Cannes Directors′ FortnightLove/RomanceComing of Age
Bruno Dumont is one of the most unpredictable and free-spirited French filmmakers. Following France, which offered a scathing critique about modern media, he turns his back on the adult world to craft yet another masterpiece. One summer in the Var region, a group of six- and seven-year-olds dare one another as they leap into the Mediterranean from red cliffs. Over the course of a few days, they come to know love, jealousy, violence, joy, and freedom. Filming these children, Dumont sought to return to the "childhood of cinema." Without correcting glances directed at the camera, unintelligible dialogue, or unpredictable reactions, he strives for a raw, unfiltered form of cinema. As a result, the children are portrayed like an enigmatic tribe undergoing their own rites of passage. The protagonist, Geo, and his pack keep us constantly amused while reminding us of a time when our world, too, was gloriously full of adventure, danger, and emotion. Red Rocks is a small yet monumental masterpiece of the year.
Programme note by SEO Seunghee
Stills4
Screenings4
Wed, 10/07
12:0013:30
LOTTE CINEMA Centum City 2
041KE, Korean subtitles + English subtitles or English dialogue
Thu, 10/08
09:0010:30
LOTTE CINEMA Centum City 3
123KE, Korean subtitles + English subtitles or English dialogue
Sun, 10/11
22:2023:50
LOTTE CINEMA Centum City 5
435KE, Korean subtitles + English subtitles or English dialogue
Mon, 10/12
09:4011:10
CGV Centum City IMAX
482KE, Korean subtitles + English subtitles or English dialogue
Bruno Dumont was born in France in 1958. He made his first mark on world cinema with his feature debut The Life of Jesus (1997), shot in his native Bailleul, which earned a special mention for the Caméra d′Or at Cannes Directors′ Fortnight. Humanity (1999) swept three prizes at Cannes — the Grand Prix and both the Best Actor and Best Actress awards — while Flanders (2006) brought him a second Grand Prix, cementing his distinctive cinematic exploration of religion, mysticism, and human violence. He later expanded his range with the comedy Slack Bay (2016) and his reimaginings of Joan of Arc in Jeannette (2017) and Joan of Arc (2019), then returned to the Cannes competition with France (2021), starring Léa Seydoux. His sci-fi satire The Empire (2023) continued his generic experimentation, winning the Silver Bear Jury Prize at the Berlinale. His latest film, Red Rocks, a documentary-style portrait of a summer spent by six-year-old Géo and his gang of children, had its world premiere to widespread acclaim at the 2026 Cannes Directors′ Fortnight.
From Busan International Film Festival 2026, No. 31
