Friday, August 3, 2012

On the Red Carpet

Brian Atwood Casts VS Angel for First Ad Campaign, Plots First Store - News - FashionEtc.com
Posted by at No comments:

Monday, June 4, 2012

2012 Cannes Film Festival - Days 8 thru 11


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.

 Evelyn with George Lucas at the Carleton






Evelyn with  Mellody Hobson at the Carleton














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.

Evelyn and Lee Daniels at  his beach party
Evelyn and Lee Daniels on dance floor


Evelyn and Howard Unv. Film Students
 Evelyn with an Algerian Model Dany Samir
and Producer
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:

FEATURE FILMS

PALME D'OR
GRAND PRIX AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR AWARD FOR BEST SCREENPLAY AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR JURY PRIZE SHORT FILMS
PALME D'OR - SHORT FILM

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.

Posted by at 2 comments:
Labels: , ,

Saturday, June 2, 2012

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
Posted by at No comments:
Labels:

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

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.
Posted by at 3 comments:
Labels:

Sunday, May 20, 2012

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.
Posted by at 2 comments:
Labels:

Saturday, May 19, 2012

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.
Posted by at 1 comment:
Labels:

Thursday, May 17, 2012

2012 Cannes Film Festival - Day 1

2012 Cannes Film Festival - Day 1  -  Moonrise Kingdom




Official Selection of Films in Competition


COMPETITION



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.
Posted by at 2 comments:
Labels: ,

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

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.
Posted by at No comments:
Location: Cannes, France
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)