The French Dispatch

The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun
"Theatrical release poster": A group of about 50 people.
Theatrical release poster
Directed byWes Anderson
Screenplay byWes Anderson
Story by
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyRobert Yeoman
Edited byAndrew Weisblum
Music byAlexandre Desplat
Production
companies
Distributed bySearchlight Pictures
Release dates
  • July 12, 2021 (2021-07-12) (Cannes)
  • October 22, 2021 (2021-10-22) (United States)[2]
Running time
108 minutes
CountryUnited States[3]
Languages
Budget$25 million[4]
Box office$46.3 million[5][6]

The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun is a 2021 American anthology comedy drama film written, directed, and produced by Wes Anderson from a story he conceived with Roman Coppola, Hugo Guinness, and Jason Schwartzman. It features an expansive ensemble cast and follows three different storylines as the French news bureau of the fictional Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun newspaper publishes its final issue.

The first segment, "The Concrete Masterpiece", follows an incarcerated and unstable painter, and stars Benicio del Toro, Adrien Brody, Tilda Swinton and Léa Seydoux. The second, "Revisions to a Manifesto", is inspired by the May 68 student protests, and stars Frances McDormand, Timothée Chalamet, and Lyna Khoudri. The third, "The Private Dining Room of the Police Commissioner" features Jeffrey Wright, Mathieu Amalric, and Stephen Park, and follows the kidnapping of a police commissioner's son. Bill Murray also stars as Arthur Howitzer Jr., the paper's editor, while Owen Wilson appears in a short segment that introduces the film's fictional setting of Ennui-sur-Blasé.

The project was first mentioned in August 2018 as an untitled musical set after World War II. That December, the film was officially announced, with Anderson calling it a "love letter to journalists". Filming took place between November 2018 and March 2019, with cinematographer Robert D. Yeoman, in the city of Angoulême, France. In post-production, editing was completed by Andrew Weisblum and the score was composed by Alexandre Desplat.

Following a delay from 2020, The French Dispatch premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on July 12, 2021, and was theatrically released in the United States by Searchlight Pictures on October 22, 2021.[7] It received generally positive reviews, with praise for its score, production design, and performances. It has grossed $46 million worldwide against its budget of $25 million.

  1. ^ a b Debruge, Peter (July 12, 2021). "'The French Dispatch' Review: Wes Anderson's Dizzyingly Intricate Homage to 20th-Century Newsmen and Women". Variety. Archived from the original on December 11, 2021. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  2. ^ Sharf, Zack (May 27, 2021). "Wes Anderson's 'French Dispatch' to Open in Theaters October 16, Plus Cannes and NYFF". IndieWire. Archived from the original on May 27, 2021. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
  3. ^ a b "The French Dispatch". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on December 11, 2021. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  4. ^ Croll, Ben (January 15, 2020). "Angouleme Delivers for Wes Anderson's 'The French Dispatch' Shoot". Variety. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
  5. ^ "The French Dispatch (2021)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  6. ^ "The French Dispatch". The Numbers. Archived from the original on October 24, 2021. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  7. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (May 27, 2021). "Wes Anderson's 'The French Dispatch' Sets New Theatrical Release Date". Variety. Archived from the original on May 27, 2021. Retrieved May 27, 2021.

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