Yes We Cannes

The last two weeks of May in Paris always seem to be a gentle rehearsal for summer. Now, except in a very unlucky year, we can put away our heavy warm clothes and wear our light colorful ones. The numerous long weekends help us prepare for the soon-to-come time when we’ll be able to leave on a real vacation. Special May events which most of us see on TV help put us in a lazy summertime mood.

The first of these is the Festival de Cannes – 12 days of international art, politics, business, controversy and glamour with a backdrop of palm trees and beaches – like a very successful holiday conversation on a café terrace.
Since I am not a night owl, one of my favorite things about the Festival de Cannes is that its televised rituals take place from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. every evening – just in time for an aperitif after the day’s activities. These include, of course, the opening ceremony and the awards ceremony but also the daily “montée des marches” (when the director and actors of the film to be shown in competition that evening walk ceremoniously up the 24 red-carpeted steps lined with photographers and TV cameras -- and into the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès.)
Before and after the “montée des marches” each evening, actors, directors, journalists and critics tell us about the films of the day and we get to see the trailers. For, unlike the Academy Awards or other national film award ceremonies, le Festival de Cannes films, at least those in competition, have not yet been released to the general public. Some won’t be released until late fall. Some of the more exotic ones, unless they win a prize, may not be released in Europe at all.
Ten years ago, I spent a morning in Cannes during the Festival, while I was visiting friends who live nearby. It was exciting to see the places I’d only seen on TV. Now, it’s fun to recognize the places I briefly saw that day.





This year’s Palme d’Or (Best Picture) was surprising and controversial. It was a Thai film called Lung Boonmee Raluek Chat (or Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives) directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul – whose name gave the French news presenters a new tongue twister to replace that of the Icelandic volcano.


Was it chosen because of the Thai political situation? Or because its fantastical tale appealed to Tim Burton, the equally fantastical President of the Jury this year?


No one can be sure but everyone has an opinion. I know. Let’s go sit in the sunshine on the terrace of a café and discuss it!