It has been a slow start to the Competition screenings at Cannes this year, with Mathieu Amalric’s On Tour (Tournee) and Wang Xisoshui’s Chongqing Blues hardly setting the world alight in terms of appreciation from the ensembled press hordes.

Im Sangsoo’s steamy and stylish The Housemaid was admired in sections, but at the end of the first couple of days there were mild moans from the press seats. That all changed when Mike Leigh’s Another Year was screened at the 8.30am slot on Saturday…there was warm press applause and appreciative reviews.

And when the film had its official screening later the same evening it received a warm 15 minute round of applause…finally the Cannes competition seems to have started!