Cannes Film Festival -11-22 May 2011

[theuofc]

If you're going to be at the Cannes Film Festival, 11-22 May, in addition to the official entries, the Cannes Classics will be screening 14 films, some on the beach and at other sites. Among them will be the Michael Balhaus restored print of Fassbinder's DESPAIR (1978) with Dirk Bogarde. Dirk's co-star Andrea Ferréol will be there for the screening.

Bogarde and Ferréol in Despair



Here is the lineup of films being screened by Cannes Classics, also among them the Charlotte Rampling doc "The Look," a special look originally noted by Dirk in his essay on her titled "The Look." Dirk and CR share billing once again 37 years after The Night Porter. (1974).

"Cannes Classics was established in 2004. The selection – because it is also one – allows the Cannes Film Festival to showcase heritage cinema, re-discovered films, restored prints and theatrical, television or DVD releases of the great works of the past. This program is presented in the Palais (Buñuel or 60th Theatres) and some films will be screened at the Cinema de la Plage and La Licorne cinema in Cannes.

Fourteen films, five documentaries, surprises, a Masterclass (Malcolm McDowell), new or restored prints. The program is based on proposals from national archives, cinematheques, studios, producers and distributors. Rare classics to discover or
re-discover, they will be presented in 35mm or high definition digital
prints.

The Films

1. Despair by Rainer Werner Fassbinder (Germany, 1978, 115′)

"Fassbinder’s Despair - The work of the prolific German filmmaker Fassbinder gradually finds its
path to the public, in theaters or on DVD. And so this year we screen Despair, a restoration of the negative made possible by Marcus Clarén and Christophe Meiser of Bavaria Media GmbH. This English-language film by a German director will be presented at Cannes Classics in the presence of lead actress, Andrea Ferréol."

2. A Trip to the Moon (Le Voyage dans la lune) by Georges Méliès (France, 1902, 16′)
3. Clockwork Orange by Stanley Kubrick (USA, 1971, 137′)
4. The Machine to Kill Bad People (La Macchina Ammazzacattivi) by Roberto Rossellini (Italy, 1952, 80′)
5. A Bronx Tale by Robert De Niro (USA, 1993, 121′).
6. The Conformist (Il Conformista) by Bernardo Bertolucci (Italy, 1970, 118′)
7. Sugar Cane Alley (Rue Cases-Négres) by Euzhan Palcy (France, 1983, 106′)
8. Puzzle of a Downfall Child by Jerry Schatzberg (USA, 1970, 105′)
9. The Law of the Border (Hudutlarin Kanunu) by Lufti O. Akad (Turkey, 1966, 74′)
10. No Man’s Land (Niemandsland) by Victor Trivas (Germany, 1931, 81′).
11. The Children of Paradise (Les Enfants du paradis) by Marcel Carné (France, 1945, 190′)
12. The Savage (Le Sauvage) by Jean-Paul Rappeneau (France, 1975, 106′)
13. Chronicle of a Summer (Chronique d’un été) by Jean Rouch and Edgar Morin (France, 1960, 91′)
14. The Assassin (L’Assassino) by Elio Petri (Italy, 1961, 100′)

And the following documentaries:

The Look by Angelica Maccarone (Germany / France, 2011, 95′)

Corman’s World: Exploits Of A Hollywood Rebel by Alex Stapleton (USA, 2011, 125′)
Belmondo … Itineraire by Vincent Perrot and Jeff Domenech (France, 2011, 86′)
Kurosawa’s Way (Kurosawa, la Voie) by Catherine Cadou (France, 2011, 52′)
Once Upon a Time … A Clockwork Orange (Il était une fois… Orange mécanique) by Antoine de Gaudemar and Michel Ciment (France, 2011, 52′)

[moonfleet]

Aw ...think I'll look for a VIP pass at the black market !!

[alan french]

Hi,
Whether I can afford it or not, I will be going to Cannes later in the year on holiday. Sadly, I will be missing the festival. The French have a very rich film history. Coincidence French is my name. From what little I have seen, like wine, they know their stuff when it comes to this genre.

There was, until recently, a French lady in our film and video club. I was impressed with her approach.

If I can see anything while I am there, I will.

Alan French.

[Steve Crook]

Hi,
Whether I can afford it or not, I will be going to Cannes later in the year on holiday. Sadly, I will be missing the festival. The French have a very rich film history. Coincidence French is my name. From what little I have seen, like wine, they know their stuff when it comes to this genre.

