You won’t believe why films get booed at Cannes!

It is no new fact that a lot of film premieres at Cannes, get their fair share of boos and jeers, sometimes even more raucous than the applause meted out to them. Make no mistake, the French love their movies. But if we had to spell out their reason in a word, well you can blame it on ‘tradition’. Booing at Cannes has now become so commonplace, that directors and cast have just learnt to take it with a grain of salt and move on with it. Take a look at Kristen Stewart’s and Olivier Assayas’ movie, “Personal Shopper”, if you don’t believe us! The movie was booed at Cannes 2016 and yet went on to win high acclaim!

While some jeers were deserving of the movies that were so bad that the audience couldn’t watch more, you wouldn’t believe the movies that were booed and later went on to become classics!Β 

1. Pulp FictionΒ 

As surprising as it is, Pulp Fiction while not being booed during its screening, received a lot of boos when it went on to win the prestigiousΒ Palme d’Or at the 47th edition of the festival in 1994. Reason being, some audience members were rooting forΒ Krzysztof KieΕ›lowski’s final filmΒ Three Colors: RedΒ to win the prestigious award.

2. The Tree Of Life

While mainly receiving positive responses, there was a part of the audience that went on a booing rant during the movie’s screening at Cannes in 2011.Β The Tree of LifeΒ went on to win the Palme d’Or and later received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.

3. Antichrist

Lars Von Trier’s art-house psychological thriller reigned absolute chaos at its screening at Cannes in 2009. The downhill journey of a couple who lose their son in a tragic death was meted out with laughter and jeers during its screening. At the end of its run-time, the movie was rewarded with harsh boos. The movie however was awarded with an “Anti-Award” by the festival’sΒ Ecumenical Jury.

4. Crash

David Cronenberg’sΒ “Crash” received a lot of flak due to its extremely graphic sex and not so subtle violence. Despite all the negative reactions towards it, the movie went on to win The Special Jury Prize at theΒ 49th Cannes Film Festival in 1996.

5. Taxi Driver

Martin Scorcece’s cinematic wonder that was “Taxi Driver” surprisingly had a largely negative reaction when it premiered at Cannes in 1976. The audience didn’t like the film’sΒ violence, nihilistic point of view, and unsavory anti-hero. The film was also booed when it won the Palme d’Or. The movie went on to win four Academy Award nominations including Best Picture and Best Actor for Robert De Niro.Β 

6. Only God Forgives

Following up with the release of his action packed drama, “Drive”,Β Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn took his film Only God Forgives to the 66th Cannes Film Festival.Β The audience reacted furiously and jeered at the movie for itsΒ non-narrative plot and unlikeable characters.

7. Taking Woodstock

Ang Lee‘s “Taking Woodstock”, premiered at the 62nd edition of the film festival in 2009 and was largely received with jeers and ill-appreciation. The plot revolves around a family-run motel in the sleepy town of White Lakeβ€”which sits just outside of Woodstock, New Yorkβ€”during the famous music festival. The movie is considered as one of the low points in the director’s career.

8. Inglourious Basterds

Quentin Tarantino‘s second run-in with Cannes, following Pulp Fiction in 1994, came during the screening of his World-War II epic, “Inglorious Basterds”. Some audience members took issue with the revisionist approach to World War II and furthermore many felt it was too funny and self-indulgent for the festival.