Looking forward to two weeks in France with great films, interresting people and clips of Scorsese's Stones-documentary!


Stars out in force as Cannes film festival hits 60
Sun May 13, 4:57 AM ET

Workers on the roof of the Festival Palace use ropes to position the official poster of the 60th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes May 11, 2007. Twenty-two films will compete for the Palme d'Or at the film festival which runs from May 16 to 27 in Cannes on the French Riviera. REUTERS/Eric GaillardBy Mike Collett-White

LONDON (Reuters) - Cannes Film Festival turns 60 this year, and the diamond milestone means a long line of stars jostling with lesser-known names of arthouse cinema for media attention and fans' adoration on the famed red carpet.

The opening film gives a taste of both worlds, with respected Chinese director Wong Kar Wai presenting his English-language movie "My Blueberry Nights" featuring singer Norah Jones, Jude Law and Natalie Portman.

The glamourous Wednesday evening gala screening is the start of 11 days of networking, air kissing, dealmaking and backstabbing in the sun-kissed Riviera resort, host to the grande dame of the world's film festivals.

The main competition lineup features over 20 films, including five U.S. productions and heavyweight directors like Quentin Tarantino, the Coen brothers, Gus Van Sant, Sarajevo-born Emir Kusturica and Russia's Alexander Sokurov.

Critics are calling the selection one of the strongest in recent memory, although competitions have a habit of promising more than they deliver.

"I think this is probably the Cannes selection that has excited me most in a decade," said Mark Cousins, a leading film critic and Cannes veteran.

"It is because of the likes of Van Sant, Sokurov, Kusturica and Wong - these are major directors who have consistently delivered quality films over a number of years."

He expects Van Sant and the Coen brothers to stand out among the U.S. entrants, while Tarantino's "Death Proof," already in U.S. cinemas as part of a double bill, was a box office flop.

In the race for the Palme d'Or top prize they are up against more obscure film makers like France's Catherine Breillat and Christophe Honore, Kim Ki-duk and Lee Chang-dong of South Korea, Romania's Cristian Mungiu and Ulrich Seidl of Austria.

MUSIC, HEALTHCARE, ENVIRONMENT

As always, the competition risks turning into a sideshow, with Hollywood sequel "Ocean's 13," starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt, premiering in Cannes, and Angelina Jolie promoting "A Mighty Heart" based on the story of slain reporter Daniel Pearl.

They are just two among hundreds of pictures being promoted in Cannes, where the booming market has made it a key date in film executives' calendars.

There are no major blockbusters at the festival this year, unlike 2005's Star Wars sequel and 2006's "The Da Vinci Code," which went on to gross $758 million worldwide despite a critical mauling in Cannes.

There are also few overtly political films, although Michael Moore's documentary "SiCKO," about the U.S. healthcare system, is likely to cause a stir just as anti-Bush polemic "Fahrenheit 9/11" did when it won the 2004 Palme d'Or.

Heartthrob Leonardo DiCaprio is in town with "The 11th Hour," his environmental documentary that is the latest sign of Hollywood's growing preoccupation with global warming.

And although no British film appears in the main competition in 2007, after Ken Loach won the Palme d'Or in 2006 with "The Wind That Shakes the Barley," some of its biggest musical acts are set to light up the silver screen.

Martin Scorsese is expected to present clips from his upcoming documentary about the Rolling Stones, "Control" looks at the life and premature death of Joy Division's Ian Curtis and "The Future is Unwritten" examines the Clash's Joe Strummer.

U2 frontman Bono is expected in Cannes for "U2 3D," another "rockumentary" on the Croisette this year.

Hey Tralala - have a great time, I am looking forward to 1 week in Monte Carlo next week for the Formula 1 race, so you should head up the coast to Monaco and meet up for a beer!

I'm going to see the F1-race! I'm an addict. Massa and the Ferrari team rule. Great win in Spain yesterday. Hope they beat Mercedes (even though I own one...) We'll be at a hotel roof for the race. I'll find out which one later.

