The Rumour: Grumpy Brit helmer Ken Loach is a fave of the Cannes jury, so don't be too surprised if his latest turns up in competition. It's Loach's turn to look at the situation in Iraq, as a private security contractor sets out to find the truth behind a friend's death on a notorious stretch of road.

Effect On France: The French went nuts for The Wind That Shakes The Barley in 2006, so maybe Loach's latest meditation on conflict will have the same effect.