One day before the opening ceremony at the Palais de Festival, the red carpet was being rolled out, the workers were busy painting and preparing flowers, and journalists from around the world were busy getting their badges at the press counter. But on the streets all was nearly ready.
Posters of this year's 22 competing films were flying along the sidewalks and giant advertisements of films from Hollywood studios were hung near the five-star hotels such as the Majestic and the Carlton. The stand outs were a long Spider-Man flung up high, a posh sportscar parked in front of the poster for the new 007 film, Die Another Day, and of course a huge signboard for Star Wars: Episode II -- Attack of the Clones, the film being released worldwide this weekend, which will have a special screening in Cannes.
A few people were scattered on the beach and there were only a few paparazzi preying on stars. But in just a day this quietness will all change. Filmmakers and stars are sure to line the Riviera for the coming 12 days.
Woody Allen, Mike Leigh, David Cronenberg and Roman Polanski are among the filmmakers competing. And movie fans may well spot Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, Emily Watson, Adam Sandler, Matt Damon, Sandra Bullock and Ralph Fiennes.
Woody Allen yesterday started things off by presenting his latest feature, Hollywood Ending. The New York-based filmmaker, known for his long-time contempt for Hollywood, was embraced by French movie fans -- just as happens in his autobiographical comedy -- a true "Hollywood ending."
Joining Allen to open the festival was US director David Lynch, winner of last year's Best Director honors for Mulholland Drive. Lynch is presiding over the Feature Film Jury which will also have actresses Sharon Stone, Michelle Yeoh (
Martin Scorcese will preside over the short film fare as well as Cinefoundation, covering works from film schools. Scorcese will also bring his latest film Gangs of New York for a 20-minute special screening.
Two Taiwanese films are also joining the festival, the same number as last year. Chen Kuo-fu (
Chen's psycho-thriller Double Vision (
Woody Allen's Hollywood Ending mocks stereotypical Hollywood crassness. In the film, Allen portrays a filmmaker whose creativity has dried up and who is suffering from depression. He is offered the chance to shoot a US$60 million 1940s-style noir film by his ex-wife, who left him for a Hollywood studio boss. He accepts the job apprehensively as he has still not overcome his feelings for her.
His anxiety about making a comeback makes him increasingly nervous and after suffering huge stress on the set -- hiring a Chinese cinematographer who doesn't speak English, spending huge sums of money on the production and constantly quarreling with his ex-wife -- a real disaster occurs when he goes blind. Thanks to a clueless Chinese translator and his ex-wife's help, Allen finishes the film and keeps the secret about his blindness.
The picture is of course an absolute mess, the studio boss hates it, and he loses his actress girlfriend in the fiasco, but the French love it and he's invited to Paris. He wins back his ex-wife and takes her to live in Paris -- a typical Hollywood ending.
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