There was, until recently, a French lady in our film and video club. I was impressed with her approach.

If I can see anything while I am there, I will.

Alan French.

Don't be too sad, Cannes has very little to do with films nowadays - or rather it's much more to do with the business side of films rather than just enjoying films. There are much better film festivals for people who enjoy films.

There are often some good ones shown in the Cannes Classics strand, but you can usually see them in better surroundings at other festivals

Steve

[alan french]

Hi,
Just seen your message. Thankyou. I will be with a coach party. I will be enjoying the weather, hopefully. But it would be nice if I see any interesting films.

With regard to film festivals. I have heard there are others that we rarely hear about. Pity they do not get the same publicity.

Alan French.

[Sgt Sunshine]

Hi,


With regard to film festivals. I have heard there are others that we rarely hear about. Pity they do not get the same publicity.

Alan French.

Alan
Check out the Wiki link below which details various film festivals from around the world......
Film festival - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cheers
Sgt S

[moonfleet]

The two films that catch my interest are Despair and The Conformist, to watch them on a big screen ...
After Cannes, they usualy have a new life and will be projected in theatres ...but not in small towns like Pau

[Elaine]

If you're going to be at the Cannes Film Festival, 11-22 May, in addition to the official entries, the Cannes Classics will be screening 14 films, some on the beach and at other sites. Among them will be the Michael Balhaus restored print of Fassbinder's DESPAIR (1978) with Dirk Bogarde. Dirk's co-star Andrea Ferréol will be there for the screening.

Bogarde and Ferréol in Despair



Here is the lineup of films being screened by Cannes Classics, also among them the Charlotte Rampling doc "The Look," a special look originally noted by Dirk in his essay on her titled "The Look." Dirk and CR share billing once again 37 years after The Night Porter. (1974).

"Cannes Classics was established in 2004. The selection – because it is also one – allows the Cannes Film Festival to showcase heritage cinema, re-discovered films, restored prints and theatrical, television or DVD releases of the great works of the past. This program is presented in the Palais (Buñuel or 60th Theatres) and some films will be screened at the Cinema de la Plage and La Licorne cinema in Cannes.

Fourteen films, five documentaries, surprises, a Masterclass (Malcolm McDowell), new or restored prints. The program is based on proposals from national archives, cinematheques, studios, producers and distributors. Rare classics to discover or
re-discover, they will be presented in 35mm or high definition digital
prints.

The Films

1. Despair by Rainer Werner Fassbinder (Germany, 1978, 115′)

"Fassbinder’s Despair - The work of the prolific German filmmaker Fassbinder gradually finds its
path to the public, in theaters or on DVD. And so this year we screen Despair, a restoration of the negative made possible by Marcus Clarén and Christophe Meiser of Bavaria Media GmbH. This English-language film by a German director will be presented at Cannes Classics in the presence of lead actress, Andrea Ferréol."

2. A Trip to the Moon (Le Voyage dans la lune) by Georges Méliès (France, 1902, 16′)
3. Clockwork Orange by Stanley Kubrick (USA, 1971, 137′)
4. The Machine to Kill Bad People (La Macchina Ammazzacattivi) by Roberto Rossellini (Italy, 1952, 80′)
5. A Bronx Tale by Robert De Niro (USA, 1993, 121′).
6. The Conformist (Il Conformista) by Bernardo Bertolucci (Italy, 1970, 118′)
7. Sugar Cane Alley (Rue Cases-Négres) by Euzhan Palcy (France, 1983, 106′)
8. Puzzle of a Downfall Child by Jerry Schatzberg (USA, 1970, 105′)
9. The Law of the Border (Hudutlarin Kanunu) by Lufti O. Akad (Turkey, 1966, 74′)
10. No Man’s Land (Niemandsland) by Victor Trivas (Germany, 1931, 81′).
11. The Children of Paradise (Les Enfants du paradis) by Marcel Carné (France, 1945, 190′)
12. The Savage (Le Sauvage) by Jean-Paul Rappeneau (France, 1975, 106′)
13. Chronicle of a Summer (Chronique d’un été) by Jean Rouch and Edgar Morin (France, 1960, 91′)
14. The Assassin (L’Assassino) by Elio Petri (Italy, 1961, 100′)

And the following documentaries:

The Look by Angelica Maccarone (Germany / France, 2011, 95′)

Corman’s World: Exploits Of A Hollywood Rebel by Alex Stapleton (USA, 2011, 125′)
Belmondo … Itineraire by Vincent Perrot and Jeff Domenech (France, 2011, 86′)
Kurosawa’s Way (Kurosawa, la Voie) by Catherine Cadou (France, 2011, 52′)
Once Upon a Time … A Clockwork Orange (Il était une fois… Orange mécanique) by Antoine de Gaudemar and Michel Ciment (France, 2011, 52′)

I wish I was, although Dirk wasn't that impressed with it. Maybe it has improved since then?

