Day 10 at Cannes 2011

As you’ll notice the feeling that Cannes is fading away is not just a feeling as not only sections are announcing their awards, but also there are fewer films to watch.

Main Competition

Paolo Sorrentino became a must be seen director for me since I saw his amazing movie Il Divo and I’m looking forward to see This Must Be The Place as I believe his casting choice is extraordinary for a first film in the English language, the story is intriguing and with his style film has to be sensational. I hope I’m right. First comments tend to be positive.

Photocall with Sean, Judd Hirsh, and others I’m not really familiar with but photographer’s call for Sean and Paolo. Interview only Sean and Paolo. Very interesting short interview. Press conference. When they meet Sean said Any time, Any Where, Any Script… he got the script and said yes… all this because Sean saw Il Divo at Cannes… moderator said “that’s strange” yes and stranger if is Sean Penn but I definitively agree, Sorrentino is a very special director. A very inappropriate question to Sean about Scarlett. Unfortunately question to Sorrentino about story, volume goes to off. “stunning images” (I knew it). Nice. Red carpet has cast and crew, all videos are okay, short and serious. Oops! Just learned that the young woman is Bono’s daughter.

After what I learned about movie today, have to add Sean Penn to my Best Actor guess, he’s a contender.

From trailers and synopsis I don’t think will watch Drive by Nicolas Winding Refn as movie story surely will not be pleasant for me; but you can never say with a Cannes Official Selection film as always end up watching all.

Out of Competition

Two films. First, In Film Nist (This is Not A Film) by Jafar Panahi and Mojtaba Mirtahmab and narrates their waiting for the verdict of the Court of Appeal, thus giving a snapshot of the situation faced by Iranian cinema.

As part of the tribute to Tunisia, the documentary La Khaoufa Baada Al’yaoum (No More Fear) by Mourad Ben Cheick, is a first film and competes for the Camera d’Or. Film is a testimonial of the director’s engagement in the struggle for freedom in his country.

Un Certain Regard

The only new film is Okhotnik (The Hunter) by Bakur Bakuradze as the other screenings are the reprise of The Murderer and Oslo, 31 August. Yes, I’m interested in watching Bakuradze’s second film and still waiting to be able to watch his first.

Cannes Classics

Today the 1961 film L’Assassino (The Assassin) by Elio Petri and starring none other than dearest Marcello Mastroianni, don’t recall having watch this movie, but I do remember watching many Mastroianni’s films, so maybe I did. Still hope a DVD becomes available with the restored version.

Also today, the Cinema Masterclass by Malcom McDowell presented by Michel Ciment.

There is a surprise film screened tomorrow, so we will be checking to find what film was chosen.

Cinéfondation

Today screening of the last program and in late afternoon is the awards ceremony, so today another festival section closes. Program 4 screens the following short films: Cagey Tigers by Aramisova, A Viagem (The Trip) by Simão Cayatte, La Fiesta de Casamiento (The Wedding Party) by Gastón Margolin and Martín Morgenfeld, and Der Brief (The Letter) by Doroteya Droumeva.

Awards are already announced so will publish post before this one.

Quinzaine

Today is the screening of the three short programs and in the early night, the award ceremony plus the screening of the closing film Les Géants by Bouli Lanners –that probably will watch eventually. If you wish to check the fourteen (14) short films screened in this section please go here and browse down to Short Films.

The section already announced the award winners, will post before posting this one.

ACID

Today the last film, Black Blood by Miayan Zhang as tomorrow there will reprises of two films; I’m very curious about this Chinese/French production as story suggest that could be interesting plus visuals look fantastic.

The ACID Cannes program is also shown in the fall in Paris. In their schedule don’t have the date of their award ceremony which makes me wonder if they give any prizes; still will be checking to confirm.

News

Uma Thurman excused herself from the film festival today to attend a family funeral in Monaco; she will be back for the end of the competition as “she wishes to keep her commitments to the festival, despite the circumstances”.

As press says, most buyers have left Cannes as well as many newsmen but all over the net and in many languages media is talking about the huge success of Le Marché this year as many films found financing and as many found distributors for several or world markets. American companies did a lot of selling and buying, but many other nationalities did the same. Many of the films in the selection found buyers but BIG sales come from those that were promoted at Le Marché. Like an UK article says: Crisis, what crisis? This year Cannes showed no signs of crisis, not at Le Marché nor with the great Selection that is keeping us immersed into the Cannes world. What a difference a year makes.

Not-So-Serious News

Remember I told you about the amfAR Cinema Against AIDS event? Well the auction raised US$10 million dollars in a few hours; top bid was for the opportunity to play tennis with Prince Albert II of Monaco for which a bidder paid 500,000 euros; most interesting bid was the opportunity to walk the red carpet at next year Golden Globes with Uma Thurman. Watching events photos only to discover the many big name celebrities that attended the gala, but most impressive was to see Boy George!

Sorrentino’s film attracted many to the red carpet as I’m watching some nice photos of Gwen Stefani, Claudia Schiffer, always crazy Courtney Love, and if you wonder who the woman with Sean was, well is Roberta Armani.

Beautiful photos of Zhang Ziyi at the Majestic Hotel; have to find which movie she’s promoting.

Last, Marion Cotillard gave birth yesterday to Marcel, congratulations.

The Photo

Today only a photo of Isabelle Huppert at The Little Princess red carpet.