Cinefille at Cannes

Pictures from the Cannes Film Festival

2009-07-17T15:38:00.001-07:00

I can't believe that two months ago I was at the Cannes Film Festival. I also cannot believe it has taken me this long to post my pictures from the fesitval onto this blog. But here they are at long last, a selection of my pictures from the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. Enjoy!

Back

2009-05-26T05:19:00.000-07:00

I have returned to New Jersey after two weeks in Cannes. It was a great experience. I'll post pictures from my trip this week.

Les Winners

2009-05-25T07:32:00.000-07:00

I'm leaving for the US in a few minutes so I am going to quickly post the Cannes Film Festival winners.

Palme d'Or

The White Ribbon - dir. Michael Haneke

Grand Prix

A Prophet - dir. Jacques Audiard

Special career prize

Alain Resnais

Best Actor

Christoph Waltz - Inglourious Basterds

Best Actress

Charlotte Gainsbourg - Antichrist

Best Director

Filipino Brillante Mendoza - Kinatay

Best Screenplay

Mei Feng - Spring Fever

Jury prize (shared)

Fish Tank - dir. Andrea Arnold

Thirst - dir. South Korean Park Chan-Wook

Camera D’Or (for debut film)

Samson and Delilah - dir. Warwick Thornton

Best short film

Arena - dir. Joao Salaviza

Last Few Days

2009-05-24T08:31:00.000-07:00

Today is the last day of the festival. I saw Un Prophete, which is rumored to win the Palme d'Or. I'm sad the festival is over but I'm looking forward to the rest of the summer.

I finished my internship on Friday. It was a good experience, but I never want to work in pubic relations again.

Yesterday I went on a day trip to Eze, a small town about 40 minutes from Cannes. I took a ton of pictures and video which I will upload - along with all of my pictures when I get back to NJ.

I'll update again when I get back to the States.

L'Avventura

2009-05-20T23:32:00.000-07:00

Saw Antonioni's L'Avventura last night and much of the cast was at the screening. I've seen L'Avventura before but not in a theater. I'm now convinced that movie theaters were invented for this film. While it is great on a small screen, Antonioni's long, drawn out shots that depend entirely on compostition are more impactful when seen on the big screen.

The best part of the screening was a shot in which Monica Vitti walks out onto a porch. This shot is the poster for this years festival and when the audience realized this, everyone clapped. If there is one thing I will miss about Cannes it is how the audience claps for everything, EVERYTHING. It doesn't matter if what is great, like this shot, is in the middle of the film, somebody always claps.

Dilemma

2009-05-20T13:30:00.000-07:00

Should I:

A) See Inglorious Basterds

B) Meet Terry Gilliam

Both are tomorrow at 4 pm!

Antichrist is coming to the US

2009-05-20T09:19:00.000-07:00

IFC Films has purchased the distribution rights Antichrist.

Let the media hype/censors begin.

Los Abrazos Rotos and Vincere

2009-05-19T20:24:00.000-07:00

I saw two competition films today, Los Abrazos Rotos (dir. Almodovar) and Vincere (dir. Marco Bellocchio).

Los Abrazos Rotos (Broken Embraces) is Spanish directors 17th feature film. It stars Penelope Cruz and Lluis Homer. Homer plays Mateo, a film director who was blinded in a car accident 14 years ago. Cruz plays his lover Lena. Like Bad Education and Talk to Her, the film is a puzzle. It is also reminiscent of Woman on a Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. It's a great film, so check it out when you can.

Vincere, however, is another story. I walked out after an hour and a half. The biopic tells the story of Mussolini's first wife, Ida Dalser, played by Giovanna Mezzogiorno. Dalser married Mussolini in 1914 but the Italian dictator denied their marriage and son. She spent much of her life confined in asylums. The film does not do this compelling story justice. It is poorly constructed with too much emphasis on found footage. It does not concretely establish the foundation of the relationship, making Ida an unsympathetic character. All in all, not the 30 minute wait in the rush line.

Quesadillas with Suzan-Lori Parks

2009-05-17T18:28:00.000-07:00

This afternoon I attended a SAG Indie panel with Suzan-Lori Parks at the American Pavilion. Parks is in Cannes promoting The Making of Plus One, which she is starring in.

