Once I arrived in Cannes, met up with two of my friends from Chicago who are new to the Cote d'Azur and attending the Festival for the first time. The Great Gatsby is the opening film for the festival and even though it is raining it will still be quite a big event.
Watch the trailer here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Czk0IJGoLeg
I was excited to attend the Fruitvale Station screening today, Thursday, the second day of the Festival. Fruitvale Station is a film based on the true story of Oscar, a 22 year old Bay Area resident who wakes up on the morning of December 31, 2008 and decided to get a head start on his resolutions by being a better son to his mom, who was celebrating her birthday, and a better partner to his girlfriend and mother of his 4 year old daughter. Unfortunately he is killed by an Oakland transit policeman after celebrating with his friends on New Years Eve. It is riveting and spectacularly filmed by first time filmmaker Ryan Coogler who is vying for the Camera d'Or. He's up against some strong competition but I am rooting for him. Fruitvale Station won the Grand Jury Prize and the Public Prize at this years Sundance Film Festival.
Fan Bing Bing on red carpet at Gatsby opening
Watch Gatsby red carpet video here:
http://www.festival-cannes.fr/en/mediaPlayer/12818.html#
(courtesy Festival de Cannes)
(courtesy Festival de Cannes)
Watch the trailer here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Czk0IJGoLeg
I was excited to attend the Fruitvale Station screening today, Thursday, the second day of the Festival. Fruitvale Station is a film based on the true story of Oscar, a 22 year old Bay Area resident who wakes up on the morning of December 31, 2008 and decided to get a head start on his resolutions by being a better son to his mom, who was celebrating her birthday, and a better partner to his girlfriend and mother of his 4 year old daughter. Unfortunately he is killed by an Oakland transit policeman after celebrating with his friends on New Years Eve. It is riveting and spectacularly filmed by first time filmmaker Ryan Coogler who is vying for the Camera d'Or. He's up against some strong competition but I am rooting for him. Fruitvale Station won the Grand Jury Prize and the Public Prize at this years Sundance Film Festival.
Actor Michael B. Jordan and Director Ryan Coogler
Watch the official trailer for Fruitvale Station here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZxUJwJfcQaQ
I also attended the Chopard Party this evening at the Hotel Martinez. Chopard is the most coveted party ticket in Cannes during the festival, second only to the AMFAR Party at the Hotel du Cap Eden Roc in Antibes. Both are highly coveted events. The fact that I was able to secure entry for this years event is a big notch in my belt. Chopard is the designer of the coveted Palme d'Or award that is given for the best film screened at the festival. They also supply most of the jewelry worn by the stars on the red carpet during the Festival. This year they are also in the news because of a heist of some of their jewelry from the Novotel Hotel in Cannes today, the same day of the party. It appears that thieves removed the safe containing more than $1 million worth of jewels from the hotel room of a Chopard employee by entering through an adjoining room. The employee is of course being questioned as it appears to be an inside job. But none of this stopped the women attending the Chopard party from displaying some of the most dazzling jewelry I have ever seen up close. They were literally dripping in jewels. One woman was so bedazzling, that when asked if she would take a photo, she politely said "I'm flattered, but no."
I am not making much headway with writing my blog this year, as there is just so much going on that I am involved with that I am left with very little time for writing.
