Kanye West to debut short film at Cannes

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Part of Kanye Wests greatness lies in his ability to stand in two worlds at once. Hes both an impossibly rich frontrunner and a perpetual underdog.

And, of course, theres this: In the same week he showed up in a trailer for the new season of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, Weezy will also debut his new short film Cruel Summer at the Cannes Film Festival.

The rapper announced today that hell present the film at the festival on Wednesday. West and his creative collective DONDA will screen the short art film out of competition in Cannes. The release promises a fusion of short film and art installation and an immersive seven-screen experience. It will remain open to the public for two days following its premiere.

Heres the big question: People love to boo everything at Cannes, so if Wests latest venture doesnt meet with their approval, will the notoriously thin-skinned rapper lose his cool? Either way, he did help sway the French presidential election.This is hardly Wests first time behind the camera. Over the course of his music career, he has helmed a handful of his own videos, including heavy-rotation clips like his breakout Through the Wire and the Watch the Throne instant classic N-s In Paris. This particular venture sounds most like his short film Runaway, which premiered around the same time West dropped his juggernaut My Be! autiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.

Runaway begins as a simple music video for My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasys first single, but then rapidly becomes a hallucinogenic adventure about fallen mythical creatures and mass destruction. If youve got 40 minutes and a lot of patience, kick back and watch the whole thing below.

Critical reactions to Runaway were mixed. Like My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, its bold and singular. But its also boring, which isnt a complaint that West hears often.

What do you think of Kanye West: Filmmaker? Do you prefer him over Kanye West: Musician or Kanye West: Guy Who Will Undoubtedly Damage His Reputation By Being on An Especially Terrible Reality Show?

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