John Cameron
Mitchell's Shortbus to premiere at Cannes

Organizers of the 59th annual Cannes Film Festival announced their lineup Thursday, which will include the premiere of Shortbus, out director John Cameron Mitchell's follow-up to his acclaimed debut feature, Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Mitchell's new film has been the subject of much speculation and anticipation over the filmmaker's stated intent to include scenes of explicit sex that will be relevant to the plot. Shortbus will premiere in the Midnight section of the festival, which runs May 17-28.

Other out filmmakers presenting new work at Cannes include Pedro Almodovar, whose Volver (Return) will screen in competition; Francois Ozon, screening his new short film Un Lever de Rideau; and Gus Van Sant, one of several directors (including Gerard Depardieu, Alexander Payne, Wes Craven, Gurinder Chadha, Joel and Ethan Coen, and Alfonso Cuaron) credited on the anthology film Paris Je T'aime. Paul Greengrass's United 93--an examination of the 9/11 hijacking that took the life of out rugby player Mark Bingham (played in the film by out actor Cheyenne Jackson), among others--will screen out of competition. (The Advocate)