Tralala Wrote:
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> I'm going to see the F1-race! I'm an addict. Massa
> and the Ferrari team rule. Great win in Spain
> yesterday. Hope they beat Mercedes (even though I
> own one...) We'll be at a hotel roof for the race.
> I'll find out which one later.

yes, have a ice weekend, cause "iceman" is getting his car ready..

wesley, from finland

The young man from Finland had a bit of bad luck yesterday, but he'll be back! He'd never be in the Ferrari team if he wasn't any good!

Tralala Wrote:
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> The young man from Finland had a bit of bad luck
> yesterday, but he'll be back! He'd never be in the
> Ferrari team if he wasn't any good!


agreed, every word!

btw, I love area, spent my honeymoon in Nice, visited Monaco and many smaller towns, not Cannes though

Tralala, I'm one of the drivers for the "1976 DODGE CHARGER" team... if you're a 7 or higher (from 1 to 10) we can get together afterwards to chit chat and share a French pizza - so what's the story... I bet you dig my car, all the chicks do ...

Tralala: Remember to report back on EVERYTHING you see and hear about the Scorsese documentary. It's your duty.

JumpingKentFlash

Kent, have you seen Tralala? Is she cute (my team wants to know)... Give it up JKF...

JumpingKentFlash Wrote:
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> Tralala: Remember to report back on EVERYTHING you
> see and hear about the Scorsese documentary. It's
> your duty.


I'm well aware of that. I will! Not even going to close my eyes when I'm asleep. And that's a promise.

HelterSkelter Wrote:
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> Kent, have you seen Tralala? Is she cute (my team
> wants to know)... Give it up JKF...


Must disappoint you. I'm turning 50 next January, happily married, never considered myself a "7 or above", (and I'm totally ok with that) and I don't like Dodges. And my Cannes- and Monaco schedule is tight as MJ's behind! Couldn't share a pizza with you guys if I wanted to. It's a working trip for me, and to those who think the Cannes experience is glamourous - not for me. It's freakin' hell. I litterally have to get into fights to get into the cinemas for the shows - even with a press ticket. This year I'm just bringing sneakers, jeans, the IORR t-shirts and a pair of boxing gloves...

HelterSkelter Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Kent, have you seen Tralala? Is she cute (my team
> wants to know)... Give it up JKF...


He's a she? I had no idea. I thought Tralala was a man....

JumpingKentFlash

NO KENT !! That's LOLA (the Kinks/Ray Davies Girl/Boy).... Well Tralala, you REALLY threw me, you sound like a younger- just past teenager - girl in your posts. Don't worry about the Dodge, that was just a joke (I hate them too, except for the one Frank Booth drives in "BLUE VELVET".... I think it's a Dodge Charger) AND, I agree with you (I think) I don't like CANNES or MONTE CARLO but I love NICE and VILLEFRANCE so 2 up and 2 down, don't like the snobby cities... Anyway, have fun on your trip (I wanna hear about MICHAEL MOORE'S new one called SICKO so be sure to get in on that one - suppose to be fantastic...)

I'm more into the old town in Antibes, and Villefranche sur Mèr and St. Paul and the small cities in haute Provence... But that'll have to be a holliday when the Stones are not touring. Whenever there's a tour, that's the holliday.
Thought I was a little "baby", ha ha? I was 7 in '65 when my extremely cool - and very young - dad (28 at the time) took me to my first rock concert ever. He was a Stones fan, so guess who we saw...
Will definitely take a close look at Michael Moore's new one. You either love or hate the man, but I'll give him credit for one thing: The debates he provokes people to take part in are of great importance.

Well Tralala, let me just say this about Moore's new one - SICKO. It's all about the US Health Care system which is HORRIBLE to put it mildly. I live in France part time and the French system is light years ahead of the crap system the USA has. As far as I'm concerned, Moore has ALWAYS been spot on, more power to him.... BTW, where are you originally from? Belarus? (hope I spelled that right) Is it really that out of control there? I'd like to check it out someday... Is Kiev a nice city? What's your take on it?...

