Live from Cannes!

On day 7, as the 66th Cannes Film Festival revs up for the final stretch to the award ceremonies this Sunday, the mood is decidedly festive, now that the bright sun is finally back out on the Croisette. After a soggy start, the unseasonable driving rain and chilly weather is just a memory as throngs of  star-gazers and cinephiles pour into the  traffic-clogged streets of Cannes, hoping for a glimpse of their favorite actor. Come sunset, the throbbing bass party music blasts from the private seaside beaches, megayachts bob in the harbour and wannabe starlets teetering on  Jimmy Choo stilettos are out strutting their flimsy finery. Finally, Cannes as usual.

Dans les coulisses

Meanwhile, the badge-toting movie industry crowd rushes on. Nothwithstanding Ryan Gosling’s disappointing no-show  to promote his competition entry “Only God Forgives“, the glittery parade on this year’s red carpet has included superstars like Leonardo diCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Tobey McGuire, Justin Timberlake , and Benicio del Toro, and a dazzling array of French actors, including Bérénice Béjo, Tahar Rahim and Léa Seydoux, Guillaume Canet and Marion Cotillard.

In the parallel selection not in competition, Un Certain Regard critics are still buzzing about two beautifully crafted gripping dramas, both by French women directors. The first is Rebecca Zlotowski’s “Grand Central“, starring Léa Séydoux and Claire Denis,  and the second one is “The Bastards” with Chiara Mastroianni and Vincent Lindon. Earlier in the festival, Sophia Coppola presented “Bling Ring” ,a crime drama based on true events about a group of teenagers obsessed with fame and money starring Emma Watson, drawing mixed reactions from the international movie critics.

What remains to be seen is who will win the Palme d’Or?

So far, “La Grande Bellezza” by Paolo Sorrentino, a modern-day tale of decadence à la Dolce Vita, and “Behind the Candlelabra“, the life of Liberace by Steven Soderbergh are the most highly praised contenders, but the fest isn’t over yet.

Stay tuned…

66th Cannes Film Festival

May 15-26, 2013

www.festival–cannes.com

Look out for a full event roundup from Cannes in the Aug/Sept issue of France Today Magazine