Festival in Cannes

Colour, 35mm
USA, 2001, 99 min
Section: Horizons

Synopsis

Welcome to Cannes, a festival full of stars and starlets, Hollywood magnates and fraudsters just waiting for the right opportunity, welcome to the sundrenched beaches where dazzling beauties work on their tan´s, welcome to the luxury Hotel du Cap hosting the aging French superstar Millie Marquand (Anouk Aimée). Millie used to work with top directors, but now the offers aren’t so quick in coming and her renown is greater than the state of her bank balance. She needs a big role to get her back under the spotlight. Important producer Rick Yorkin (Ron Silver) makes her a good offer but Millie discovers that this potential box-office hit with Tom Hanks would only need her in a small supporting role. We also have actress Alice Palmer (Greta Scacchi) who is planning to turn her own screenplay into her non-commercial feature-length directorial debut. While the film is very low-budget, Millie would be guaranteed an appearance in every shot; it’s the kind of wonderful role she’s hankered after for years. Will the acting legend agree to do it even though her ex-husband (Maximilian Schell) appears on the scene and complicates matters further? A brilliant comedy about the acrimonious goings-on in the big wide world of film, set against the background of real events unfolding at the Cannes film festival.

About the director

Henry Jaglom (b. l94l, London) grew up in New York. He attended the famous Actors’ Studio and passed through a number of New York theatres and cabarets. He left for Hollywood in the late 1960s where he signed a contract with Columbia Pictures. He appeared in several films directed by Jack Nicholson, Dennis Hopper and Orson Welles, who repaid Jaglom by appearing in his films. He debuted in 1971 with the film A Safe Place and, since that time, he has been writing, directing and producing his own films, which gives him considerable creative freedom and independence. All Jaglom’s films are built largely on the actors, which is also the case with Festival in Cannes. Filmography: (selection): Tracks (1976), Sitting Ducks (1980), Can She Bake a Cherry Pie? (1983), Always (1985), Someone to Love (1987), New Year’s Day (1989), Eating (1991), Venice/Venice (1992), Babyfever (1994), Last Summer in the Hamptons (1996), Déja Vu (1998).