Not only is Parks one of my favorite playwrights but she is also an alumna of Mount Holyoke, where I currently attend college. The discussion was very informal - Parks began by sharing her quesadilla with the students. Then every student introduced themselves and their interests in the film industry. We discussed Mount Holyoke and she loved that there is now a film major at Mount Holyoke. Ironically there was also a UMass and Smith student in attendance so there was a ton of Five College pride - and competition - in the room.

Parks discussed at great length her writing process (to always be writing), her favorite playwrights (too many to name) and her advice to aspiring screenwriters. Her main advice was to always be writing but know when it is someone elses turn - a director or producer - to take over the creative process.

Writers are often told to only write about what they know, which translates into writing about yourself. Parks however advised to ignore that and to just write about what you want.

Her anecdotes about James Baldwin (who mentored her while she was student at Mount Holyoke), and Spike Lee I was excited to learn that her next work Father Comes Home From the Wars is premiering off-Broadway in the next few weeks.

It was a great opportunity to meet Suzan-Lori Parks and to learn about her creative process. The informal conversation was a one in a lifetime chance - much like attending the Cannes Film Festival - to meet and chat with a reknowned playwright. And the quesadilla was pretty tasty as well.

American Directors Panel

2009-05-17T13:03:00.000-07:00

This morning I went to a panel on American Directors. Lee Daniels, director of Precious (previously known as Push), and Lynn Shelton, director of Humpday, discussed their work and how they navigate the independent cinema world. Quite an interesting panel and I'll post an article on it later today.

Both films were the talk of the Sundance Film Festival in January and this weekend they became the talk of Cannes. Hopefully I'll get to see them before I leave but both films will be released in the US by the end of the year.

Best Film Yet

2009-05-16T13:47:00.000-07:00

I only saw one movie today but it was definitely the best film I've seen so far at the festival. Polistist, Adjectiv, directed by Corneliu Porumboiu, is a Romanian film competing in the Un Certain Regard category. In 2006, Porumboiu's film 12:08 to Bucharest, received the Camera d'Or (Best First Film) and along with Cristian Mongiu's 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 days, this film began what is now known as Romanian New Wave cinema. Interestingly enough, this moniker has become so popular that the Romanian Pavilion is using it to promote Polistist, Adjectiv and other Romanian films as the festival. So these wonderful films have become just another example of art becoming commercialized - but that's a discussion for another post.

Polistist, Adjectiv follows a police officer as he follows a teenage drug dealer over a course of three days. He and his superior officer clash over how to sentence the drug dealer and their argument becomes a compelling dialogue exchange. The film is slow, so slow in fact that it is almost a real time film. Each scene is intricately thought out and expected film techniques are rarely used. Characters often leave the screen or are out of frame. These long and sloq sequences often have a complete lack of dialogue, making the moments when characters do interact all the more important.

Polistist, Adjectiv is a great film and it has completely confirmed my love for current Romanian cinema.

Creepin on Coppola

2009-05-16T13:33:00.000-07:00

Francis Ford Coppola was at the AmPav yesterday, delivering a speech about his career and filmmaking. I only caught some of the speech when I walked through the restaurant area. I did however manage to snap to creeper/paparazzi style photos of Coppola as he left the Pavilion.

Isn't the side of his head beautiful?

The Red Shoes and Martin Scorsese

2009-05-16T09:37:00.000-07:00

Last night, I saw a restored version of The Red Shoes. I have never seen The Red Shoes before so this was a complete treat. What made it even better though was Martin Scorsese and Thelma Schoonmaker introducing the film. The families of William Powell and Moira Sheerer were also there - I couldn't see them though, I was sitting in the back row of the balconey.

Scorsese began his introduction by recounting the first time he saw The Red Shoes when he was child. Listening to Scorsese talk about his love for classic Hollywood films was a complete treat. I'm so glad I decided to ignore how exhausted I am and see this movie.

Up Premieres

2009-05-15T13:18:00.000-07:00

The festival began on Wednesday with the premiere of Up. I could have gone to one of the two red carpet screenings but I literally would have had to put on my fancy clothes and run to the Palais. That just wasn't going to happen. Besides I'd rather save my red carpet moment for something other than Up.

As promised here are pictures from the opening day. I ended up not taking that many because I was working most of the day. But two are always better than none.

