Zvyagintsev Brings 'Minotaur' to Cannes After 9-Year Absence
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- Andrey Zvyagintsev returned to the Cannes Film Festival with Palme d'Or contender "Minotaur" after a near-decade absence, his first appearance since "Loveless" competed in 2017
- Zvyagintsev has been living in exile in France since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, having nearly died from Covid during the pandemic
- "Minotaur" stars Dmitriy Mazurov as successful company director Gleb, whose seemingly perfect life unravels amid suspicions of his wife's affair in the early days of Russia's war in Ukraine
- The film is described as a twist-laden tale of "privilege, betrayal, jealousy, primordial survival instinct and compromise" set in a Russian provincial city
- Zvyagintsev defended his authority to portray contemporary Russia despite a six-year absence, telling the press conference he "previously spent 60 years there" and knows "how people think"
- His previous Cannes entry "Loveless" won the Jury Prize in 2017 and went on to receive an Oscar nomination
Why it matters: Zvyagintsev's Palme d'Or bid marks a rare major Russian voice back at Cannes, even as an exile, giving the festival a politically charged competition entry set against the backdrop of the war he fled. His insistence on credibility after 60 years in Russia sets up a direct tension with his exile status that the jury — and critics — will have to weigh.
