Since I was unable to post my blog daily after Day 7, I am incorporating the remaining four days into one blog. I apologize to all my followers for making you wait (I know how important this information is to your lives (tongue in cheek, smiling)).
I have been home back in the States for almost 24 hours, but I am still on Euro time. I am completely jet-lagged and can barely stay awake even though it's the middle of the afternoon. Now I have to try and remember all the things that took place in Cannes in the fast five days.
So, now where did I leave off. Oh, now I remember. I mentioned in my previous post that I was hoping to run into Chris Tucker so I could remind him of the time my sister Ophelia and I got a taxi for him and Larenz Tate in New York City. You will have to read the entire post to find out. Saving the best for last.
Amour (Love) - 2012 Cannes Film Festival - Day 8
Today's red carpet screening is the film Amour (Love) directed by Michael Haneke. The stars are Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva. (Synopsis of the movie): George and Anne are in their eighties, cultivated and retired music teachers. Their daughter is a musician and lives abroad with her family. One day, Anne has an attack and the couples bond of love is severely tested. This film will go on to win the coveted Palme d'Or, the second win for Haneke in three years. I was not able to attend the screening of this movie but I have put it on my list of movies to see.
The Paper Boy - 2012 Cannes Film Festival - Day 9
Lee Daniels' film "The Paper Boy" screened today with all the red carpet fanfare. I was able to see a screening of this film earlier in the day, and I must say that Mr. Daniels who directed and wrote the screenplay along with novelist Pete Dexter is very adept at delving into the seedy side of the human condition. Nicole Kidman is superb as the trashy Charlotte Bless. The other stars of the movie on the red carpet today along with Nicole are Matthew McConaughey, Zac Efron, John Cusack, Macy Gray, and David Oyelowo.
Cosmopolis and Red Tails - 2012 Cannes Film Festival - Day 10
Today's screening of "Cosmopolis" directed by David Cronenberg. Synopsis: New York is in turmoil, the age of capitalism is drawing to a close end. Eric Packer, a high finance golden boy, dives into a white limousine. While a visit from the President of the United States paralyses Manhattan, Eric Packer has one obsession: getting a haircut at his barber’s at the other end of the city. As the day goes by, chaos sets in, and he watches helplessly as his empire collapses. Also he is sure that someone is going to assassinate him. When? Where? He is about to live the most decisive 24 hours of his life. Starring Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche and Paul Giamatti.
There is also a special screening of the movie Red Tails at the outdoor cinema on the beach Cinema Plage.
I hung out in the Carleton Lounge along with Fileena, Joanne, Yolonda and Vivienne, while Cuba Gooding sat at the adjoining table along with the director of Red Tails. Joanne and Fileena soon left for the Cosmopolis screening while Yolonda and I stayed at the Carleton people watching. Soon our people watching really paid off and along came George Lucas, Mellody Hobson and David Oyelowo. I have the pictures to prove it.
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Evelyn with George Lucas at the Carleton
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| Evelyn with Mellody Hobson at the Carleton |
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| Evelyn with David Oyelowo at Carleton |
Although I did not attend the Red Tails Cinema Plage screening I did attend the Lee Daniels party that was taking place on the beach at the same time. This was a real party with lots of young people who came to party. Lee Daniels is the biggest party animal of them all. He literally dragged me onto the dance floor.
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| Evelyn and Lee Daniels at his beach party |
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| Evelyn and Lee Daniels on dance floor |
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| Evelyn and Howard Unv. Film Students |
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Evelyn with an Algerian Model Dany Samir
and Producer |
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| Evelyn with Algerian Model Dany Samir |
Evelyn and Dany Samir
Mud - 2012 Cannes Film Festival - Day 11
Today Yolonda and I attended the red carpet screening of "Mud" directed by Jeff Nichols and starring Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon. This is the second red carpet screening for Matthew. Synopsis: Mud is an adventure about two boys, Ellis and his friend Neckbone, who find a man named Mud hiding out on an island in Mississippi. Mud describes a fantastic scenario - he killed a man in Texas and vengeful bounty hunters are coming to get him. He says he is planning to meet and escape with the love of his life, Juniper, who is waiting for him in town. Skeptical but intrigued, Ellis and Neckbone agree to help him. It isn’t long until Mud’s visions come true and their small town is besieged by a beautiful girl with a line of bounty hunters in tow. The screening received a long standing ovation at the end, reminiscent of the movie Drive last year starring Ryan Gosling.
We then headed out onto the Croisette and dropped in at the Grey Goose party before heading to the Carleton Lounge where we had dinner with some new festival friends.
Grey Goose Party on Le Croisette
2012 Cannes Film Festival - Day 12 - Closing Ceremony
Today is the last day of the festival and the closing ceremony is to be held tonight and the winners will be announced. Yolonda has a ticket for the closing ceremony so I will watch from my usual perch at the Carlton Lounge with all the locals.
AND THE WINNER IS:
Yolonda and I met after the Closing Ceremony and went to the Majestic Barriere where we ran into Chris Tucker as he was leaving. I finally got a chance after 20 years to ask Chris the one question that I promised I would ask him if I ever ran into him. Back in 1993 Ophelia and I was in New York on a buying trip for Nouveau, our fashion boutique in Boston. We finished up for the day and decided to go to the Shark Bar for dinner on the Upper West Side. Chris Tucker and Larenz Tate who were shooting the movie "Dead Presidents" was also having dinner at a nearby table. They finished up about a half hour before we did and left the restaurant. When we finally left the restaurant there they were standing outside trying to get a taxi. Of course everyone knows that young black males cannot get a cab in New York at night or any other time. Larenz told us to "go ahead because no cab was going to pick them up." I put my hand out and a cab pulled up immediately. I asked them where they were going and whether or not they wanted to share a cab with us. They were happy for the rescue and we dropped them at their hotel. At the time Larenz was the bigger star so we asked for his autograph and he signed a page in my address book (this is definitely before cellphones) and poor Chris felt left out. I asked Chris what he did? He responded that he was a comedian and actor and so we asked for his autograph as well (Chris signed the back of one my business cards). I still have both of the autographs in my autograph portfolio along with others I have collected over the years. When I ran into Chris tonight I asked him if he remembered that night 20 years ago and he said "yes, was that you." He gave me a big hug and said "boy that was a long time ago and we were so young". This was one of the highlights of my trip because I always wanted the chance to ask him or Larenz if they remembered that night. Only in Cannes can such an event take place.
So ends the 2012 Festival de Cannes and what a year it was for On the Red Carpet.