As you can see, the promotional material for the film was really adorable. Balloons were being handed out left and rights. Nearly everyone got one and it was especially cute to see little kids running around with their Up balloons.

A Quick Update

2009-05-14T11:46:00.000-07:00

Currently in the American Pavilion. I've been busy with the internship and trying to catch all the screenings I want. So far I've only seen Fish Tank but I have tickets to The Molly Maguires tonight at 10, Bright Star (Jane Campion's film) tomorrow at 8:30 AM and Thirst (dir. Park Chan-Wook) at 11:30 AM.

Soon I want to venture around the International Village and collect as much free food/pamphlets/drinks as I possibly can. I briefly went to the Indian Pavilion this morning and kind of geeked out when I saw everything that was in there.

I also coincidentally ran into the director and producer of the film I was a PA on last summer. It was completely unexpected but a nice surprise. Maybe I'll actually go watch the film now. (Maybe).

Tomorrow I'll upload some pre-Red Carpet pictures from the opening night and some reviewlettes of the films I see today and tomorrow.

La Palais and festival preparation

2009-05-12T13:24:00.000-07:00

The past few days have been busy.

We've been touring Cannes, Cannes la Bocca and La Palais, the actual building where the film festival takes place. Also, we've have been sitting in hours (literally hours) of lectures about how to pitch a film, how to navigate the market, how to see films. But when there is free time (like now) it is nice.

Here are pictures of La Palais and the festival preparation, including the unglamorous red carpet.

Tomorrow, I'm going to work in the press office and then I should be able to head over to the red carpet for the premiere of Up. But I'm not completely sure yet. I'm also going to start heading out to different screenings once the festival gets under way tomorrow.

Cannes!

2009-05-11T13:55:00.000-07:00

Pictures from around Cannes!

A Room with a View

2009-05-11T00:40:00.000-07:00

Here a two pictures of the view from my room in the Maeva. I'll post some pictures of Cannes and the Palais later tonight.

Bonjour

2009-05-09T12:04:00.000-07:00

I'm at Cannes! Here's a quick update before I pass out from exhaustion.

Cuyler, Emma and I arrived in Nice around 11 AM, after a two hour layover in Madrid. Then took the shuttle to the Maeva Hotel. We spent the rest of the day wandering around Cannes a Bocca, eventually eating pizza on the pier. It's gorgeous here and I'll post some pictures later.

Until tomorrow!

Bon Voyage

2009-05-08T06:58:00.000-07:00

Currently sitting in my dorm room. My parents are running around like maniacs packing up my room and I'm currently ignoring them.

I'm leaving in about eight hours. See you in Cannes!

24 hours away

2009-05-07T16:54:00.001-07:00

By this time tomorrow night, I will be on plane headed for Cannes. Now if only I could concentrate on finishing my finals...

Trailer-rific

2009-05-02T13:17:00.000-07:00

I'm currently sitting in the library and I have decided to take a break from my other modes of procrastination (email, Facebook and Twitter).

Here are some of the trailers of the films that are competing for the Palme d'Or.

Broken Embraces (dir. Pedro Almodovar)

Looking For Eric (dir. Ken Loach)

Antichrist (dir. Lars von Trier)

Thirst (dir. Park Chan-wook)

One week to go

2009-05-01T10:33:00.000-07:00

Seven days until I leave for Cannes.

Am I freaking out yet? A little. But I'm more concerned about finishing my finals than going to Cannes. I think as long as I don't think about Cannes (and subsequently get too excited to concentrate), then I should be able to get everything done.

The Feature Film Jury

2009-04-26T19:41:00.000-07:00

Here is the complete jury that will be headed by French actress Isabelle Huppert:

Asia ArgentoO (Actress, Director, Screenwriter- Italy)

Nuri Bilge Ceylan (Director, Screenwriter, Actor - Turkey)

Lee Chang-Dong (Director, Writer, Screenwriter - Korea)

James Gray (Director, Screenwriter – United States)

Hanif Kureishi (Writer, Screenwriter – United Kingdom)

Shu Qi (Actress - Taiwan)

Robin Wright Penn (Actress - United States

Cannes Lineup Announced!

2009-04-23T12:59:00.000-07:00

Here's what will be shown. I think I just died a little on the inside.

