Dano's directorial debut earned acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival and was picked up for U.S. distribution by IFC Films.

The Cannes Film Festival’s Critics’ Week is gearing up for its 57th year in 2018. The sidebar is dedicated solely to directors’ first and second films, and this year’s edition will kick off with Paul Dano’s directorial debut “Wildlife,” starring Carey Mulligan and Jake Gyllenhaal. The drama premiered at Sundance to universal acclaim earlier this year (read IndieWire’s A- review). IFC Films acquired North American distribution rights soon after.

“Wildlife” is based on a novel by Richard Ford and features a screenplay written by Dano and Zoe Kazan. The story is set in the 1960s in the small town of Great Falls, Montana. Newcomer Ed Oxenbould plays a 14-year-old boy who watches his parents’ marriage fall apart. Mulligan’s turn as the family’s matriarch earned Oscar buzz out of Sundance.

“‘Wildlife’ has a timeless dimension, as well as a social bent because it deals with the struggles of the white working class while also exploring the characters’ emotions with great sensibility,” said Critics’ Week artistic director Charles Tesson.

The 2018 Critics’ Week takes place May 9-17. The full lineup is below.

Opening Film:

“Wildlife,” Paul Dano

Closing Film:

“Guy,” Alex Lutz

Competition:

“Chris the Swiss,” Anja Kofmel

“Diamantino,” Gabriel Abrantes and Daniel Schmidt

“Egy Nap” (“One Day”),” Zsófia Szilágyi

“Fuga” (“Fugue”), Agnieszka Smoczyńska

“Kona Fer Í Stríð” (“Woman at War”), Benedikt Erlingsson

“Sauvage,” Camille Vidal-Naquet

“Sir,” Rohena Gera

Special Screenings:

“Nos Batailles” (“Our Struggles”), Guillaume Senez

“Shéhérazade,” Jean-Bernard Marlin

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