A look at Cannes competing director Jonathan Glazer

British director Jonathan Glazer arrives for the screening of the film “The Zone of Interest” during the 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 19, 2023. LOIC VENANCE / AFP

CANNES, France—With only a handful of films in more than two decades, Britain’s Jonathan Glazer is one of the more enigmatic filmmakers at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, where his new feature, “The Zone of Interest,” premiered on Friday, May 19, in competition.

Here’s a quick summary of the man and his work:

From music clips to movies

The 58-year-old London-born Glazer studied theatre at university and first broke through with stage work, adverts and music videos before turning to film in 2000.

His ads include memorable ones for Guinness, Stella Artois and Levis, while among his music clips are several for Radiohead, and Jamiroquai’s “Virtual Insanity” which won the prestigious MTV video of the year award in 1997.

‘Sexy Beast’ (2000)

Glazer caused an immediate sensation with his first film, the critically acclaimed gangster movie starring Ray Winstone and Ben Kingsley, who received an Oscar nomination for his supporting role.

‘Birth’ (2004)

Radically switching genres, as he has done with each feature, Glazer turned next to this US-based eerie tale about a woman played by Nicole Kidman who falls in love with a 10-year-old boy.

It was less well received after its ghostly plot caused some skepticism over the reveal that the child is a reincarnation of Kidman’s husband.

‘Under the Skin’ (2013)

Adapted from a novel by Michel Faber, Glazer’s mysterious sci-fi set in a remote coastal Scottish town drew a standout performance from Scarlett Johansson.

In the film she plays an alien in human form who roams the beaches and streets, picking up random men and luring them to an abandoned house.

Mixing highly stylized abstract scenes with gritty Glasgow realism, Glazer’s film was both baffling and mesmeriz           ing, and left fans wanting more.

A decade later he has come up trumps, with “The Zone of Interest” competing for the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, with prizes to be announced May 27.  /ra

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