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Woody Allen's Irrational Man screened at Cannes

Xinhua, May 16, 2015 Adjust font size:

The latest film of U.S. director Woody Allen, Irrational Man, was screened Friday at the ongoing 68th Festival de Cannes.

In the movie, philosophy professor Abe Lucas is at rock bottom emotionally, unable to find any meaning or joy in life when he came to teach in a countryside university. Once Abe makes a profound choice after overhearing a conversation in the diner, he is able to embrace life to the fullest again. But his decision sets off a chain of events that will affect him and the two women around him.

For Allen, the irrational choice that Abe Lucas, played by Joaquin Phoenix, made is not so irrational given the comparison with the choices people make in their lives.

"People need something to believe in. People choose religion, and that's an irrational choice if they think that if they lead a good life they will die and go to heaven. That's no less crazy a thought than Joaquin thinking that if he commits this act, his life will turn around for the better," said Allen during a press conference for his movie.

For Emma Stone, who already played a part in Allen's previous film Magic in the Moonlight, Woody Allen is a very good director and writer with a clear vision.

U.S. actress Parker Posey portrayed a lady who is lonely, suffering and not really fulfilling her desires. She considered it a great honor to "play someone deep, thoughtful, suffering and funny."

"I really enjoyed the experiences, I learned a lot. I got to work in a Woody Allen movie. I have loved his women and his characterization of women," said Posey.

According to the organizers of the festival, Allen has presented no less than 12 films Out of Competition at the Festival de Cannes since Manhattan in 1979. The last time he came to the festival in 2011, his movie Midnight in Paris was the opening film.

Nine films were selected for the Out of Competition section of this year's festival, including the closing film La Glace et Le Ciel (Ice and the Sky) directed by French director Luc Jacquet.

The 68th Festival de Cannes runs from May 13 to 24. Endit