CANNES 2006
Mimi's Highlights
17 - 28 May 2006, Cannes, France. Many consider Cannes the top film festival in the world, and Venice second. Could it be the exotic locals?
The opening-night movie was THE DA VINCI CODE (out of competition). Based on Dan Brown's thriller about code-breaking and conspiracy the movie, set largely in France, premiered at the Riviera festival and in French theaters on May 17. The rest of the world had to wait two days, until May 19.
Ron Howard (A BEAUTIFUL MIND) directs the cast headed by stars Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou. The movie was not in the competition for prizes at Cannes.
The multi-directed composite film PARIS, I LOVE YOU (Paris, je t'aime), kicked off the festival's sidebar Un Certain Regard 18 May. Hong Kong's Wong Kar-wai, director of IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE (Fa yeung nin wa), presides over this year's jury.
March 21 - After rumors that Sofia Coppola (daughter of Francis) was leaning toward a September premiere in Venice for her French-shot period drama MARIE-ANTOINETTE (in main competition), starring Kirsten Dunst in the title role, is a lock for a competition slot in Cannes. Pedro Almodovar's epic comedy VOLVER (To Return) starring Penelope Cruz, also looks certain for a competition berth. The full lineup was announced April 20 in Paris.
APRIL 15 - Members of this year's Feature Film jury, presided over by Wong Kar-wei, now are: Samuel L. Jackson, Helena Bonham Carter,Tim Roth, Monica Bellucci, and Ziyi Zhang, the beautiful Chinese star of last year's MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA.
APRIL 20 - The closing night film was the French film TRANSYLVANIA (out of competition), directed by Tony Gatlif. Paul Greengrass' UNITED 93, screened out of competition during the festival.
Wim Wenders attended and presented his 1982 short that was shot in Cannes, CHAMBRE 666. That screening was followed by a first film, THE HOUSE IS BURNING by German director Holger Ernst. Wednesday May 24th, Danielle Darrieux presented the premiere of French director Anne Fontaine's NOUVELLE CHANCE.
MAY 4 - The Classic Film Program announced. Also, Tim Burton has joined the Cinéfondation (Short Films) Jury.
MAY 13 - Countdown week. Among the U.S. independents in the main competition at Cannes not previously mentioned here: FAST FOOD NATION, Richard Linklater, director; and BABEL, starring Brad Pitt, and directed by Mexican Alejandro González Iñárritu.
Potential blockbusters screening out of competition from Hollywood: X-MEN: THE LAST STAND; the animated OVER THE HEDGE; and UNITED 93, which needs a boost from Cannes after its lackluster box office performance. All were overshadowed by previously mentioned, THE DA VINCI CODE.
MGM returns after sitting out Cannes last year. MGM may prove to be the biggest distributor there now that it is owned by Sony Corp.
MAY 17 - The regular screening lineup began two days after the festival kicked off, with a screening of Roberto Rossellini's ROME, OPEN CITY (Roma, città aperta, 1945 - also OPEN CITY), which won the top prize in 1946. Frederico Fellini was one of the script writers. It is considered one of three films that sparked the Italian film movement known as Neorealism. The other two? OBSESSION (Ossessione, 1942), directed by Luchino Visconti, and THE CHILDREN ARE WATCHNG US (I bambini ci guardano, 1943), Vittorio De Sica.
Yes, Roberto was the father of Isabella whose mother was Ingrid Bergman. Isabella plays herself and her mother in the short film, MY DAD IS 100, directed by Guy Maddin, currently showing this month on the Sundance Channel, as is OPEN CITY.
MAY 21 - Former Vice President Al Gore was in Cannes to promote his documentary AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH, which chronicles his efforts to bring the dangers of climate change to greater attention. The documentary premiered at Sundance earlier this year, shortly before opening in the U. S.
Tourtellotte (Reuters) reported from Cannes today that, THE DA VINCI CODE may have fizzled with critics at Cannes, but DREAMGIRLS, the second major Hollywood movie to sweep into the festival cast a spell over audiences that led to early Oscar buzz.
Also, box office reports today show that the world-wide release of THE DA VINCI CODE was not a "fizzle," world-wide or with American film goers. It may top the U.S. all-time opening weekend record of SPIDER-MAN: The Motion Picture in 2002, which earned $115 million domestically. Worldwide, the record for an opening weekend is last year's STAR WARS: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith's $254 M.
MAY 22 - 
Trade headline: "Cruz and Almodóvar, the hot new couple at Cannes." That's not Tom and Pedro, but Penelope and Pedro,
at the premiere in Cannes of Pedro's latest film, VOLVER, in which Penelope stars with Carmen Maura.
Surprised? Then, it's not what you may have been thinking. 
MAY 24 - Sofia Coppola's French-shot period drama MARIE-ANTOINETTE (in main competition), and starring Kirsten Dunst, received mixed reviews at its Cannes premiere. Faults most often mentioned? The portaryal of M-A as a mostly innocent misunderstood young queen, use of modern music, mostly rock, on the soundtrack, and very little about the French Revolution. M-A is Coppola's third feature. The 35-year-old director received critical priase for her previous THE VIRGIN SUICIDES (1999) and LOST IN TRANSLATION (2003).
MAY 25 - Marco Müller (pronounced, Mueller), director of the Venice International Film Festival, gave a briefing in Cannes unveiling plans for a retrospective of Russian films and a tribute to Brazilian Cinema Novo director and writer Joaquim Pedro de Andrade. The roster is progressing, and Müller said the festival is likely to have a strong European lineup among the 50-plus films screened. More below.
MAY 26 - Festival attendees turned their thoughts to which film will win the top prize, the Palme d'Or (Golden Palm). Today, Kenneth Turan, L.A. Times, stated he thinks the top two films at Cannes are Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar's VOLVER, starring Penelope Cruz, and Mexican director Alejandro González Iñárritu's BABEL, starring Brad Pitt. American films, in general, were a disappointment at Cannes this year. THE DA VINCI CODE was not in competition.
Turan thinks Penelope's turn as Raimunda in VOLVER is her best work. Might she get the Best Actress award? She's beautiful enough. My money, if I had any, would be with VOLVER. Let the glitz and bling over oysters and champagne along the Croisette waterfront begin!
Meanwhile, Sofia Coppola has hit back at critics who bashed her new movie MARIE-ANTOINETTE as an attempt to Americanize French history. It has been criticized for its American pop video feel, but Coppola insists she wanted to accentuate the youthful slant to the story. She says, "I wasn't making a political movie about the French revolution, I was making a portrait of Marie-Antoinette.". . . [Only 16 when she was married and became queen of France] "We modernized certain things that were relate-able to me and a modern audience. The story is about teenagers in Versailles, so I wanted it to have that energy of youth and teenage feeling to it."
MAY 28 - AWARDS!
The 60th Cannes Film Festival will take place May 16th to 27th, 2007
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