Opening

UP, U.S., Pete Docter, Bob Peterson

Closing

COCO CHANEL & IGOR STRAVINSKY, France, Jan Kounen

In Competition

BRIGHT STAR, Australia-U.K.-France, Jane Campion
SPRING FEVER, China-France, Lou Ye
ANTICHRIST, Denmark-Sweden-France-Italy, Lars von Trier
ENTER THE VOID, France, Gaspar Noe
FACE, France-Taiwan-Netherlands-Belgium, Tsai Ming-liang
LES HERBES FOLLES, France-Italy, Alain Resnais
IN THE BEGINNING France, Xavier Giannoli
A PROPHET, France, Jacques Audiard
THE WHITE RIBBON, Germany-Austria-France, Michael Haneke
VENGEANCE, Hong Kong-France-U.S., Johnnie To
THE TIME THAT REMAINS, Israel-France-Belgium-Italy, Elia Suleiman
VINCERE, Italy-France, Marco Bellocchio
KINATAY, Philippines, Brillante Mendoza
THIRST, South Korea-U.S., Park Chan-wook
BROKEN EMBRACES, Spain, Pedro Almodovar
MAP OF THE SOUNDS OF TOKYO, Spain, Isabel Coixet
FISH TANK, U.K.-Netherlands, Andrea Arnold
LOOKING FOR ERIC, U.K.-France-Belgium-Italy, Ken Loach
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, U.S., Quentin Tarantino
TAKING WOODSTOCK, U.S., Ang Lee

Out of Competition

THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS, Canada-France, Terry Gilliam
THE ARMY OF CRIME, France, Robert Guediguian
AGORA, Spain, Alejandro Amenabar

Midnight Screenings

A TOWN CALLED PANIC, Belgium, Stephane Aubier, Vincent Patar
NE TE RETOURNE PAS, France-Belgium-Luxembourg-Italy, Marina de Van
DRAG ME TO HELL, U.S., Sam Raimi

Special Screenings

PETITION, China, Zhao Liang
L'EPINE DANS LE COEUR, France, Michel Gondry
MIN YE, France-Mali, Souleyumane Cisse
JAFFA, Israel-France-Germany, Keren Yedaya
MANILA, Philippines, Adolfo Alix Jr., Raya Martin
MY NEIGHBOR, MY KILLER, U.S., Anne Aghion

Un Certain Regard

SAMSON & DELILAH, Australia, Warwick Thornton
ADRIFT, Brazil, Heitor Dhalia
THE WIND JOURNEYS, Colombia, Ciro Guerra
DEMAIN DES L'AUBE, France, Denis Dercourt
IRENE, France, Alain Cavalier
AIR DOLL, Japan, Hirokazu Kore-eda
INDEPENDENCE, Philippines-France-Germany, Raya Martin
LE PERE DE MES ENFANTS, France-Germany, Mia Hansen-Love
DOGTOOTH, Greece, Yorgos Lanthimos
NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT THE PERSIAN CATS, Iran, Bahman Ghobadi
EYES WIDE OPEN, Israel, Haim Tabakman
MOTHER, South Korea, Bong Joon-ho
THE SILENT ARMY, Netherlands, Jean van de Velde
TO DIE LIKE A MAN, Portugal, Joao Pedro Rodrigues
POLICE, ADJECTIVE, Romania, Corneliu Porumboiu
TALES FROM THE GOLDEN AGE, Romania, Hanno Hofer, Razvan Marculescu, Cristian Mungiu, Constantin Popescu, Ioana Uricaru
TALE IN THE DARKNESS Russia, Nikolay Khomeriki
TZAR, Russia-France, Pavel Lounguine
NYMPH Thailand, Pen-ek Ratanaruang
PRECIOUS, U.S., Lee Daniels

source

French Lesson of the Week

2009-04-10T16:55:00.000-07:00

This is priceless.

This week’s French lesson : What do you mean I am not on the guest list! I am Brad and Angelina’s plus one!

Que vous fait signifie que je ne suis pas sur la liste d’invité! Je suis l’avantage de Brad et Angelina plus l’un!

Inglourious Basterds to compete at Cannes

2009-04-02T07:27:00.000-07:00

It's official.