No, I'm Norwegian. But my family (on mother's side) came from the Ukraine - and were even jewish. (I'm 1/8 jewish...) The rest of the genes are German ( die von Gleditsch family) and Swedes. A real bastard - in other words.
According to my family in Kiyev, the situation is not nice. They don't feel safe. But according to other people on this board - everything's Hunky Dory in the Ukraine. Think I prefere Bowie's kind of Hunky Dory, though.

Oh yeah, Belarus is north, right? With Minsk I think.(my Atlas is not within reaching distance) OK, well I'll listen to your family as far as Ukraine goes and wait.... I still have to go to Moscow/St. Pete's, have put that off about a dozen times, always SOMETHING going on.....Thanks for the info my dear - when do you leave for the South of France?. Helter

This very moment. Will post here when I get there. (Work's got first priority, but after that, I'll post any Stones-related news) So excited about Shine A Light!

Bon voyage, Tralala!

When is the 20 minute Stones docu clip being showed?

JumpingKentFlash

Will any of The Stones be present in Cannes?

I am real curious to hear what the 20 minute preview is like for this film.

Our only hope is Tralala. It's not being shown publicly, but it's private screenings for buyers, who would distribute the movie. That's the way I understood it.

JumpingKentFlash

I can see Tralala now...

A coupe de Champagne, a small bowl of olives, the view from the Carlton terrace looking out at the fabulous yacht SHE will soon be boarding for yet another jet-set midnight soiree.

SHE doesn't care about us pathetic minions so eager for the latest hype from "Finally got my Oscar" Scorcese.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007-05-22 20:57 by stonesrule.

>> He <<

psst! Tralala's a she

I think I'm in! Thursday!!!

24th May, 2007
Martin SCORSESE
"A film is the expression of a unique vision - the more it is personal, the more it nears the status of a work of art. Which means that it will resist far longer the test of time."

"I have always thought that film represents the answer to an age-old wish of mankind: the desire to share a common memory, a heritage."

Born in 1942 in New York, Martin Scorsese graduates in film at New York University. His first shorts are inspired by the New French Wave. In the 70s, he directs his first feature film Bertha Boxcar, followed by Mean Streets, which reveals both his talent and that of the Robert de Niro. One year later, Scorsese helms Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore in Competition at the Festival de Cannes. In 1976, he receives the Palme d'Or for Taxi Driver, starring Jodie Foster and Robert de Niro, henceforth his on-screen alter ego: he will successively shoot with him Raging Bull, The King of Comedy (in Competition, Cannes, 1983), Goodfellows and Casino.
In 1985, Martin Scorsese directs After Hours, honoured with the Best Actor's Award at Cannes. In 1988, he shoots The Last Temptation of Christ, adapted from the novel by Nikos Kazantzakis. In 1993, he brings to the screen The Age of Innocence, based on Edith Wharton's novel. In 1998, he presides the jury of the Festival de Cannes. Martin Scorsese next directs Leonardo DiCaprio in Gangs of New York (2002), Aviator (2005) and The Departed (2006) for which he wins four Oscars, including Best Film and Best Director. Martin Scorsese is currently in post-production on Shine A Light, a documentary on the Rolling Stones. He now returns to Cannes in 2007 to give his Cinema Masterclass.

Martin Scorsese's Cinema Masterclass will be held on Thursday, May 24th at 2:15 pm in the Salle Debussy, and will be hosted by Michel Ciment.

Apologies re "He" Thanks with ssoul!

You're in the *master class*, Tralala???

O yes!

I'm not one of the participants (film gurus only), but a small audience will get access, and I've established contact with a nice lady in Scorsese's team, and she's been very helpfull! I'll have to bring wine and flowers to say thanks!

Tralala,

Have fun. Can't wait to hear your report, and what is reported about SHINE A LIGHT