Music

Kanye West debuts "Cruel Summer" at Cannes

by Aaron Zorgel

A month ago, Kanye West hadn’t shot a single frame of his 30-minute short film that was set to debut at Cannes this week. Critics laughed in his face. Skeptics insisted he wouldn’t finish it. Even the proudest G.O.O.D. Music fans were worried that Yeezy’s film would be an embarrassment to his brand. Though she didn’t voice it, I’m sure that even Kim Kardashian’s teeny, tiny brain was wrought with worry.

Defying all odds, Kanye West’s short film “Cruel Summer” not only debuted this Wednesday at Cannes, it debuted as a 7-screen art installation. It turns out that Kanye didn’t just want to make a short film — he wanted to change the way we watch cinema.

Girlfriend Kim Kardashian and hetero-lifemate Jay-Z were both in attendance for Kanye’s first screening, which apparently features Kid Cudi, Kanye West, Aziz Ansari, and Big Sean as actors, also boasts a soundtrack of exclusive G.O.O.D. Music, some of which will be released on the first G.O.O.D. Music compilation later this year.

“Cruel Summer” is an experimental 30-minute film about a Lamborghini thief (Kid Cudi) who falls in love with a blind Arabic woman who uses golden strings to navigate her house. The woman’s father tells the thief that he can only marry his daughter if he can help her see.

Kim Kardashian was the first to give Kanye a standing ovation after the film ended, and Kanye gave a short speech in which he said “I can dream one day that this will be the way people will watch movies.”

It’s unclear whether or not the film will see a wide-release, but we’re interested to see what it’s all about. We just need a playback device that will project 7 different images simultaneously, and for 6 friends to bring their flatscreens over. Easy, right?

[via Hollywood Reporter]