Day 1 - #Cannes2016

The day started with me trying to watch LIVE Café Society photocall and/or press conference and surprise, surprise: NO luck! This year it's not possible to watch events live, at least as of today, May 11 when the fest officially opens in a few hours.

Perhaps the website will improve in the following days but gee, organizers should knew that the BEST way to go was to keep "old" site in one place with all the perks -like fest archives and LIVE events coverage- and in a different place the new site (alright is expensive BUT is the best way to transition from one quite good site to a very simple site with no info and lots of photos).

Anyway I'm hoping that now opening ceremony will be open to the World especially when something is happening to the relation between Canal+ and the festival. Will find later on if happens or not.

The fest unofficially started last night with cocktails and dinner for the jury and there are many photos of both events, but chose two for post.



In previous editions there was always a balcony photo with all jury members but this year infamous balcony photo got only a few jury members, luckily for us were the ones that are very easy-on-the-eyes!



Also yesterday Café Society cast did the press junkets and selected one particular photo that I like from one junket where Allen and Stewart look relaxed.



The Jury - Photocall



Will talk about the Opening Ceremony after I'm able to watch it; but today is the day of Café Society and the press has already seen it, so there are some news.

Out of Competition - Opening Film

Café Society

Woody Allen opens the festival for the third time after 2002's Hollywood Ending and 2011's Midnight in Paris and this movie has what I can call "very contemporary" cast that includes Kristen Stewart, Jesse Eisenberg, Blake Lively and Corey Stoll -all in Cannes to promote film-. Also in cast but unfortunately not in Cannes great Steve Carell and Parker Posey. Believe the best way to summarize plot is to say that is a nostalgic Hollywood romance set in the 30's written by a sadistic writer (lol), which by-the-way is me paraphrasing a line from the film mentioned at the press conference (actually the line says "life is a comedy written by a sadistic comedy writer").

Photocall

No video yet but there are multiple photos all over the net showcasing Kristen and Blake; but here is the photo with all the cast, where you can see how tall Blake Lively is -lol and another one I like. One hour after the live event, the edited video of the photocall is up and gee, it's funny because Kristen Stewart clearly shows her impatience (lol). There are lots of really beautiful Stewart photos but is the video what shows how uncomfortable she always is with these events specially with the crazy and screaming Cannes photographers, even pregnant Blake Lively looks quite uncomfortable. If you wish to see the short edited photocall video go here.





Press Conference

Really miss the chance to watch events live even when they spoil the movie for me.  No video yet but here is a photo.  Video is up and to my HUGE surprise press conference is very interesting, suggest to watch to learn something about cinematography.



Interview
Check the first interview of the Festival de Cannes, it's fun to watch -not serious and very light; go here.  Gee, Stewart has learn to hussle questions! (lol).

Press reactions to film
Here are some reactions from different language sources. Perhaps what surprises me the most is the postive reactions from American press, been years since they write something positive about Allen's and/or his movies.

"Café Society", plongée nostalgique de Woody Allen dans les années 30 - le point (France)
Un Woody Allen mélancolique - Ecran noir (France)
Woody Allen's amiable, if insubstantial, tribute to golden-age Hollywood - Peter Bradshaw - The Guardian (UK)
Buoyant and lighthearted “Cafe Society” - Ali Naderzad - Screen Comment (USA)
Familiar but charming - Todd McCarthy - THR (USA)
Allen's 47th picture is a consolidation of his usual fixations. - Eric Kohn - indiewire (USA)
Is His Most Charming Film In Years - Jessica King - The Playlist (USA)

But the glitter of the 1930s American beau monde rubs off handsomely in Café Society, a bittersweet comedy of manners that sees Allen pushing the boat out stylistically and in narrative ambition, even as he treads familiar ground. Sumptuous visual execution plus a top-rate ensemble cast should place this in the high altitudes of Allen’s recent commercial successes, especially in France, where it opens simultaneously with its launch of the Cannes official selection. - Jonathan Romney - Screendaily (UK)

Twittersphere
Une ouverture cannoise toute en délicatesse. Olivier Bousquet
Woody Allen, un #CafeSociety romantique et sophistiqué - Marilyne Letertre -metronews (France)

The Red Carpet

Watched live and was ok, that melange of French and English translation that drives me crazy (lol) but at least organizers allowed us to watch live.





Very glad with the mostly positive Cannes press reception of Allen's film. Film also opened today in France and according to French news broke records in one day. All this only tells me that there are hight probabilities that I will enjoy film. Great!

Opening Ceremony

No, I didn't like at all the humor of Laurent Lafitte and he made me feel very uncomfortable, so much that almost stop watching. But enjoyed the movie clips, both from George Miller films as from all the movies in the competition, especially the elusive ones that until this moment had not seen any moving images from film. Even Prince's tribute was odd, so strange that the audience didn't participate when the singer asked them, twice.

The good thing is the fest is open and assume there will be great photos from tonight parties and opening dinner.

Photos of the Day

Very Beautiful Photo

Gong Li

Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake

Jessica Chastain and Vincent Lindon

As soon as it is available will embed here the opening ceremony.


CAFE SOCIETY - Red Carpet - VA - Cannes 2016 by CannesFestTV

The new blogger platform and the links from Canal+ are not working together so if you wish to watch the Opening Ceremony video please use this link to the official site.  The link will take you to all videos available, so look for the one with the opening ceremony.  Unfortunately Cannes new site is full of flaws and errors, so links work in very unexpected ways (lol!!).

Testing this link. Yes!!! This one works and takes you directly to the Opening Ceremony video.

A little bit of gossip plus some photos are always great! Enjoy Gala Magazine