2012 Cannes Film Festival - Day 4

Beyond Borders Panel and Yolonda Brinkley of YRB International. Bonjour from Cannes on Day 4. The Beyond Borders Diversity in Cannes symposium went very well again this year. Yolonda Brinkley is getting raves from participants and attendees on this informative venue for filmmakers and producers. It was an all female panel this year, including Brook Bellow an African American actress/writer/producer and filmmaker who's film "Living Above the Noise" is a documentary film about her life after sexual abuse. She was a mesmerizing panelist and speaker. Read more about her in the July issue of Essence Magazine's News & Culture section. 

Filmmaker Deborah Riley-Draper, Director of the documentary Versailles 73:

 I attended the screening of a new documentary film;"Versailles 73; American Runway Revolution" from Coffee Bluff Pictures written and directed by Deborah Riley-Draper and narrated by Cameron Silver. Anyone who was a fashionista in the 1970's will remember this seminal fashion moment in history when American Models, including eight African American Models, came to Paris and stole the show and put American designers Halston, Bill Blass, Anne Klein, Oscar de la Renta and Stephen Burrows on the International fashion map. Pat Cleveland, a runway legend, Billie Blair, Alva Chinn, Bethann Hardison, Jennifer Brice, Norma Jean Darden, Charlene Dash, Barbara Jackson, Armina Warsuma and Ramona Saunders sashayed down the runway at Versailles like it had never been done before. The documentary tells the story of how the Americans were pitted against the fashion icons of France, who literally and figuratively stole the show from the French with little else than the models who showed the fashions with no props, just amazing runway style. The fashion show was developed to raise money to restore the leaky roof of the Palace of Versailles. The evening was filled with all of the moneyed aristocracy of Europe including Princess Grace of Monaco. By the time the American part of the show was over the aristocratic audience was stomping their feet, jumping up and down in the aisles and throwing their expensive programs in the air. Fashionistas will love this documentary film because of the history and the revolution it caused. Featured in the documentary are most of the participants, including Pat Cleveland and Stephen Burrows. This is a must see documentary about this event and everyone, and I do mean everyone, should see it when it shows in a theatre near you. After the screening I had tea on the Carlton Patio with Writer/Director Deborah Riley Draper, Entertainment Attorney Shannon Nash, Executive Producer McGhee Osse, Executive Producer Caralene Robinson and Yolonda Brinkley. We laughed and talked for hours while the after-party for the screening of "Lawless" starring Shia Lebeouf went on around us. It was a magical and fascinating evening. 

 Trailer for Versailles '73: American Runway Revolution

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkFxzMsIbBg

2012 Cannes Film Festival - Day 6 and 7

2012 Cannes Film Festival - Day 6

Well I have dried out a bit from the previous days rain. Day 6 was a complete washout so I did not venture to Cannes, rather I stayed in Nice and my friends Fileena and Joanne joined me at the Nice antique market. Fileena is also a jewelry designer and like using antique pieces in her jewelry designs. We found lots of antique coins, brooches and the like that she can use. We spent the rest of the afternoon lounging in one of the restaurants on the Pieton talking about life experiences.

Meanwhile in Cannes the rain continued to come down. I got an email later in the evening from a reporter from Italy who read my post "On the Red Carpet Day 5", where I mentioned having seen someone fall in the lobby of the Carleton during the rain Sunday night. He mistakenly thought I was referring to someone having fell at the Palais on Monday and said "I read your post and I think I am the "someone who fell" today at 12:45 in the Palais. Since I broke my front tooth, if necessary, can I count on your declaration for insurance purposes?". I told him I referred in my post to someone having fell in the Carleton Lobby Sunday. He obviously wasn't paying close attention to the day to which I referred. Yolonda and I had a big laugh about this one.

2012 Cannes Film Festival - Day 7

Chris Tucker and friend

Brad Pitt

Cassie

The sun finally came out on Day 7 after two full days of rain. The streets are once again full of people and the outdoor cafe's are back in business, even though they were always filled inside even in the rain. But in France the outdoor cafe rules.

On the Croisette the anticipation was in high gear as everyone was awaiting the arrival of Brad Pitt for the screening of his new movie "Killing Them Softly" about a mob hitman. Brad showed up this year sans Angelina. Everyone is wondering where she is and why she wasn't here. The same question that everyone had when Jada showed up without Will for her movie "Madagascar 3". Of course Will was promoting MIB in London. So it appears that all the A-List couples are not allowed to venture out without the other in the publics purview.

I did get a peek at Brad as he made his way down the carpet. He was very enthusiastic with the crowd even venturing away from the photo-op on the carpet stairs to wave to the people lining either side of the Red Carpet.

Diddy and Cassie also made an appearance on the red carpet. Diddy in his standard white tux jacket and black trouser and Cassie in a sexy black lace dress with her new modified Mohawk hairstyle (not exactly a Mohawk but shaved head on one side, that I call a modified Mohawk). The people here really like Diddy and dedicated a song to him as he walked the carpet. One of the main attractions of the Cannes Red Carpet is the music that is played over loudspeakers as people make their way down the red carpet. They usually have some jamming music including rap and hip hop.

