Rapito by Marco Bellocchio
  • May December by Todd Haynes
  • Jeunesse by Wang Bing
  • The Old Oak by Ken Loach
  • Banel e Adama by Ramata-Toulaye Sy
  • Perfect Days by Wim Wenders
  • Firebrand by Karim Ainouz