Cannes in five: of competition and controversy

• The first big competition film screening today is Wang Xiaoshuai's Chongqing Blues (Rizhao Chongqing), a strong kick-off to Team Asia's hefty presence at the fest. It's a family saga about a sea captain investigating the mysterious shooting of his 25-year-old son. • Then it's time for The Housemaid, South Korean director Im Sang-soo's revamp of the old Upstairs Downstairs chestnut about the posh boss and the saucy servant. The photograph in the official Cannes brochure shows a man, a woman, a bottle of wine, and just a small white vest between them. • Is it too cynical to suggest that the schedulers setting up the screening for O Estranho Caso de Angelica, Manoel de Oliveira's Portuguese soap, have erred on the side of caution by programming it so early in the fest? De Oliveira celebrated his 101st birthday last year, and is now officially the oldest director to have a film showing in the festival. • Cannes 2010's first bona fide controversy – when the Italian culture minister announced he was boycotting the festival to protest the inclusion of an anti-Berlusconi movie – looks set to be reignited when that film, satirist Sabina Guzzanti's subtly titled Draquila, premieres this morning. • And, finally, some proper culture to sink your teeth into. The "near naked" Zombie Women of Satan will be strutting their stuff on the public beach this afternoon in aid of their film (showing at the Marché du Film, rather than in the festival proper). Then, this evening, the beach plays host to a public screening of From Here to Eternity. Shame it's still a bit nippy for re-enactments.