After a year of absence due to the Pandemic of COVID 19it is in four languages, English, Spanish, French and Korean, that the 74th edition of the Cannes Festival was declared open, by Jodie Foster, Pédro Almodovar, Spike Lee Bong Joon-Ho, winner of the Palme d’Or in 2019 with his film Parasite.
In fact, a practically magical moment that everyone was waiting for after a year of confinement and nightmares. It was almost incredible. Until the last minute, we were asking ourselves: will this edition really take place? Could the guests and foreign accredited, especially from countries in the red zone, participate with all these travel restrictions?
Even by being there two days before the opening, even by seeing all the preparations which made the long -awaited event real, doubt still persisted. And if … and if …
In addition, the question that everyone was asking: how was the red carpet and the opening ceremony going in these conditions?
The Venice Festival which had still organized its 2020 edition had ensured the strict application of health rules, what will it be from the Cannes Festival?
Since the day before, braving the risk of contamination, and knowing that they will be on top of each other, as every year the moviegoers had started to install their stepladder and chairs to be able to follow the passage of the stars on the red carpet.
At the scheduled and long -awaited time, started the climb of the steps, which took place as every year (same decor, same music, same red carpet, etc.), with the difference that some people wore masks. But the other rules, such as physical distancing, were not respected, and people were even kissing. This is how we could see, for example, Spike Lee embedded Thierry Frémaux and Pierre Lescure and even kiss the Minister of Culture, ignoring all the health rules! Are they all vaccinated? Are they not afraid of contagion?
Despite this little fear that everyone had in him, we felt relive. Really. As if this festival opening ceremony had just ended this parenthesis of a year and a half, during which we had the impression of being outside of time and real life.
Spike Lee, first black president of the official competition jury (Originally it was to be during the 2020 edition which had unfortunately been canceled), arrived at the feet of the steps in a fuchsia pink suit, matching glasses and sneakers in the colors of the French flag, even sketched a few dance steps in front of the photographers. Another way to show your joie de vivre and find this film feast atmosphere.
He was accompanied by members of the jury, who this time is made up of five women and three men: the Brazilian filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho, the Austrian director Jessica Hausner, the French actress and producer Mélanie Laurent, the Franco-Senegalese director Mati Diop, the South Korean actor Song Kang-Ho, the French actor and American director Maggie Gyllenhall, as well as the song of song Mylène Farmer.
Tahar Rahim, who in 2015, was a member of the Jury Un Certain Regard, will soon be playing with Jodie Foster in the film Appointed guiltydirected by Kevin Macdonald.
Very sober and elegant in a beautiful white dress adorned with rhinestones, Jodie Foster, present with his wife Alexandra, said, in impeccable French, during the tribute that had been paid to him during the ceremony, that the glamor had missed, even if there was nothing better than spending a evening in pajamas watching a film, and that it was his life buoy during this year of confinement. The cinemas were closed, but the cinema had continued in a new form. She added that after 55 years of profession, she appreciated the constant evolution of cinema, the creativity that is renewed and which renews the profession, the magic of images, the authenticity of emotions … Cinema is there to touch and that to open and give itself to spectators brings it the greatest joy.
It was Pédro Almodovar who gave the Palme d’Or of Honor to Jodie Foster, to pay tribute to her long career as an actress, director and producer. Tears in his eyes, Jodie Foster said he was happy to be in Cannes “with my tribe and my wife” and his pride in being part of this community.
Jodie Foster will be an appointment to exchange with festival-goers and talk about her career, which she started being a child, her incredible filmography, memories of her first trip to Cannes, etc.
Also among the guests of this 74th edition, director Bong Joon-Ho who explained his presence in Cannes: indeed, when he was busy writing a script, he had received a phone call from Thierry Frémaux asking him to be there for the opening. As he had been very surprised, Thierry had replied that the festival wanted his presence to make the link between the 2019 edition and the 2021 edition, since in 2019, he won the Palme d’Or with his film Parasite. He added that by seeing all these guests present at this ceremony, he had the impression that there had been no rupture really, that the cinema had never stopped, and that it has the conviction that as in the film The arrival of a train at La Ciotat station From the Lumière brothers, the train continues to run, the cinema advances in time and precisely all the filmmakers are witnesses to this seventh art.
Among the guests of this opening ceremony, Marion Cotillard and Adam Driver, present in Cannes with the opening film Annette Directed by Leos Carax on a music by Sparks. This musical, which was ready since last year, is also in official competition and tells a love story between Henry, a humorist with a strong sense of humor and Ann, a world -renowned opera singer. Their couple cannot resist the arrival of their little daughter, Annette, a curious puppet.
In 2019, Adam Driver was also present at the 72th Cannes festival edition with the opening film The Dead don die Directed by Jim Jarmusch. In 2018, he was also in Cannes with Blackkklansman: I infiltrated the Ku Klux Klanfrom Spike Lee. The film had also won the Jury Grand Prix and a special mention of the Ecumenical Jury.
Neïla Driss
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