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CANNES FILM FESTIVAL HITS HALFWAY SHORT ON BUZZ
ARMENPRESS
MAY 17, 2010
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, MAY 17, ARMENPRESS. Crowds crammed to see the stars walk the
red carpet, champagne flowed, fireworks filled the sky and screenings
were packed, yet the Cannes film festival hit halfway on Monday
lacking one key ingredient -- buzz, Armenpress reports citing Reuters.
The world's largest annual cinema showcase opened on May 12 and
closes on May 23, when one of 19 movies in the main competition will
be named winner of the coveted Palme d'Or.
As important to a successful festival are the hundreds of films shown
out of competition and in the giant marketplace where producers and
distributors wheel and deal.
With the majority of competition films yet to screen, the early front
runner for the top prize is British director Mike Leigh, whose wry
family drama "Another Year" was widely praised. He won the main award
with "Secrets and Lies" in 1996.
Also popular was Mexican filmmaker Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's
"Biutiful," a moving portrayal of a dying father played by Javier
Bardem, and a low-budget drama from Chad, "A Screaming Man," set
against conflict in the African country.
But most movies eligible for awards have disappointed so far, and
what stars there have been in the French Riviera resort have generally
failed to shine either on-screen or off.
"I think we're lacking people who know how to play to the media, how
to play it up and how to charm on the red carpet and in interviews,"
said Variety critic Jay Weissberg.
"At the Cannes festival in particular, it needs that interplay between
the star and the press and public, and we haven't really had that yet."
There is still time, with major celebrities including Mick Jagger and
Sean Penn expected to arrive along with an influx of party goers from
nearby Monaco, venue of Sunday's Grand Prix.
"It's been fairly quiet so far, but after Monaco, when all the yachts
come, it should go 'boom'," said one event organizer.
Hollywood was in town in the form of Ridley Scott's "Robin Hood"
starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett, and Woody Allen brought
"You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger" to the festival held on the
palm-lined waterfront.
Most topical, and giving Cannes a brief shot in the arm, was "Wall
Street: Money Never Sleeps," Oliver Stone's slick follow-up to his
1987 hit "Wall Street" with Michael Douglas back as the ruthless
corporate raider Gordon Gekko.
None was a critical hit, although a muted reception in Cannes need
not dent their box office prospects.
Weighing on the mood here is uncertainty over the strength of the
global economic recovery, which has hit financing and could further
squeeze the market for independent, low- to medium-sized films from
the United States and elsewhere.
"Economics have made a disparity between studio movies, most of
which are at $70 million or more (to make), that have advertising
and marketing budgets of $30-40 million or more, and your independent
pictures which are under $12-15 million," Oscar winner Douglas said
in Cannes.
"It's a bad situation right now, it's a huge disparity. It's not a
good sign for the future."
His concerns appeared to be borne out in Cannes, where there is only
one U.S. entry in competition, Doug Liman's "Fair Game" based on the
story of outed CIA agent Valerie Plame and her husband starring Naomi
Watts and Penn.
Hollywood movies tend to feature out of competition, and use Cannes as
a global media platform due to the presence of thousands of reporters
from all over the world.
Not everyone was downbeat, however, seeing resilience in the movie
industry during tough economic times and eyeing opportunities to tap
the booming 3D market.
ARMENPRESS
MAY 17, 2010
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, MAY 17, ARMENPRESS. Crowds crammed to see the stars walk the
red carpet, champagne flowed, fireworks filled the sky and screenings
were packed, yet the Cannes film festival hit halfway on Monday
lacking one key ingredient -- buzz, Armenpress reports citing Reuters.
The world's largest annual cinema showcase opened on May 12 and
closes on May 23, when one of 19 movies in the main competition will
be named winner of the coveted Palme d'Or.
As important to a successful festival are the hundreds of films shown
out of competition and in the giant marketplace where producers and
distributors wheel and deal.
With the majority of competition films yet to screen, the early front
runner for the top prize is British director Mike Leigh, whose wry
family drama "Another Year" was widely praised. He won the main award
with "Secrets and Lies" in 1996.
Also popular was Mexican filmmaker Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's
"Biutiful," a moving portrayal of a dying father played by Javier
Bardem, and a low-budget drama from Chad, "A Screaming Man," set
against conflict in the African country.
But most movies eligible for awards have disappointed so far, and
what stars there have been in the French Riviera resort have generally
failed to shine either on-screen or off.
"I think we're lacking people who know how to play to the media, how
to play it up and how to charm on the red carpet and in interviews,"
said Variety critic Jay Weissberg.
"At the Cannes festival in particular, it needs that interplay between
the star and the press and public, and we haven't really had that yet."
There is still time, with major celebrities including Mick Jagger and
Sean Penn expected to arrive along with an influx of party goers from
nearby Monaco, venue of Sunday's Grand Prix.
"It's been fairly quiet so far, but after Monaco, when all the yachts
come, it should go 'boom'," said one event organizer.
Hollywood was in town in the form of Ridley Scott's "Robin Hood"
starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett, and Woody Allen brought
"You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger" to the festival held on the
palm-lined waterfront.
Most topical, and giving Cannes a brief shot in the arm, was "Wall
Street: Money Never Sleeps," Oliver Stone's slick follow-up to his
1987 hit "Wall Street" with Michael Douglas back as the ruthless
corporate raider Gordon Gekko.
None was a critical hit, although a muted reception in Cannes need
not dent their box office prospects.
Weighing on the mood here is uncertainty over the strength of the
global economic recovery, which has hit financing and could further
squeeze the market for independent, low- to medium-sized films from
the United States and elsewhere.
"Economics have made a disparity between studio movies, most of
which are at $70 million or more (to make), that have advertising
and marketing budgets of $30-40 million or more, and your independent
pictures which are under $12-15 million," Oscar winner Douglas said
in Cannes.
"It's a bad situation right now, it's a huge disparity. It's not a
good sign for the future."
His concerns appeared to be borne out in Cannes, where there is only
one U.S. entry in competition, Doug Liman's "Fair Game" based on the
story of outed CIA agent Valerie Plame and her husband starring Naomi
Watts and Penn.
Hollywood movies tend to feature out of competition, and use Cannes as
a global media platform due to the presence of thousands of reporters
from all over the world.
Not everyone was downbeat, however, seeing resilience in the movie
industry during tough economic times and eyeing opportunities to tap
the booming 3D market.