[theuofc]

I wish I was, although Dirk wasn't that impressed with it. Maybe it has improved since then?

I think Dirk had mixed feelings about Despair. He was very enthusiastic at the start and continued so up to the Cannes Festival. Then he heard about the cuts and saw some of the cut version done by Fassbinder in a drug induced nervous period in conjunction with his editor- partner at the time. Understandably, Dirk got very upset since he and others in the cast had high hopes of winning something at Cannes, a dashed hope after the cuts.

This coloured his attitude toward the film for quite a while. But, and this is a major But...he was excellent in the film and the film itself, regardless of cuts, is fascinating. It's a dark film, even darker than Providence, but both were done only a year apart and reflect his European art cinema work in complicated psychological films with interesting directors like Resnais and Fassbinder. Every time I watch both films, I find something new to ponder.

Dirk and Andrea Ferreol at Cannes Film Festival in 1978. Now, 33 years later, Despair is being screened once again at Cannes. Tony Forwood is standing in the second row behind two women at ll:00 o'clock.




Put it this way, upset or not, Dirk would -never- remove Despair from his filmography the way he might, let's say, Penny Princess. He remained proud of having worked with Fassbinder and I suspect quietly proud of his work and superb use of dialect in the film. And he should have been.

The last thing is that Dirk's opinions on his own films are unreliable as are many artists when it comes to assessing their own work. His opinions also changed depending on how he was feeling and what kind of critical reviews the film was getting. Not always, but sometimes. If one asked him about Libel, an excellent film, he'd toss it off saying, "oh we threw that one in because we had time on our hands in not doing the T.E. Lawrence film."

The same with Appointment in London, a film many admire for different reasons: At times Dirk would refer to it as one of his typical wide-eyed hero roles and at other times he'd express relief that with Appointment in London he was free to take off the petty criminal raincoat he was stereotypically cast in and finally play a hero and an opportunity for some real acting.

I can't wait for the Olive Film release in NTSC in June and the restored print by Bavaria Media in PAL this summer.

All best,

Barbara

[Steve Crook]

Alan
Check out the Wiki link below which details various film festivals from around the world......
Film festival - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cheers
Sgt S

That doesn't even list the London Film Festival.
There's a better list of International Film Festivals in their category listing

Steve

[didi-5]

Hmm ... possibility of going to Cannes film festival for me is slim to none! Are you going again this year Steve?

[Steve Crook]

Hmm ... possibility of going to Cannes film festival for me is slim to none! Are you going again this year Steve?

Not that I know of yet. No invitations from Mr Scorsese this year

They were hoping that the full restoration of The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp would be ready for a release at Cannes like they did with The Red Shoes in 2009 - but it doesn't look like it'll be ready in time. So we'll have to celebrate that somewhere else.

Steve

[flynn]

shame i could have carried your cases Steve.

[alan french]

Hi,
Just looked in.

Thankyou for the information given regarding the websites referring to the film festivals. I did, oddly enough, briefly, looked into this subject about a year ago. I am a member of The Hemel Hempstead Movie Makers. Ok, we are an amateur club, but I was amazed that both amateur, as well as professional productions, were shown at some of these events. Unless I have misinpterpreted the situation.

In fact we did make a very short production (3mins. 33 seconds long) which although was 'filmed' locally, some additional material was shot in the South of France. Needless to say, I was involved in the Hemel Hempstead bits. I also know that we have sent material to, as far as, Melbourne. (So watch out Shirlgirl!) and we have either individually, or as a club, contributed material to an event in The Channel Islands.

I think that Cannes probably gets plenty of publicity because of the fact it is on the lovely Cote D'Azure/French Riviera, (C'est tres belle) and of course a lot of top film people turn up for the festival. This in turn attracts the media. I believe prior to Cannes becoming the focus of attention, San Sebastion was famous for a film festival. But about nine years ago, I was nearly shot there when rioting broke out in the streets whilst I was on holiday. I end my write up here.

Anyway, again, thankyou for your helpful comments. They will be checked out sometime. Very much appreciated.

