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At Cannes, the Glam and the Grim Mix Uneasily At Cannes, the Glam and the Grim Mix Uneasily
(about 13 hours later)
CANNES, France — Cannes has always been a jarring clash of the glam and the grim, between often dark films and the stars who pose on the red carpet to promote them. This year, news and business developments were as much on the minds of festivalgoers as the movies and the paparazzi. Here are scenes from the first days of the festival: CANNES, France — The Cannes Film Festival has always been a jarring clash of the glam and the grim, between often dark films and the stars who pose on the red carpet to promote them. This year, news and business developments were as much on the minds of festivalgoers as the movies and the paparazzi. Here are scenes from the first days of the festival:
On Tuesday afternoon the festival honored victims of the terrorist attack in Manchester, England, with a moment of silence on the red carpet, where the festival director, Thierry Frémaux, and his staff had gathered. Organizers also canceled a fireworks display planned for Tuesday evening, when it will hold a gala celebrating the festival’s 70th edition.
In a statement on Tuesday, festival organizers expressed “horror, anger and immense sadness” at the Manchester bombing, adding, “This is yet another attack on culture, youth and joyfulness, on our freedom, generosity and tolerance, all things that the festival and those who make it possible — the artists, professionals and spectators — hold dear.”
This year’s festival, which runs through Sunday, is being held amid more security measures than ever before, including metal detectors, bag searches, rooftop snipers and boats patrolling the waterfront outside the headquarters, the Palais du Cinema. Metal barriers and large concrete flower pots have been placed along the beachside road, known as the Croisette, to prevent a Nice-style attack. The Palais was briefly evacuated on Saturday night after a suspicious object was found, but viewers were quickly ushered back to screenings.
In many respects, the festival is carrying on as always. At a party at a beach club for the Todd Haynes film “Wonderstruck,” Michelle Williams greeted fans while her young co-star, Jaden Michael, danced like Michael Jackson. Another co-star, Millicent Simmonds, who is deaf, chatted in sign language with her interpreter. Meanwhile, a patrol boat filled with armed officers glided along the waters in the near distance beyond a dock with a billboard for “The Emoji Movie.”
At a televised ceremony on Wednesday, the festival was opened by the French-American actress Lily-Rose Depp and the Iranian director Asghar Farhadi, who finally collected his Oscar for “The Salesman.” The film had been shown at Cannes last year, where it won best actor and best screenplay. Then in February, the drama won the Academy Award for best foreign language film, but Mr. Farhadi didn’t attend the ceremony in protest of President Trump’s proposed travel ban for citizens from seven majority-Muslim countries. Accepting the statuette, he praised Cannes as a “place where cultures speak to one another.”At a televised ceremony on Wednesday, the festival was opened by the French-American actress Lily-Rose Depp and the Iranian director Asghar Farhadi, who finally collected his Oscar for “The Salesman.” The film had been shown at Cannes last year, where it won best actor and best screenplay. Then in February, the drama won the Academy Award for best foreign language film, but Mr. Farhadi didn’t attend the ceremony in protest of President Trump’s proposed travel ban for citizens from seven majority-Muslim countries. Accepting the statuette, he praised Cannes as a “place where cultures speak to one another.”
That wasn’t the only time American politics invaded the Croisette, the seaside promenade at the heart of the festival. At the gala dinner after the ceremony, the jury, led by Pedro Almodóvar, who wore sunglasses inside, chatted at a central table while news alerts lit up cellphones about developments surrounding Mr. Trump. That wasn’t the only time American politics invaded the Croisette. At the gala dinner after the ceremony, the jury, led by Pedro Almodóvar, who wore sunglasses inside, chatted at a central table while news alerts lit up cellphones about developments surrounding Mr. Trump.
News junkies have been hooked at parties and between strolls on the red carpet. Ben Stiller, who co-stars in Noah Baumbach’s competition film “The Meyerowitz Stories,” was constantly checking for updates. “I’m disappointed when I don’t get a news alert,” Mr. Stiller said, as fans came up to snap photos with him at a party hosted by Netflix at a rose-colored villa high above the hills of Cannes on Sunday night. People seemed hooked on the news, even at parties and between strolls on the red carpet. Ben Stiller, a co-star of Noah Baumbach’s competition film “The Meyerowitz Stories,” was constantly checking for updates. “I’m disappointed when I don’t get a news alert,” Mr. Stiller said, as fans came up to snap photos with him during a party hosted by Netflix at a rose-colored villa high above the hills of Cannes on Sunday night.
“Netflix is having a moment,” said Eric d’Arbeloff, the founder, with his husband, Howard Cohen, of Roadside Attractions, as they stood beside the pool at the Netflix party. “They’re shaking up the Croisette.”“Netflix is having a moment,” said Eric d’Arbeloff, the founder, with his husband, Howard Cohen, of Roadside Attractions, as they stood beside the pool at the Netflix party. “They’re shaking up the Croisette.”
The festival, which celebrates its 70th edition this year, for the first time has included films from Netflix in competition. The fact that those films might not be seen in cinemas caused Cannes organizers to change rules and stirred debate about the future of film-watching and even of the festival itself.The festival, which celebrates its 70th edition this year, for the first time has included films from Netflix in competition. The fact that those films might not be seen in cinemas caused Cannes organizers to change rules and stirred debate about the future of film-watching and even of the festival itself.
The situation was all anyone could talk about in the garden, amid the lighted palm trees and flowing Moët champagne. Would Cannes add a section for works that would go straight to streaming services, Mr. Cohen speculated, the way the 1968 social uprisings in France led it to create the Directors’ Fortnight to showcase more avant-garde works? It felt like a turning point. The situation was all anyone could talk about in the garden, amid the lighted palm trees and flowing Champagne. Would Cannes add a section for works that would go straight to streaming services, Mr. Cohen speculated, the way the 1968 social uprisings in France led it to create the Directors’ Fortnight to showcase more avant-garde works? It felt like a turning point.
