The Cannes Film Festival is more than just a set of famous steps; it embodies cinema and directing duo Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache proved just that during this edition. The feature-length film successfully brought the 72th edition of the legendary festival to a close.
For those curious, here’s the synopsis:
“For 20 years, Bruno and Malik have lived in a different world: the world of autistic children and teens. In charge of two separate nonprofit organizations, they train young people from underprivileged areas to be caregivers for extreme cases. It’s an exceptional partnership, outside of traditional settings, for some quite extraordinary characters. ”
As the closing film of this year’s edition, festival-goers were able to see The Specials before its wide release. At the end of this emotional screening, the audience left the Festival Palace enthralled. The film received a very warm reception, with enthusiastic reviews from critics and audiences alike and a glowing endorsement from Thierry Frémaux, General Delegate of the Cannes Film Festival, who said: “this film is more than contemporary and carries great promises for the future”.
C’était énorme !#HorsNormes #cannes2019 #FestivalDeCannes @Festival_Cannes pic.twitter.com/0egZOqlTVx
— Toledano Nakache (@ToledanoNakache) 26 mai 2019
This return to the screen marks a new cinematic avenue for the two men who are dealing with a more serious subject this time around, one very close to their hearts: supporting youngsters with autism. In what is much more than just a dramatic comedy, Éric Toledano and Olivier Nakache offer a compassionate take on a subject most viewers know little about, which is often tarnished by preconceptions and clichés. This important feature-length film shines a light on social workers, volunteers and healthcare professionals.
Voir cette publication sur InstagramLa Dernière Séance du @festivaldecannes « HORS NORMES » ! ✨📸✨ Merci et bravo @toledanonakache @vincentcassel @redakateb ! #horsnormes En salle le 23 octobre Une publication partagée par Gaumont (@gaumont_) le
The subject matter of this film is no coincidence; autism has interested the two directors and screenwriters for many years and they even produced a report about the disorder. With The Specials, they want to shine a light on autism and, more broadly speaking, the administrative and social limits that families with autistic members are faced with.
As for the cast, Éric Toledano and Olivier Nakache had the great pleasure of directing a truly unique duo: Vincent Cassel and Reda Kateb. This exceptional partnership makes for a very special film whose compassion is unique to these two directors.
But you’ll have to be patient: following its debut at the Cannes Film Festival, The Specials won't be in theaters for six months yet! In the meantime, why not revisit other wonderful films by Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache, like The Intouchables, Samba or C’est la vie ?!
