Arrived in Cannes Saturday night to a city full of glitz and glamour. Was lucky enough to have spotted supermodels Naomi Campbell and Winnie Harlow leaving the glamorous Dior party at the heaving JW Marriott hotel right on the Croisette.
Monday was my first full day and needed to start the morning by picking up my accreditation. Then it was decision after decision as to what films and parties to attend. It wasn’t an easy choice but as they say in Cannes ‘let the wind take you’ and also be very flexible to change plans at the moments notice!
After loading up on free coffee, the first film was ‘Nancy’ where Andrea Riseborough plays a woman who suspects her mother kidnapped her at a young age so she seeks out to find her real parents….emotional hard hitting stuff! Then it was off to see a restored version of the 1964 Czech film ‘Diamonds of the Night’ where two young men escape a concentration camp and try to find their way to freedom. It was very heavy. But luckily right after was an LGBT screening showcase in the American Pavilion where several short films were shown with stories that were sweet, tender, emotional and very funny. Then after went to press drinks to meet just a few of the hundreds of journalists attending the film festival. Couldn’t get into the BFI London Film Festival reception because I didn’t know I had to pre-register – oh well. But late Sunday evening (10:30pm) I walked the red carpet (where selfies have been banned) at the Palais Grand Theatre Lumiere to watch a Shoplifters – a quirky Japanese film where everyone in the family (yes, even grandmother) are shoplifters – and it’s not just items in stores that they shoplift – even the children were shoplifted And when the lights came up the stars of the film and the filmmakers received a 20 minute standing ovation.!
It looks like I have come full circle on Sunday having seen two films that dealt with child kidnapping – let’s hope the next few days bring more uplifting films and lots and lots of parties and champagne!
By Tim Baros