Day 1 at #Cannes2017

Finally D day has arrived and even do there area a few hours more to the opening ceremony some activities already happened, like the opening film photocall and press conference plus critics already are venting how much they like film or don't like it all!

Opening Ceremony

Was too-short and too-much Pedro, so there was nothing else except for the main competition, not even a hello to the other juries much less movie clips for Un Certain Regard and other sections.

Truth is that film clips collages are always what attracts me and was not disappointed with the clips from the 19 films in competition nor with the Tribute to Pedro Almodovar.  Just for these two pieces will watch the ceremony again, sigh.

Will post video as soon as becomes available for those that wish to see all the colorful celebration of Pedro Almodovar filmography and music in his films.

Today is an easy day as only one film was screened but this afternoon press have seen already films that will be screened tomorrow and yes, there are tweets with their initial reactions but that will be posted tomorrow.  Let's start with the opening film.

Opening Film: Fantômes d’Ismaël (Ismael Ghosts) by Arnaud Desplechin

First let me share that yesterday afternoon news started to pour about film not being ready for Cannes and what press and audiences will see is a short version of the film that will premiere soon in Paris. Not good news for a festival that has had different levels of controversy since unveiling the infamous photoshoped poster to the Netflix incident and now learning that festival will screen unfinished films!? Now some are calling the film that will be shown in theaters, the director's cut with 20 more minutes.

On top Desplechin in the press conference says there are NOT two different cuts, "it simply has two different tones". "The original version is more intellectual. The version in Cannes is the more sentimental one".

Because of cast film is must-be-seen for me as simply watch everything that Marion Cotillard, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Louis Garrel and Alba Rohrwacher do, so having all of them in one film is quite outstanding for me and yes, I'm "dying" to see film that seems got lukewarm reception from the press.

Photocall
Not the first photocall from the festival as the first was with the Jury but because of the cast the photos are pouring and some are really nice.  Marion Cotillard called my attention as she looks fantastic and we have to recall that a few weeks ago she had her second baby.  Fabulous.  Video has no sound, so it's not fun to watch as an essential part of the experience is the noise photographers make, sigh. Girardot is taking selfies! (LOL) Those damn selfies are unavoidable, even if organizers wish not to have them, people will do it!  Alright photographers are calling Alba, as she left... now video has sound.  Great, Alba comes back.

Take a look at the group photo with left to right: Mathieu Amalric, Louis Garrel, Marion Cotillard, Arnaud Desplechin, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Alba Rohrwacher and Hippolyte Girardot. La Crème de la Crème du cinéma français.





Press Conference

According to what I read, many journalists are asking Desplechin about the two film versions and is here where he mentions what wrote above.  Usually don't like to watch press conferences as there are too-many film spoilers but if you wish to watch go to official site here.



Press Reactions
Seems press is divided with some liking film while others not. Not surprisingly most of the positive comments are in French while the not positive tend to be in English!  Not really a crazy fan of Desplechin but have enjoyed several of his films like A Christmas Tale, Jimmy P., and My Golden Days; if this film is similar to those, then have to agree with the comments in French but as I say no matter what press says, film is must-be-seen for me because of cast.

On the Positive side
-"Les Fantômes d'Ismaël" ouvre #Cannes2017 superbement. Beau, drôle, émouvant. Œuvre foisonnante en fragments d'un discours amoureux. Guillaume Gugen - France24
-Il y a de la passion, de la passion tourmentée et des acteurs magnifiques dans #LesFantômesdIsmael. Acte final moins convaincant #Cannes2017. Dom Maury Lasmartres, France
-#LesFantômesdIsamël est brillant dans son triangle amoureux. La mise en abime m'a en revanche laissé de marbre. #Cannes2017 #Ouverture. Mehdi Omaïs - Trois Couleurs, France
-The stylised dialogues/acting are a bit jarring but there's a welcome and unusual playfulness for Depleschin #Cannes2017. FilmLand Empire - London
-The opening film of the 2017 Cannes Film Festival is several movies at once, some more successful than others. Eric Kohn - indiewire, USA
-The reasonable and the insane. Arnaud Desplechin brilliantly toys with interlacing narratives to create a dizzying and fabulous tale worthy of abstract expressionism. Fabien Lemercier - Cineuropa

On the NOT Positive side
-Ismael's Ghosts - Tres boring. Superbly over dramatic melange of romantic insanity. Tries too hard to be something interesting, but isn't. Alex Billington - First Showing, Berlin
-Ismael's Ghosts is as atrocious as you might expect from the festival that once opened with Grace of Monaco. #cannes. Joe Utichi - Deadline, USA and London
-Ismael's Ghosts review – even Marion Cotillard can't save this silly, self-indulgent ragbag. Despite a classy cast, which includes Charlotte Gainsbourg and Mathieu Amalric alongside Cotillard, Arnaud Desplechin’s Cannes opener is a baffling mess. Peter Bradshaw - The Guardian
-The "sentimental" cut's a tumble of stories&tones—brash tenderness, lush burlesque—w/ mixed results. Gainsbourg is fabulous. Daniel Kasman - Mubi, USA
-Excesiva, abstracta y desbordante, lo nuevo del autor de “Rois et Reine” se presenta como un manifiesto contra la unicidad de la experiencia humana y de la expresión fílmica. Manu Yáñez‏ - OtrosCines Europe

The Red Carpet

Today is one of the most star-celebrity-crowded red carpet as not only the cast of the opening film will walk but also the ceremonies host, all juries members plus the usual guests from L'Oreal and other brands that sponsor the festival.

Red carpet was entertaining, will post video as soon as it becomes available.



The Jury

Last night the jury had their traditional dinner and as always, they came to balcony to greet fans and photographers.  Have seen some of the photos but quality is not that good; nevertheless, the best photos come from this morning phototcall, take a look below.

Found one nice photo from the dinner, take a look.



The jury photocall is amazingly silent, what happened? Photographers are not interested or someone silent the video?  Not fun to watch in silence (LOL).  Nevertheless video camera goes to Smith and Chastain, moves away to go back to them.  The only time we can see Maren Ade is when she gets close to Almodovar.



Almodovar and his femmes ...



Famous trio ...



Jessica Chastain has opted for red this morning as well as last night ...



Jury at Red Carpet

The Opening and Closing Ceremonies Host

As we know this year Monica Bellucci will host both ceremonies so she also had her photocall session and this is one sample.

Photo of the Day

Uma Thurman looking very elegant (and young)

Videos

Délicieux duo Louane et Benjamin Biolay - Festival de Cannes 2017



To watch complete (with the introduction) Opening Ceremony go to Canal+ Official Site here, as video can't be embed because site configuration. Also there is a video at festival official site here, but it's different to what I saw live as doesn't have the introduction that's related to the later kiss.