Cannes Diary 2010 – Day 7
Thuesday (as the Cannes Pocket Guide spells it every year) in the second week in Cannes and PH team 2 are fully ensconced! It doesn’t take long to feel a bit like GROUNDHOG DAY, as far as the daily routine is concerned.
OF GODS AND MEN
A brilliant first film today, monks in a remote monastery have their faith put to the ultimate test as they resist the temptation to desert increasingly violent civil unrest during the Algerian Civil War. Based on an actual incident in which seven French monks were kidnapped Beauvois’ pic is beautifully shot with fantastic performances by the elderly monks. Straight into the number two spot in our list, even the critics seemed to like it!
KAWASAKI’S ROSE
Really good Czech film that took me by surprise as it wasn’t the typical comedy export. Instead it was a very well written and directed piece that took on the mammoth subject of multi-generational effects from the past totalitarian regime. Dealt with in a humanist tradition rarely seen since the Czech new wave. Good and should get seen but not sure of the risk distributors would take and in all it’s still a small
film.
STEP UP 3D
Oh my. Well, script and dialogue are not what they’re about but the DANCING is great. Some fab tunes and ace moves and I even had my foot tapping (embarrassingly). Film plays to the 3D by constantly popping out of the screen but then again this does enhance the dancing. Enjoyable fun.
LOVE LIKE POISON
Really great French film dealing with coming of age/sexual awakening of 14 year olds amongst orthodox Catholic religion. Great subjects and wonderfully tackled. The “first time” kissing scenes left everyone cringing and wriggling in seats but grumpy granddad scenes made up for it with entire audience roaring. Tough to market though? Grand title!
LA MIRADA INVISIBLE
Beautiful Argentine film about a young 23 year old girl dealing with love and sexual exploration set at the end of the 80s dictatorship. Slow, gorgeous to watch, but never losing pace. End climaxes in totally unexpected way but still somehow fits in this almost perfect film.
ON THE PATH
Only caught an hour of this and upset I had to leave to see another film. 2nd feature from GRBAVICA (Esma’s Secret) director. Looking slightly too polished to be a Bosnian and Herzegovinan film but then easily falls into good pace and direction. Dealing with post war aftermath, of young couples and ultra orthodox religious beliefs. A new generation possibly falling into more fundamental and extremist ways and how this grates with the Western ways of life they fought so hard for. Interesting….would like to see how this ends.
LA BOCCA DEL LUPO
Really really lovely little gem of a doc that focuses on Naples (I think) and the poor area of the port. A couple have been in love all their life and discuss through non-conformist letters and tape recordings and archive footage dating back to the ports creation, how they waited for each other whilst serving long prison sentences. A beautiful and true love that is rarely caught on film let alone a doc. Revealing at the end of film that it’s a very handsome giant of a man and his wife a transsexual ex-heroin addict (is that a spoiler?). A delightful film to stumble across but I fear a festival only film.
THE LIGHT THIEF
Wow. A Kyrgyzstani film, don’t think I’ve ever seen one! Gorgeously shot and all round good film which seems to have everything. Humour, sadness, hope and reflecting real situations in present day Kyrgyzstan. Reminded me a lot of TURTLES CAN FLY. Would hope this film to get seen by people not just in Cannes. But one can only hope…
Top 5
1. Another Year
2. Of Gods and Men
3. The Myth of The American Sleepover
4. Silent House
5. Chongqing Blues
A short tale of strife from Madeleine who left yesterday
So on Sat morning I woke up with horrendous pain in throat and inflamed tonsils. Thought I’d get through it in City Screen style but ended up visiting the docs first thing when they opened on Mon (before getting holdovers out of the way). A bit of a shock when I got the bill for the doc and the drugs but a hefty 5 boxes of pills has meant I can get through 4 films in a day (would have been 5-6 if not ill), the drugs do work. About to collapse now back on UK soil but at least made it through the fest.
Notes From A First-Timer – Charlotte
My first day at Cannes began with a toilet flush. It was just after 6am and was loud enough to shock me into action after a brief panic that I’d out slept everyone else and that my name was being tutted about the apartment amongst the first weeker’s. A roll over to see dozing colleague in the next bed assured me I was safe. As the first shower of the day’s rota was turned on, I turned off the 7am alarm I set the night before and vow never to speak of my naivety to anyone. Not even when I’m drunk.
Breakfast of nearly half a baguette, a croissant, a bit of jam and a block of cheese (what? I’m in France!) and I was set. I left the apartment with a head full of dos and don’ts, directions (and their short cuts) and my heavily bookmarked festival programme.
I began the day with a first timer classic – queuing up in the wrong line for half an hour and and having to do the walk of shame back through the queue after a stern French instruction and a point to the screen next door.
The rest of the day though was everything I hoped the festival would be. Beautiful sunshine and 4 good films (of those, 1 was outstanding, the other no more than OK but with all the excitement of being here, not even a teary Juliette Binoche speaking three languages in an intellectually heavy slow-burner could burst my bubble).
Tomorrow promises more of the same (without the forecast rain please) except with the added challenge of squeezing in 5 films and a shop for toilet roll. Tough times but I’ll cope.
