The Cannes plan comes together

March 21, 2008 U.S. distributors will bring films from foreign directors, foreign-language helmers will showcase films featuring Hollywood stars, and U.S. directors will unveil movies they shot in a foreign country or language. Last year, Julian Schnabel's "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" -- a French-language movie from a U.S. director and U.S.- and France-based producers -- was among the buzz titles of the festival, at which Wong Kar Wai's English-language, Norah Jones-starring "My Blueberry Nights" provided the curtain-raiser. A number of films with similarly diverse pedigrees are said to be strong Cannes candidates this year as Thierry Fremaux -- who was upped in August from artistic director to delegate director -- and his staff make their final selections.

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