Then we saw Woody Allen looking very uncomfortable both in the photocall and the press conference that was also attended by some of the Midnight in Paris cast: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Lea Seydoux, Michael Sheen, and Adrien Brody.
The red carpet was short -as always- with a very smiling Claudia Cardinale that still looks good walking with Frédéric Mitterrand (French Culture Minister if you wonder who he is), next we seeLambert Wilson, Agnes Varda, Emir Kusturica, and more until we see Martina Gusman, Olivier Assayas, very elegant and playful Uma; the jury walks the red carpet with a down-up camera take of Uma’s beautiful dress. As many are saying and I agree, this year’s jury is been called “beau” and yes, is quite good looking and easy to the eyes, lol! Faye and Jerry. Last walking the red carpet the Midnight in Paris director and actors; unfortunately Marion Cotillard was not there.
The Opening Ceremony
Melanie Laurent was not the best mistress of ceremony but at least during her boring monologue the camera turned to the audience and Aish! … wait Gong LI!!!! Mais oui, c’est Gong Li!!!! Had no idea she was going to be at Cannes, but the Most Beautiful Woman on Earth, as press calls Li, plus the Most Beautiful Woman in the World, as Aish is called, together in one place was truly priceless.
The jury comes in with Uma doing her spectacular entrance. Long but entertaining de Niro movie collage. Robert de Niro speaking French, pas mal. Crazy Melanie, not appropriate, but in the end all the women got up to dance... (good they sat!). Liked some rhythms but not all in the New York songs medley by Jamie Cullum. Want to see Michael, Pater and Naomi Kawase clips, the only ones I haven’t seen; too short. Honorary Palm to Bernardo Bertolucci; gosh I thought they were going to show the complete -very long- 1900! The best part of Gilles Jacob speech was watching again Gong Li and Aish!!! Uma looks very serious as well as Martina, Antonio, Melanie, and all the other actors in the audience that get screen time. And the phrase is coined: Habemus Palman (We have a Palm) which of course is also a reference to the movie by Moretti. Bertolucci got no reaction from Woody (he probably didn’t understood a word). Bertolucci opens the festival.
In general the opening ceremony was not really entertaining and thanks to the mistress of ceremony lost some of the glamour, elegance and protocol; but we have to recall that almost all Cannes ceremonies are not entertaining. We watch to see the film clips but this year most movies had clips and trailers before the fest began. I can complain whatever I want but I know that year after year will watch the ceremony. Sigh.
Opening ceremony is already up at official site and you can watch it here.
By this hour the ceremonial screening of Midnight at Paris is over, but as most of you know the press has a separate screening so if you wish to read reviews you will find them already up at many sites, just google the movie and you will find them; me, I avoid them as don’t want more spoilers than the ones I saw in one trailer. If you are wondering I don’t even watch the trailers at the trailer blog, with a few exceptions of course, but I know that many of you like to watch them.
Last, tonight was the press screening of Julia Leigh’s Sleeping Beauty so expect reviews around the net soon.
So this is it for the first day and the official activities tomorrow will be hectic, well more hectic than today but while we sleep a little, let’s take a look at what else happened today in Cannes.
Other Activities/Events
Today Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek arrive on water in a giant 22-foot-high pair of black boots to promote their movie Puss in Boots, browse the net to watch videos and photos. Lol!
The Not-So-Serious
After the live broadcast of the opening ceremony, Canal + had Le grand journal de Cannes with Lady Gaga where she sang here new single Judas which yes I saw it but soon came back to what matters: movies; nevertheless at the official site you will find only the video with the interview if you wish to watch it go here. Yes there also was a private concert at Hotel Martinez that surely developed into a huge party.
The Photos
There are so many beautiful photos from today events that’s not easy to chose which shall I share with you but these are my choices for Uma, Aish and Gong Li
Have to share this photo from May 12, 2004 at the opening ceremony of the 57th Festival de Cannes. They were young and beautiful, they’re still young and beautiful.
Last, a photo of the happy conversation at the opening ceremony and the Midnight at Paris cast.
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