Behind the scenes at the Cannes Film Festival on Friday:
SNUBBED BY HIS OWN COUNTRY: Russian director Andrey Zvyagintsev earned rave reviews for his Palme d’Or contender “Leviathan”, but one person didn’t enjoy it at all.
Russian Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky told official news agency RIA Novosti that the film was not to his liking.
The movie tells the story of a man who owns property in northwestern Russia and lives with his pretty younger wife there. But a crooked mayor decides he wants the waterfront spot to build a luxury villa, and ends up stealing it from him with the help of dirty courts and police.
But the focus on corruption in Russia wasn’t what bothered Medinsky, apparently. Rather, he was unhappy about all the swear words in the film.
WHEN A STAR THANKS THE PRESS: They attend all the star-studded, champagne-fuelled parties but they rarely get invited in.
Weary photographers and video journalists stand on the sidelines of red carpets, sometimes in driving rain, snapping celebrities as they breeze through, but then promptly depart as soon as the stars are indoors and enjoying the festivities.
But at this year’s amfAR charity event for AIDS research, one of the most exclusive gatherings during the festival, Sharon Stone surprised the many photographers standing outside the luxury Eden Roc hotel when she turned up to thank them.
“Because you come here every year, because you brought these pictures out and because you’ve given us global support, it has happened because of you,” she told them.
“It has happened because of you, and I cannot tell you how profoundly grateful we at amfAR are to you guys. It’s you,” she said before starting to clap.
Photographers snapped her, put their cameras down and clapped back. Recognition at last.
WORKING CLASS HERO: Cannes favourite Ken Loach likes to challenge the idea that lefties like himself are dour and have a problem with people having fun.
Enter Jimmy Gralton, a free-spirited jazz and blues-loving class warrior who is the protagonist of his latest film, “Jimmy’s Hall”, which had its premiere on Thursday.
Back in rural Ireland after 10 years living it up in New York, Jimmy takes on the powers-that-be to set up a dance hall in the backwater that is Country Leitrim in 1932.
“That joy and enthusiasm and embracing of life encapsulated in the dancing is very important,” Loach told reporters.
The director, known for his socialist views, has always steered well clear of Hollywood. He added that characters like Jimmy didn’t tend to go down well with some critics.
“They can’t stand working class characters who speak with knowledge about what they know and what they’ve lived through,” he said.
“They like victims and they like criminals and they might like a battered wife or two. Give them someone who knows what they’re talking about… and they say “My God… you’re telling us what to think here.”