On Monday a group of European directors including Michael Haneke, (whose “Happy End” is in competition), Wim Wenders and Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne issued an appeal for “an ambitious cultural policy” covering European cinema and how streaming services are changing viewing and financing models. On Monday a group of European directors, including Michael Haneke (whose “Happy End” is in competition), Wim Wenders and Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, issued an appeal for “an ambitious cultural policy” covering European cinema and how streaming services are changing viewing and financing models.
A few films in competition touch on current events, if only obliquely, including “Loveless,” the latest by Russian director Andrey Zvyagintsev, which has received rave reviews. At a news conference here, a Ukrainian journalist accused Mr. Zvyagintsev of making a work of “international propaganda,” because of a scene in which images of war-torn eastern Ukraine appear on the television news. “There isn’t the least bit of propaganda,” the director replied. “In this scene we simply see what’s on television. I show the reality in which the characters live.” A few films in competition touch on current events, if only obliquely, including “Loveless,” the latest by Russian director Andrey Zvyagintsev, which has received rave reviews. At a news conference here, a Ukrainian journalist accused Mr. Zvyagintsev of making a work of “international propaganda” because of a scene in which images of war-torn eastern Ukraine appear on the television news. “There isn’t the least bit of propaganda,” the director replied. “In this scene we simply see what’s on television. I show the reality in which the characters live.”
“Loveless” is about parents in the midst of a divorce, neither of whom wants custody of their son. “I didn’t only want to show the politics,” Mr. Zvyagintsev said. “There’s also a metaphysical level.”“Loveless” is about parents in the midst of a divorce, neither of whom wants custody of their son. “I didn’t only want to show the politics,” Mr. Zvyagintsev said. “There’s also a metaphysical level.”
Each year, thousands of journalists from around the world attend the festival constantly on the hunt for a local angle. The news conferences can be surreal, and questions range from the news of the day to how motherhood has changed actresses. At one such gathering for the fantasy film “Okja,” a journalist from Chile asked the director, Bong Joon Ho, how he felt about the film’s genetically-modified pig being advertised as coming from Chile. He said he had really wanted to go to Chile but hadn’t had the chance. “So at least I went in a cinematographic way.” Each year, thousands of journalists from around the world attend the festival constantly on the hunt for a local angle. The news conferences can be surreal, and questions range from the news of the day to how motherhood has changed actresses. At one such gathering for the fantasy film “Okja,” a journalist from Chile asked the director, Bong Joon-ho, how he felt about the film’s genetically modified pig being advertised as coming from Chile. He said he had really wanted to go to Chile but hadn’t had the chance. “So at least I went in a cinematographic way.”
At the news conference for “The Meyerowitz Stories,” a journalist from Argentina said he shared a last name with Dustin Hoffman. “Can you turn sideways? I just want to see your nose,” Mr. Hoffman said.At the news conference for “The Meyerowitz Stories,” a journalist from Argentina said he shared a last name with Dustin Hoffman. “Can you turn sideways? I just want to see your nose,” Mr. Hoffman said.
But Mr. Stiller also got the laugh: “It was that press tour 25 years ago,” he said.But Mr. Stiller also got the laugh: “It was that press tour 25 years ago,” he said.
This year’s festival takes place with more security than ever before, after a spate of terrorist attacks in France in recent years. There are metal detectors and bag searches, military patrols and giant flower pots along the Croisette to prevent a Nice-style attack. The Palais, the festival headquarters, was briefly evacuated on Saturday night after a suspicious object was found, but viewers were quickly ushered back to screenings. In the luxury hotels lining the Croisette, industry professionals broker deals. Outside the entrances, paparazzi linger, waiting to snap pictures of stars arriving in limousines.
At a party at a beach club for “Wonderstruck,” Michelle Williams greeted fans while her young co-star, Jaden Michael, danced like Michael Jackson. Another co-star, Millicent Simmonds, who is deaf, chatted in sign language with her interpreter. Meanwhile a patrol boat filled with armed officers glided along the waters in the near distance beyond a dock with a billboard for “The Emoji Movie.” As Charlotte Gainsbourg, in a short silver-lamé dress, left the opening-night dinner, she was greeted by calls of “Charlotte! Charlotte!” from fans and photographers. She graciously posed for the cameras.
In the luxury hotels lining the Croisette, industry professionals meet to broker deals. Outside the entrances, paparazzi linger, waiting to snap pictures of stars arriving in limousines. “It’s just part of the game,” she said in an interview later. She is a co-star in Arnaud Desplechin’s “Ismael’s Ghosts,” which opened the festival out of competition and was deemed very French by many American critics.
As Charlotte Gainsbourg, in a very short silver lamé dress, left the opening-night dinner, she was greeted by calls of “Charlotte! Charlotte!” from fans and photographers alike. She graciously posed for the cameras.
“It’s just part of the game,” she said in an interview later. She co-stars in Arnaud Desplechin’s “Isamel’s Ghosts,” which opened the festival out of competition and was deemed very French by many American critics.
“I’m not very good with all the promotion and that kind of life after a film,” she added, then recalled something her father, the singer-songwriter, actor and director Serge Gainsbourg, told her. “Because I used to sulk a lot, he used to say, ‘The day it all stops, then you’ll see the pain.’”“I’m not very good with all the promotion and that kind of life after a film,” she added, then recalled something her father, the singer-songwriter, actor and director Serge Gainsbourg, told her. “Because I used to sulk a lot, he used to say, ‘The day it all stops, then you’ll see the pain.’”