Quentin Tarantino's latest film Inglourious Basterds, starring Brad Pitt, will compete at Cannes, Variety reports.

Going to see The Class

2009-03-31T07:54:00.000-07:00

The Class, which won the Palme d'Or last year, is currently playing at the Amherst Cinema. My friend Zoe and I have been talking about seeing this movie for quite a while (at least since last semester). Hoepfully, The Class will be playing this weekend so we can finally see it.

Do you speak French?

2009-03-30T18:31:00.000-07:00

Like I mentioned in my previous post, I have to start remembering-or maybe just practicing-my French before I head off to Cannes.

I took French in middle school and high school (about 6 years in total). But I was never very good at it. One time, my teacher (Hi Mme. Becker!) accused me using an online translator to write a paper, when in fact I had written the paper on my own. I had the proficiency of a google translator; that is how bad I was at French. That fact is very depressing indeed.

But the time has come for me to bust out my Franglais. Then again, I'll probably end up doing what I did when I went to Quebec with my French class in high school. Go to McDonalds.

50 days til Cannes

2009-03-20T08:51:00.000-07:00

Today I received my first weekly email from the American Pavilion, preparing me for Cannes. I didn't realize there were only 50 days until the festival and now I'm starting to get a bit nervous. I've made my plane reservation, I've turned in all of my paperwork, I know what I'm packing but that was easy in comparison to what the next few weeks have in store for me.

There is my schoolwork; I don't know how I'm going to finish it all before I leave for Cannes (I'm leaving before finals even start). Then there is the Mount Holyoke News, which already prevents me from finishing my schoolwork until the last minute. How am I supposed to handle these two major things and get ready for Cannes?

I also realized that I should probably brush up on my French. I took French class for 5 years (aka middle school and high school) but I should refresh my brain a little bit while I still can.

Somehow, I'll figure this all out. I have 50 days after all ;)

Up to open Cannes

2009-03-19T13:55:00.000-07:00

Disney/Pixar's Up will open the Cannes Film Festival on May 13.

The movie is the story of a 78- year old man Carl Fredricksen (voiced by Ed Asner) who rigs helium balloons to his house and flies to South America.

Up is the first animated film to open the festival. It is a definite change of pace from Blindness, which opened the 2008 festival. It opens in the United States on May 29.

Almodovar's "Broken Embraces"

2009-03-15T08:46:00.000-07:00

I've heard rumors that Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodovar's next film Broken Embraces will show at Cannes. Here is a preview of the film which opens in Spain March 18.

This year in Spanish cinema, Pedro Almodovar is the new black.
Oscar-winning director Almodovar's latest film Broken Embraces drops his distinctive comic melodrama for the best tradition of "film noir," the dark and stylish film genre used in many crime dramas.

Set for release on March 18 in Spain and in the rest of Europe in May, the film stars recent Oscar winner Penelope Cruz in the role of a tragedy-dogged aspiring actress.

"The film noir genre is one of my favorites," Almodovar told reporters at a screening of the film on Friday. "The fact this film was really "black" was what was very satisfying."
Broken Embraces centers on a quartet of characters in the movie business whose lives are interwoven in a torrid tale of love, power, secrecy, betrayal and vengeance. There is the actress Lena (Cruz), script writer and director Mateo, film producer Judith and unscrupulous financier Ernesto.

The dark and stylish cinematography recalls classic Hollywood thrillers of the 1940s and 1950s, including one scene where Lena's jealous lover pushes her down a long, winding staircase, evoking a similar scene in Henry Hathaway's The Kiss of Death.

Almodovar described Broken Embraces -- his 17th film and with the highest budget yet of 11 million euros ($14.16 million) -- as "the story of my \love for the cinema."

Spain's most famous director is known for melodramatic tragedy mixed with frenetic comedy in films like Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!. He won the Oscar for screenwriting Talk to Her, about two men who form an unlikely bond when both their girlfriends are in comas, and he has only flirted with film noir style in earlier films, such as Trembling Flesh.

Broken Embraces marks the fourth collaboration between Almodovar and Cruz, who last month won the Oscar for best supporting actress in a role as an eccentric Spanish painter in Woody Allen's Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona.
Cruz was effusive in her praise of Almodovar. "I've been obsessed with his films since I was a youngster," she said, adding that if she were told she could only work with one director for the rest of her life it would be "without doubt" Almodovar.