Alan French.

[Steve Crook]

I believe prior to Cannes becoming the focus of attention, San Sebastion was famous for a film festival. But about nine years ago, I was nearly shot there when rioting broke out in the streets whilst I was on holiday. I end my write up here.

That's a shame that you have bad memories of San Sebastian, I have nothing but good memories of the film festival from when I went there in 2002.

I had been planning on visiting that one for a while because they had announced that they were going to be showing every existing Michael Powell film! 40 Powell films in 10 days.

But a few weeks before we were due to go I was rushed to hospital with a burst appendix

I knocked on death's door but luckily death wasn't at home. A week in hospital and another week at home with visits from the district nurse(s). But I wasn't going to let that stop me going, so I showed the district nurses, and my GP, that I could take care of the still open wound myself, and they gave me their blessing to go. I had half my suitcase taken up with medical dressings.

The festival was a huge success and meeting up with loads of old friends like the lovely Natacha, Jack Cardiff & Ian Christie, as well as making lots of new friends - that was an ideal way to recuperate.

The lovely Natacha speaks French & English, I speak English & some German. Neither of us spoke a word of Spanish, and up in San Sebastian (NE Spain) they speak Spanish with a strong Basque accent (when they aren't speaking Basque). It's not a big tourist centre so although the people in the hotel and the festival centre could usually manage enough English we didn't expect it, and didn't find it, in most of the shops, bars & restaurants. But we got by with lots of smiling & pointing

However, when we picked up the local newspaper with all the news of the festival, Natacha & I both discovered that we could read Spanish! It's because it's a Latin based language and there is enough similarity to the Latin based words in French & English that we could recognise most of the words. We were helped by it all talking about a subject that we knew a lot about - films.

One of the new friends we met there was Llorenç Esteve, a member of the Powell & Pressburger email group who had written a book about them in Spanish. He gave me a copy of that book & I read it - despite still not speaking Spanish

Lots of other things led to it being a wonderful festival, like the time we went to see Black Narcissus and were a bit late getting there so the auditorium was quite full. Natacha spotted a couple of seats part way along one row and I asked the man sitting at the end of the row if we could get past. It was only when he stood up that I recognised Francis Coppola

We knew he was a fan of P&P films and a personal friend of Powell and we had a chat with him after the screening.

Then, on the flight home I spotted Bob Hoskins who had been there to pick up an award. While we were waiting for our luggage I waited for an opportune moment and asked if I could shake the hand that throttled Roger Rabbit. He laughed and gladly shook my hand. A very nice man

So I have loads of happy memories of San Sebastian, despite nearly dying on the way there.


Steve & Natacha at San Sebastian
(Note the press passes )


With Rosita Segova, star of Powell's Spanish film Luna de miel
and leading P&P academic Prof. Ian Christie

Full report & pictures

Steve

[theuofc]

That's a shame that you have bad memories of San Sebastian, I have nothing but good memories of the film festival from when I went there in 2002.


Steve & Natacha at San Sebastian
(Note the press passes )

Steve

Oh, fess up that you and Alan set up his negative comment on San Sebastian so you could post this fantastic pic of you and Natacha. I love that pic. You two make a great pair in it.

Thanks for the wonderful story about SS. PnP are glad you survived and that you're still around to mind the store, Steve.

Best,

Barbara

[alan french]

Hi,
This is turning into a more interesting thread. And perhaps more personal. Despite the riot, I actually liked San Sebastion aka Donostia to the Basques. With regard to Spanish, I usually take a phrase book with me when I go abroad. I recommend everyone does this. In this case, my knowledge of Spanish was from watching The Cisco Kid and other westerns. But I did make an effort. I have had French lessons, but I am very rusty at the moment, and have picked up some phrases here and there of some other languages. But I also speak some cockney rhyming slang. But there is not much cause for that abroad.

I was surprised to learn about the film festival there. I also liked the look of the building where it took place. It had character.

What made me laugh was that when I saw the riot on television, there was some close-ups of the police firing their rubber bullets. There had been a boat race that day. In the background of the television image, there were some people watching the riot from the entrance of a bar. They were dressed in boat race supporters clothing and drinking beer or wine. Amidst all the rubber bulletes and the stone throwing, one of the supporters noticed that there was a television camera. He then looked up and realised he was in the picture. Instead of being concerned over what was going on, he looked up and gave a wave at the viewers. I did see myself on television later. It is not the sort of circumstances I wish to be televised.

