60th edition and not a wrinkle. Year after year, rejuvenation after rejuvenation, the Cannes Film Festival has always embodied novelty and current events without ever appearing outdated, and that’s an understatement. The Croisette lives to the rhythm of the buzz (rumors) that fuel conversations and create agitation. On Saturday, the buzz turned out to be true. Throughout the day, rumors spread, claiming that U2 would come to strum their instruments and perform some vocal exercises on the steps. It was nightfall when Bono and The Edge set the Croisette alight with two songs. On Sunday, the buzz announced the arrival of the new President of the Republic, Nicolas Sarkozy. The head of state, who preferred to stay at Fort de Brégançon, is still expected! He did not follow the red carpet from the Elysée Palace to that of Cannes. Postponed. Christine Albanelle, the new Minister of Culture and Communication, represented the government, discreetly accompanied by Christian Estrosi, President of the General Council of the Alpes-Maritimes. She read a message from the President of the Republic in the evening to reaffirm his commitment to the seventh art.
The (real) stars, those of the big screen, celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Festival. The flashes popped. Fans swayed hysterically as limousine doors opened. Gérard Depardieu, Alain Delon, Lambert Wilson, Alain Chabat, for the national stars, and Michaël Moore, Pedro Almodovar, Roman Polanski, Faye Dunaway for the international stars, were among an unending list of celebrities. Spectators tried to glimpse a gown or a suit between two palms, stretching their arms with a camera in hand, trying to justify their presence at this must-attend event for cinephiles.
In the afternoon, these same spectators were like bees. They clustered at the barriers of luxury hotels to glimpse a star. At the Martinez, some saw Jean Dujardin who kindly came to sign autographs. Ludivine Sagnier also indulged in this game, the winners being the fortunate anonymous fans. Others might have crossed paths with Pierre Mathieu, host of M6’s Morning, walking incognito by the sea and popping into private beach bars. Fortunate ones, being in the right place at the right time, got the chance to approach Colin Firth, notably known for his roles opposite Renée Zellweger in “Bridget Jones’s Diary” and also in “Love Actually” and “Shakespeare in Love”… Rupert Everett, another famous British actor, accompanied Colin Firth on this Cannois Sunday afternoon.
And then, not far from the steps, in the endless queues, we find—first and foremost—many true cinephiles, who have come from Brittany or Picardy, capable of watching four or five films a day, able to recite the resume of any actor, oblivious to the celebrity side of cinema, preferring articles and critics to stolen photos of actresses and actors. They belong to associations, manage small theaters, and have made significant sacrifices to afford a few days on the French Riviera far from the big hotels, opting, due to limited means, to sleep in campgrounds. This is ultimately what the Cannes Film Festival is all about.
