Arthur Harari’s ‘The Unknown’ Receives a Heartfelt 9-Minute Standing Ovation at Its Premiere
French film director Arthur Harari received an enthusiastic nine-minute reception at the Cannes competition premiere of his Palme d’Or contender, The Unknown, on Monday. He was joined by lead actors Léa Seydoux and Niels Schneider for the screening.
The premiere coincided with a significant announcement by Canal+ CEO Maxime Saada, who declared that the network would sever ties with signatories of the letter titled “Time to Switch-Off Bolloré.” The letter expresses concern over the increasing influence of media and logistics mogul Vincent Bolloré in France’s media, publishing, and entertainment sectors.
Adapted from Harari’s graphic novel The Case of David Zimmerman, which he co-wrote with his brother Lucas Harari, The Unknown tells the story of David (Schneider), a solitary photographer who awakens on New Year’s Day in the body of a woman (Seydoux) after an unusual encounter at a party the previous night.
The premiere did not address the recent controversy. Among the attendees were Jérôme Seydoux, the head of French mini-major Pathé and grandfather to Léa Seydoux, as well as Ardavan Safaee, president of Pathé Films, a producer on the project. French actress Virginie Efira was also present in support of Schneider and the production.
Harari’s post-screening remarks were brief, expressing gratitude to Seydoux and Schneider for their exceptional performances. “I’m too moved to say much,” he said. “They really jumped behind the wheel. There was no other way to make this film.” He also acknowledged his brother Lucas and encouraged the audience to ponder the film’s impact. “I hope this film is going to continue to live in your head and you’ll be asking yourselves what is this thing I’ve just seen,” he added.
Saada’s comments regarding Canal+’s decision have elicited considerable backlash within the French film industry. The pay-TV giant was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2024, with the Bolloré Group retaining about 30% of the stock, making it the largest shareholder. Saada’s move has raised questions about the network’s independence.
Harari was specifically mentioned in Saada’s remarks due to his characterization of Bolloré as “a crypto-fascist” in a recent interview with Libération. “If some go so far as to call Canal+ ‘crypto-fascist,’ then I cannot agree to collaborate with them. That’s the line. It is not acceptable that there is no consideration for the work of our teams,” Saada stated.
The Unknown is Harari’s third feature film. He previously won the Best Original Screenplay Oscar alongside Justine Triet for Anatomy of a Fall in 2024, following his films Dark Diamond and Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle, which garnered acclaim in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival.