I am taking a seminar on Pedro Almodovar's films this semester so I will be beyond excited if Broken Embraces does indeed show at Cannes.

Clint Eastwood receives honorary Palme d'or

2009-02-26T16:58:00.000-08:00

Clint Eastwood received an honorary Palm d'Or yesterday in a private caremony in Paris. Eastwood first attended Cannes in 1985 when Pale Rider played in competition. He also presented Bird, White Hunter Black Heart, Mystic River and Changeling.

Upon receiving the award, Eastwood said:

"When I made my first film 39 years ago, no one in the U.S. -- except for Roger Ebert who was always very enthusiastic -- believed in me as a filmmaker. But French cineastes have always been very supportive. France remains one of the rare countries that approaches cinema as an art form.”

Eastwood accepted the award yesterday beecause he cannot attend the festival in May. Sad. Clint must have heard that I will be attending. It makes sense though. If I were him, I wouldn't want to encounter me either.

I think I just went into cardiac arrest

2009-02-15T08:36:00.000-08:00

Here is an alleged line-up for Cannes. I'm assuming that most of or all of these films are competing for the Palme d'or (if they compete at all).

Broken Embraces (dir. Pedro Almodovar)
Antichrist (Lars Von Trier)
The White Ribbon (Michael Haneke)
Inglourious Basterds (Quentin Tarantino)
Bright Star (Jane Campion)
Taking Woodstock (Ang Lee)
The Limits of Control (Jim Jarmusch)
Forgiveness (Todd Solondz)
A Serious Man (Joel and Ethan Coen)
The Girlfriend Experience (Steven Soderbergh)
The Informant (Steven Soderbergh)
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (Terry Gilliam)
Ondine (Neil Jordan)
Agora (Alejandro Amenabar)
Looking For Eric (Ken Loach)
White Material (Claire Denis)
Enter the Void (Gaspar Noe)
Thirst (Park Chan-wook)
Face (Tsai Ming-liang)
Vengeance (Johnny To)
Nymph (Pen-ek Ratanaruang)
Mother (Bong Joon Ho)

The official line-up is announced in Paris on April 23.

Brushing up on my history

2009-01-22T15:45:00.000-08:00

So, I've booked my plane to France and there is a little bit more than four months until myself, Cuyler, Emma and I go to Cannes. Until them, in order to pass the time, I have a goal.

As someone who loves movie lists, I'm going to try and see every movie that has ever won the Palme d'Or, the festival's top prize. Most of the movies that have won are not available on DVD so I know that the chances of this actually happening is very unlikely it gives me something to do for the next four-ish months. I mean, it's not like I have to go to school or anything ridiculous like that.

The Palme d'Or was introduced in 1955. From 1939 to 1954 and 1964 to 1974, the highest award was the Grand Prix du Festival. To make my movie watching experience a little more interesting, I'm not being technical and including the films that won the Grand Prix. 82 films in all have won the top prize at Cannes.

So here is what I've already seen:

The Lost Weekend

Brief Encounter

Roma, città aperta

The Third Man

The Wages of Fear

Gate of Hell

Marty

La dolce vita

Viridiana

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg

Blow-Up

MASH

The Conversation

Taxi Driver

Apocalypse Now

Paris, Texis

sex, lies, and videotape

Farewell My Concubine

The Piano

Pulp Fiction

The Son's Room

The Pianist

Elephant

Fahrenheit 9/11

The Child (L'Enfant)

The Wind That Shakes the Barley

4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days

I've seen 27 out of 82 possible movies. Most likely I won't see all 82 films, but there is no harm in trying. Right now, I'm most excited to see The Class, last year's recipient of the Palme d'Or; it was just nominated for an Academy Award (Best Foreign Language Film) and will hopefully be playing at the Amherst Cinema sometime soon.

Here goes nothing...

Inglourious Basterds at Cannes

2009-01-21T14:53:00.000-08:00

It's only January but there is already one movie I would love to see when I'm at Cannes. Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds, starring Brad Pitt will most likely premiere at the festival before its August 21 release in the US. The film is based on Enzo Castellari's 1978 movie Inglorious Bastards. Realistically I know this probably won't happen since Inglorious Basterds is already one of the most buzzed about movies of 2009. But a girl can always dream.