You seemed to have had a better time and met some interesting people in the process. Good pictures.

I hope my trip to Cannes will be successful. If I am shot, I hope it is with a camera.

Alan French.

[Steve Crook]

Hi,
This is turning into a more interesting thread. And perhaps more personal. Despite the riot, I actually liked San Sebastion aka Donostia to the Basques. With regard to Spanish, I usually take a phrase book with me when I go abroad. I recommend everyone does this.

I always take a phrase book with me as well, and I always at least try to speak the local language. It's the polite thing to do.

There are some more photos from around Donista / San Sebastian on my site. We had 10 days there in glorious weather and even watching 4 films per day there was enough time to explore the town and get to know quite a few of the locals in our favourite bars & restaurants. As it's by the sea the paella was fantastic but we also enjoyed the tapas (pinchos in Basque country) and a lot of other good food & drink.

I had to wear those red braces because I couldn't have a belt pressing against the appendix wound. But I managed to go paddling in the Atlantic


Cannes was also a great experience in 2009. We tend to have a great time wherever we go. The lovely Natacha & I were invited there by Martin Scorsese & Thelma Schoonmaker (Scorsese's 5 times Oscar winning editor and Michael Powell's widow) to see the première of the digitally restored version of The Red Shoes that's been touring the world since then.

First we had the champagne reception which was a black tie affair so we all got dressed up for it



From left to tight that's me, Kathleen Byron's daughter Harriet, the lovely Natacha, Patsy Nightingale, Kathleen's granddaughter, Thelma Schoonmaker, Prof Ian Christie, Dr Andrew Moor and Columba Powell

Just walking along the Croisette during the Cannes Festival dressed in our finery we were snapped by the paparazzi. They had no idea who we were, they just snapped away. One of them caught Natacha beautifully in what I call her "Vogue Cover Girl" shot


After the reception we had the main screening. They were going to show it at a smaller venue but so many people wanted to see it that they moved it to the main Brunuel Theatre. A good job they did. There were hundreds of people there, and looking around we tried to count the Oscar winners - but lost count at 20 or 30. As well as all the people we already knew, lots of people related to the cast & crew of P&P films, there were also people like Tilda Swinton, Ang Lee, James Gray, Rosanna Arquette, Harvey Weinstein and many others.

Marty introduced the film, which was a huge success - with a burst of applause half way through at the end of the ballet, and even more applause at the end of the film. Then we all went to dinner with Marty, Thelma, Tilda and the gang. It was a helluva day. See the full report and more photos on the PaPAS site


So there we were, two film fans in the middle of the biggest film festival in the world, and what did we do next? We ignored the festival completely and went along the coast a bit towards Nice and beyond. Powell used to own a hotel at Saint Jean Cap Ferrat. As we were so close to it we had to go and see that, and have a drink on the terrace. It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it.



After that we just had to go to Villefranche to check out the Villa Leopolda. It's one of the most expensive villas on the Côte d'Azur but it's where Moira Shearer donned her "fairy princess" outfit and climbed the staircase to what she thought was a date with Lermontov, where she was offered the ballet that would make her name.



What a great time we had

Steve

[alan french]

Hi,
And there's me when I go there, get nearly shot!

Alan French.

[Steve Crook]

Another fun one was the Brive Film Festival in April 2010. They specialise in medium length films and decided to run a series of Powell's early films. I helped the organisers source decent prints of some of them and with some programme notes. The lovely Natacha introduced them, en français of course. That meant we both got press passes to go and see whichever films we wanted to see and joined the organisers and exhibitors for dinner every evening.

Brive-la-Gaillarde is in the Limousin region and although the train from Paris had come through Limoges there aren't really any well known places nearby. Brive itself is a small but elegant town, reasonably well appointed with cafés, bars and restaurants as you'd expect from any French town. They only have the one cinema, the Rex, but it has 3 screens with the largest one holding about 500 people. For the festival they also put on other events around the town.



See details on the PaPAS site


We also helped out with the festival they ran in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. They were showing 21 Powell (& Pressburger) films last December & January. The lovely Natacha & I wrote a short essay each for their programme and I got some other people like Thelma Schoonmaker, Prof Ian Christie and others to write something as well (these essays were all translated into Portuguese by the festival organisers). But they didn't offer us any free tickets so we didn't actually attend that one - but the festival was a great success and it's good to see festivals around the world doing special sessions on P&P like that.

It's an interesting hobby

Steve