Chris Tucker also appeared on the red carpet for this screening. I didn't know he was here. Hope to run into him so I can ask him if he remembers the time I got a cab for him in New York.

So stay tuned for more updates.

Cannes Film Festival - Day 5

2012 Cannes Film Festival - Day 5

Me trying to stay dry in the Carleton Lounge

What can I say. There has been a downpour all afternoon causing people to flee indoors. Every restaurant, lounge, hotel lobby and anything covered is filled with people. Fileena, Joanne and I fled to our favorite spot the Carleton Lounge. It was filled with people at the bar, cafe, lobby and even the toilettes (hysterical laughter). The marble floors of the lobby became wet and slippery and someone fell before housekeeping set up an army of mop brigadeers. This is the first time since I started visiting Cannes in 2000 that I have seen it rain to this extent. The Mediterranean is choppy and there are waves that you can surf like the North Shore of Honolulu, Hawaii, but there are no suffers. It actually looks rather scary. The waves are covering the beaches.

This however did not stop the red carpet from continuing. The screening of Amour starring Jean-Louis Trintignant carried on without a hitch. I saw some of the gowns as they walked through the Carleton Lobby to the waiting cars to be driven to the Palais. Nothing stops the red carpet.

We were all planning to attend the Women in Film Reception at the International Pavilion, but was too wary of venturing out to the beach pavilions in the rain. So we made a party of it in the Carleton Lounge. The street vendors made a killing selling umbrellas today, and the restaurants and bars made a killing feeding and drinking everyone who wanted out of the rain.

Here's to tomorrow and Day 6, with the hope that the rain finds it way to a much needier territory. Cannes doesn't need anymore rain.

2012 Cannes film festival - Day 2 and Day 3

2012 Cannes Film Festival - Day 2 

Jada Pinkett-Smith  Photocall Madagascar 3

I didn't make it back to Cannes today because I am still tired from Day 1's adventure and my walk of shame. Have to sleep it off so I can do Day 3.

Jada Pinkett-Smith jumped off the ‘Men In Black 3’ tour bus to head to the 2012 Cannes Film Festival to promote her new movie, ‘Madagascar 3’. She opted to go all out for the photocall earlier today wearing a Versace. You can check out the picture on my Facebook page.

I hear Diddy showed up in Cannes with a 50 member entourage. I'm sure that means a big party is in the works somewhere, probably on his yacht. The last time I got a peak at him in Cannes a couple years ago, he was closing down the Gucci store on the Croisette.

2012 Cannes Film Festival - Day 3 -  Madagascar 3

Today was a work day. I spent it with my client getting her ready for the President's party Saturday night. That meant making sure the dress I brought from Boston for her fit properly (and that she liked it, which she did), then it was off to find shoes and accessories for the perfect finish. She was thrilled when I took her to my favorite shoe store here in Cannes (Mercedeh Shoes), and they were thrilled to see me back again after my big shoe breakdown last year (4 pairs), and no, the name is not spelled incorrectly it is Mercedeh. The shoes in this store will cause a major heart attack for shoeholics.

By the time I made my way back to Nice I was exhausted but exhilarated. Have to get ready for Saturday, Day 4 and the Beyond Borders Diversity in Cannes symposium. My friend Yolonda will be expecting me to show up on time (there is a backstory to this).

Stay with me everyone.

2012 Cannes Film Festival - Day 1

2012 Cannes Film Festival - Day 1  -  Moonrise Kingdom

Official Selection of Films in Competition

COMPETITION

• AMOUR (LOVE) directed by Michael HANEKE
• BAAD EL MAWKEAA (AFTER THE BATTLE) directed by Yousry NASRALLAH
• COSMOPOLIS directed by David CRONENBERG
• DA-REUN NA-RA-E-SUH (IN ANOTHER COUNTRY) directed by HONG Sangsoo
• DE ROUILLE ET D'OS (RUST AND BONE) directed by Jacques AUDIARD
• DO-NUI MAT (THE TASTE OF MONEY) directed by IM Sang-Soo
• DUPÃ DEALURI (BEYOND THE HILLS) directed by Cristian MUNGIU
• HOLY MOTORS directed by Leos CARAX
• JAGTEN (THE HUNT) directed by Thomas VINTERBERG
• KILLING THEM SOFTLY directed by Andrew DOMINIK
• LAWLESS directed by John HILLCOAT
• LIKE SOMEONE IN LOVE directed by Abbas KIAROSTAMI
• MOONRISE KINGDOM directed by Wes ANDERSON
• MUD directed by Jeff NICHOLS
• ON THE ROAD directed by Walter SALLES
• PARADIES: LIEBE (PARADISE: LOVE) directed by Ulrich SEIDL
• POST TENEBRAS LUX directed by Carlos REYGADAS
• REALITY directed by Matteo GARRONE
• THE ANGELS' SHARE directed by Ken LOACH
• THE PAPERBOY directed by Lee DANIELS
• V TUMANE (IN THE FOG) directed by Sergei LOZNITSA
• VOUS N'AVEZ ENCORE RIEN VU (YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHIN' YET!) directed by Alain RESNAIS

If you were wondering if I was posting a blog after Day 1 in Cannes, well it almost didn't happen. I attended the opening night ceremonies and the screening of the opening film Moonrise Kingdom, thanks to my friend Yolonda creator of the symposium Beyond Borders Diversity in Cannes. We hit the red carpet at around 6:25pm and ended up on the carpet at the same time as Eva Longoria and just ahead of the film's cast (Bruce Willis, Tilda Swinton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Edward Norton).