Since there isn't a trailer or poster about the movie yet, here is the trailer for the 1978 version's dvd release. It features an interview between Tarantino and Castellari. Enjoy!

Pretty and Warm

2009-01-21T13:37:00.001-08:00

I've been in Western Massachusetts since January 5 and there has been nothing going on here except snow, snow and snow. There have been three or four storms since I've been back at Mount Holyoke and some days temperatures have been in single digits. And for some reason, the school has decided to not to turn on heaters in the dorms, so I spend most of my time very cold.

I have been doing some exciting things since I've been at school during my January break. A friend of mine directed a film for her senior thesis project and I've been working on the film as a producer. The film wrapped shooting this Saturday. Since then, I've been sitting around my room watching The Wire and Arrested Development, two shows that couldn't be more different.

My latest great activity is googling "Cannes, France" and looking at other people's vacation of Cannes. I've even gone as far as saving some of the pictures to my desktop so I can look at them all the time.

I know that this is quite weird and perhaps a bit obsessive, but it is nice to see how warm and sunny the place I'm going to be for two weeks in May is. It gives me something to look forward to, especially as the days get colder, the snow gets deeper and especially as my spring semester begins next week.

And to show you what I'm talking about, here are some the pretty pictures I've been looking at.

Isabelle Huppert to head Cannes Jury

2009-01-02T15:30:00.000-08:00

French actress Isabelle Huppert (The Piano Teacher) will be the jury president for the 62nd Cannes Film Festival. She is only the fourth woman to head the panel.

Huppert said in a statement:

"I am very glad and very proud. I’ve had a long relationship with Cannes and this next meeting will definitely seal my love for the Festival and thus for global cinema. Cannes is the open door to all the new ideas of the world. I am thrilled at the idea of being a privileged spectator in it.”

Huppert has attened the festival 25 times in various roles including awards presenter, jury member and symposium head, as well as acting in films in and out of competition. She won best actress twice - in 2001 for The Piano Teacher and in 1978 for Violette Nozière.

The previous two jury presidents were American actor and director Sean Penn in 2008 and British director Stephen Frears.

A Guide to Cannes

2008-12-26T13:19:00.000-08:00

For my Christmas gift this year my sister picked out a copy of Cannes: A Festival Virgin's Guide (left).

The guide has valuable information about everything from the history of the festival to how to dress to where to eat to what tourist attractions to check out to where the post office is. It even has information on how to network, which is really the reason why I'm going to Cannes in the first place.

It will certainly come in handy because other than what I know about the films that have won awards at Cannes, I know little about the actual festival.

Going to Cannes

2008-12-15T14:47:00.000-08:00

Hey there readers,

Cinefille here. Some of you might know me from my main blog, For Cinephiles by a Cinefille and my other small blog, The Doozy Marooney. I've been a blogging about movies and pop culture for over three years now, which brings me to my latest blogging project - Cinefille at Cannes.

On Friday night, my friends, who have aptly named themselves Leni Riefenstahl and Maya Deren (because that won't get confusing), and I learned that we had been accepted into the American Pavilion Student Filmmakers Program at the Cannes Film Festival.

Through the program, we'll get to see a side of the film industry that most film students will never experience (at least not until they've been working in the industry for some time). We will be attending Cannes, the largest film festival and market in the world with full access to the festival.

We each have our own reasons for attending the festival through the AmPav program - Leni wants to learn about distribution; Maya wants to learn about becoming an editor; and me - I am going to (hopefully) learn all about entertainment journalism. There is no better place for the three of us to learn about the industry and about what we possibly want to do within the industry than at the largest and oldest film festival in the world.

The festival isn't until May, but as an overextended college student I'm always looking for ways to procrastinate. I mean, I already have two blogs, so why not create another months before I really need to. Leading up to the festival I will be writing about anything and everything I can about the festival. During the festival, I will be blogging about Cannes (I know, big surprise) and our experiences at the festival.

Leni and Maya are two of my closest friends at Mount Holyoke. I can't imagine going to Cannes for the first time (ideally there will be many more to come after this) without them. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me and I plan to experience Cannes for all it is worth.