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The 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival<\/a> begins Tuesday, and this lineup is particularly star-packed. Which titles could follow in the path of last year\u2019s big breakouts like \u201cAnora\u201d and \u201cThe Substance\u201d? Here are the stories we have our eye on this year.<\/p>\n Though Cannes is traditionally known for showcasing the best in global cinema, the lineup is packed with so many high-profile English-language films that it could be mistaken for a festival in Hollywood.<\/p>\n The biggest premieres include \u201cDie My Love,\u201d which pairs Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson as a couple in a crumbling marriage; the new Spike Lee film, \u201cHighest 2 Lowest<\/a>,\u201d with Denzel Washington; and Wes Anderson\u2019s caper \u201cThe Phoenician Scheme<\/a>,\u201d with Benicio Del Toro leading an ensemble that includes Michael Cera, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hanks and Riz Ahmed.<\/p>\n There\u2019s also the romantic drama \u201cThe History of Sound,\u201d with Paul Mescal and Josh O\u2019Connor; Richard Linklater\u2019s \u201cNouvelle Vague,\u201d a tribute to the French new wave; and \u201cEddington\u201d from Ari Aster (\u201cMidsommar,\u201d \u201cHereditary\u201d), with an A-list cast featuring Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone and Austin Butler. And if that weren\u2019t Hollywood-heavy enough, Tom Cruise will debut his final \u201cMission: Impossible\u201d movie<\/a> on the festival\u2019s second day.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Kristen Stewart, Scarlett Johansson and Harris Dickinson are all Cannes mainstays, but for this year\u2019s fest, the three actors are instead stepping behind the camera for their feature directing debuts. And lest you assume they\u2019re making vanity projects, all three declined starring roles in their own movies.<\/p>\n Stewart\u2019s long-in-the-works \u201cThe Chronology of Water\u201d will bow first, starring Imogen Poots as a young woman struggling with issues of addiction and sexuality. Next up is \u201cUrchin,\u201d from the \u201cBabygirl\u201d breakout Dickinson, about a London drifter (Frank Dillane) struggling to find his place in society. And the second week of the festival will debut Johansson\u2019s \u201cEleanor the Great,\u201d a comedy starring June Squibb.<\/p>\n The last two editions of Cannes each produced three best picture nominees, and last year\u2019s Palme d\u2019Or winner, \u201cAnora,\u201d even went on to claim the top Oscar.<\/p>\n With \u201cSinners\u201d already appearing locked and loaded for Oscar consideration, is it possible that we\u2019ll know nearly half of the likely best picture nominees by the end of this month? At the very least, the winner of the prestigious Palme d\u2019Or should have a clear path to consideration. Speaking of which \u2026<\/p>\n No studio has a more impressive track record at Cannes than Neon, which has pulled off an astonishing five consecutive Palme d\u2019Or wins. The streak began with \u201cParasite,\u201d followed by \u201cTitane,\u201d \u201cTriangle of Sadness,\u201d \u201cAnatomy of a Fall\u201d and \u201cAnora.\u201d Can Neon now make it six in a row?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Its best bet this year appears to be \u201cSentimental Value\u201d from Joachim Trier, who reunites with his \u201cWorst Person in the World\u201d star Renate Reinsve for a family drama about a woman\u2019s thorny relationship with her estranged filmmaker father (Stellan Skarsgard). Reinsve won the best actress award at Cannes for her last collaboration with Trier, so that only adds to the anticipation for the new film.<\/p>\n Neon also has \u201cAlpha,\u201d the latest from Julia Ducournau. Her gonzo film \u201cTitane\u201d was the only recent Palme winner to find no favor with Oscar voters, but after the bloody antics of \u201cThe Substance\u201d thrilled the academy, anything\u2019s possible. If her new film wows a Cannes jury that includes Jeremy Strong, Halle Berry and the panel\u2019s president, Juliette Binoche, a continued Palme streak may be possible.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nIt\u2019s a Hollywood-heavy lineup.<\/h2>\n
Actors are making their directorial debuts.<\/h2>\n
Oscar contenders will emerge.<\/h2>\n
Will Neon extend its hot streak?<\/h2>\n