This is my first time attending the opening ceremonies that included a touching video tribute to Marilyn Monroe accompanied by a female performer and her band singing Elton John's Candle in the wind. The young woman was so excited to be there she was practically jumping up and down at the finish. She said this was the biggest prom in the world and she was so excited to be invited. She literally did a tango off the stage with one of the stage directors. Really funny, the audience loved it.

The film which tells the story of two 12-year-olds who fall in love before making a secret pact and running away together, also included newcomers Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward as the young lovelorn couple. This is a quirky but sweet movie about young love, filmed like a
moving art painting. I really enjoyed this movie. I was interviewed as I was leaving by a reporter covering for a television station inside the Palais about my thoughts on the film. The last time I was interviewed was for Tiscali magazine during the screening of The Matrix Reloaded in 2003. This interview led to my missing the last connection back to Nice and I ended up crashing on my friend Yolonda's couch, then had to get up this morning and make my way back to Nice looking like a you-know-what the morning after, still dressed in my evening attire. Thank God for sunglasses. Me and Yolonda had a big laugh about this situation.

My iPad is not allowing me to post pictures in my blog, so I will have to upload them as posts on my Facebook page. So look for them there. Meanwhile check out my video stream on this page.

Til next time.

Cannes Film Festival - Preparation Day - May 15, 2012

Cannes is in full preparation mode today for the beginning of the 65th Festival de Cannes tomorrow. It's amazing how much work goes into preparing this small town for an overwhelming number of people who invade Cannes for 10 days in May. The workers are like little bees setting up the beach club cabanas, the facades on the hotels are being covered with ads promoting upcoming movies, boundaries are being set up to keep the uninvited out, while the upscale stores on Le Croisette are washing and shining their windows to perfection for displaying the most decadent of everything from red carpet gowns to million dollar jewelry. The red carpet on the stairs of the Palais have not been laid yet but you can bet it will be ready for the Marches at tomorrows opening of the screening film Moonrise Kingdom.

Can't wait to hear what outlandish stunts Sacha Baron Cohen will pull at his party tonight for his film The Dictator. It will definitely make the news.

Tomorrow is Day 1 of the 2012 Festival de Cannes celebrating 65 years, and there are some big events planned for this milestone.

Will keep you posted.

France 2012

My trip across the pond to France was every bit as wonderful as I expected. I can never get enough of France even with it's crazy driving habits and nonchalance when it comes to organizing. There are more important things to do like Shopping, eating and drinking wine. I only spent a few days in Paris, but the joie de vivre whenever I walk down one of the boulevards or sit at a bistro watching the French enjoy being with each other is enough to last for some time.

I stopped in at Monies Rue St. Honore store where the one-of-a-kind pieces are sold. The artistry of the pieces are amazing and bold. The owner is very, very Parisian and was a little snobby until I told her I carried Monies at my own boutique in Boston for 20 years. She has been carrying Monies for the same length of time. I told her how I discovered Monies at the North Americam distributor in Chicago in 1992. She took my business card and said she would give it Gerda and Nikolai Monies in Copenhagen. Oh, and by the way I got the most amazing pair of turquoise/coral/amber/bone/gold earrings from her.

We also discussed Iris Apfel, the notorious Monies collector who exhibited her collection at the Peabody Essex Museum in 2010. She surprised me by saying how much she despised Iris whom she said is "a terrible person who came in my store and sat here and proceeded to steal the Monies designs and use them for her own jewelry line. If you have talent you should be able to create your own designs". I was amused and thought what a scoop for my blog. Iris Apfel being called a design thief. We had a good laugh and parted as friends.

Looking forward to the start of The Cannes Film Festival Wednesday, May 16. Maybe another upgrade in the works, or another news scoop, but whatever happens it's sure to be fun and exciting. Who knows.

Stay tuned for all the exciting details.

I am starting to get excited about my annual trek to the French Riviera for the Cannes Film Festival, May 16-May 26, 2012. Looking forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones. For the past 12 years I have visited Cannes during the Festival and every year it has been an adventure to boggle the mind. In 2011 I was fortunate enough to walk the red carpet and get tickets to 7 screenings. In 2010 I had the opportunity to meet the winner of the Golden Camera d'or, Michael Rowe from Mexico, director of the film Año Bisiesto (Leap Year). I have since added the DVD version of the movie to my collection. Looking forward to the 2012 Festival and all that it has to offer.