The 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival opened with The Second Act helmed by Quentin Dupieux. With 13 features made since 2007 – and six in the past four years alone – the French DJ-turned-director Dupieux is more than just prolific, at least when compared to many leading men in his forte. What is more, he has also penned, shot and edited all of them. For many, he has also scored their music.

The plot may not be very novel: movie within a movie. It begins with a long discussion between two close friends – Willy (Raphel Quenare) and David (Louis Garrel) -- as they walk along a serene countryside chatting about Florence (Lea Seydoux, another impressive performance here). David wants Willy to meet her, and perhaps begin an affair.

As the scene unfolds, we realise that the two men are not pals but actors starring in a film. Ditto with Florence and her father, Guillaume (Vincent Lindon). But midway, they are not convinced in what they are essaying, and want to throw it away. A call from his agent saying that a leading helmer wants to cast him in his latest work seems like godsend for Guillaume.

The Second Act took me back to Francois Truffaut's memorably classic, Day for Night – which is also a film-within-a-film. In fact, the Cannes opener plays out like an uproarious take on Day for Night, and Dupieux in good humour lampoons the terrifying bloated egos of some of the famous French actors. However, he also weaves into his story some other current points, like AI (which is used to cut costs), the cancel culture and the #MeToo movement in the French industry.

The Second Act has many more surprises or shocks in store for us as it saunters in and out of issues like the panic attacks some French stars have and the ego trips they take. Seydoux plays a thoroughly spoilt starlet who lacks confidence about her “talent”. Garrel's character hides his arrogance behind his affable manners. Lindon may be essaying an experienced veteran but is extremely impatient with newcomers.

The Second Act may be Dupieux's strongest and perhaps most controversial work till date. It is bound to open up the Pandora's Box and with the current controversies sweeping the Festival.

At a recent meeting with the media, the Festival chief, Thierry Fremaux, said: “Last year, as you know , and we had some controversies and were aware of it, so this year we decided to organise a festival without any controversies to make sure that the main interest for all of us remains the cinema. So if there are other controversies, they do not concern us.”

He did not go into details of what he would do if pro-Palestinian demonstrations were to take place. Asked about the possibility of more media reports about sexual abuse in the French film industry, he said: “Our selection work is driven by artistic criteria and not by concerns about #MeToo or other scandals. It’s about the movies and whether or not they deserve, aesthetically or artistically, to be there. There is no ideology that guides the selection committee.”

The debate arises after weeks of whispered rumours about the possibility that a media outlet would soon be publishing a major investigation into sexual abuse in France’s audiovisual sector.

Last week, in statements to Paris Match, the president of the Festival, Iris Knobloch, said that when the accusations emerged they would be “studied case by case.” Le Figaro warned that the Festival has hired a public relations firm to advise it if the storm hits.

We are certainly in for some very thrilling times before the Festival ends on May 25.

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