Patrick Stoner welcomes your questions about movies and the people who make them. Send your questions to pstoner@whyy.org. Here's the current question and answer:
Q: What is the Cannes Film Festival like?
A: Glittery.
But not as glittery as it used to be. It's gotten more serious in the past decade. Once upon a time, it was a chance to mingle with stars on the beach, chat with them in taverns, and get some exclusive pictures of the pretty people and the powers that run the show. Over the years, the distance between the stars and the public got greater, the hype took on celestial proportions, and trying to get into exclusive parties became an art form. Then, somewhere in the '80s, the uprising of the indies began, reducing the event's studio glitter.
It remains a hefty two weeks of movie-going. According to Variety, in 1994, there were "75 films presented in all selective categories of the festival. With another 435 titles surfacing in the market, this made for 510 films total." This year will be the 50th festival (it wasn't held in 1948 or 1950).
It's been a May event since 1951, although it started out being held in September, which put it into direct competition with the Venice Film Festival. In those days, the grand prize now known worldwide as the "Palme d'Or" was simply the "Grand Prix." It was won last year by SECRETS AND LIES.
About 4,000 accredited members of the media cover the event. They inevitably complain that there is too much to cover. Press screenings start at 8:30 in the morning, and going to the parties becomes painful after getting four hours of sleep each night for a week. Alas, thus far, no critic or reporter has ever gotten sympathy from their friends for this sacrifice.
Easily the most controversial aspect of the event is the judging. The international jury has a president, usually a star of some note, and a group from various countries that may include actors, producers, critics or some other movie-oriented person. Officially, there are no pressures brought to bear on the judges, but reality and politics intrude constantly.
Mostly, as with almost everything else in life, it's about money. Cannes is still a great place to go to get noticed, get contracts, get access, get known and get out -- to theatres all around the world. The trick is to look like it's all one great party surrounding the presentation of works of art. The outside world will picture licentious revels with famous people; the inside crowd will picture distribution deals and the chance to use the word "greenlight" as a verb.
What was cool this year? Being young, sexy, and Australian. It's scary to me, but the beginning of a new dynasty, similar to the recent rise of the indie reign in Hollywood, may have begun. Our Baby Boomer American dominance may -- just may -- be nudged aside by the young dynamos from Down Under. If that happens in the next decade, you'll be the first to know that it started in Cannes -- again.
Click here to check out the Cannes Film Festival on the web.
Past questions and answers.
