The Cannes Film Festival is in full swing. Glitz and glitter are the inevitable partners of this grand celebration of cinema. Originally, the Cannes Film Festival is primarily a major rendezvous for cinephiles from distant and diverse horizons. They fill the halls of the Palais des Festivals, attending a handful of films per day competing in all categories. It is no secret that the Cannes Film Festival also serves as a commercial showcase for film producers and all companies that thrive on the seventh art. To see for yourself, just enter the Palais des Festivals, descend a few steps, and discover the aptly named “Film Market” with booths on two levels. They resemble sandwich men decked out in anything that can catch the eye solely for the purpose of selling.
Not all, however. At Level 1 Aisle 13 Stand 02 is the Ecumenical Jury stand. Present at the festival since 1974, the Ecumenical Jury awards prizes and mentions to films from the official competition starting on Saturday, the day before the Palme d’Or is awarded. The six members of the jury are designated by SIGNIS (the World Catholic Association for Communication) and Interfilm (the International Protestant Cinema Organisation). This year, it is chaired by Belgian Jos Horemans, accompanied by French Waltraud Verlaguet and Michel Kubler, Latvian Anita Uzulniece, German Stefan Foerner, and Italian Gianna Urizio. The Ecumenical Jury is particularly sensitive to the humanity and spiritual dimension of the films. An interesting fact about the awardees since 1974: Pedro Almodovar, who is still waiting for his first Palme d’Or (possibly this year with Volver), received the Ecumenical Prize in 1999 for “All About My Mother”.
Viviane, Hélène, Claudette, Magali, and their friends, all volunteers, with different tasks at the Ecumenical Jury stand, are passionate about cinema. Even busy for 10 days, they take on this role with smiles and love for their fellow man and for cinema. They also organize events outside the palace, such as Sunday mass at the Notre-Dame de Bon Voyage church or the service at the Temple on Rue Notre-Dame followed by a joint friendship drink after both services, and the Ecumenical celebration on Wednesday, May 24 at 4 p.m. at the Anglican Church on Rue du Canada.
For the 90 accredited individuals around the Ecumenical Jury, the ten days of the Cannes Film Festival are a celebration and a well-deserved reward for their great passion. The six members of the jury and the occupants of stand 02 had the privilege of climbing the famous steps last Saturday.
