Robert DeNiro ran the Cannes Film Festival jury in 2011. He told me that when Steven Spielberg was named the head of this year’s jury, the “Lincoln” director called him for advice. “I told him, Have fun with it. It’s hard work but he’ll enjoy it.” DeNiro also says Spielberg will not be able to screen the movies on his yacht anchored off of Cannes that resembles a floating country. “You have to be in the theaters,” said DeNiro, who was a constant and genial presence in 2011 all over the Croisette. “He can’t watch them on a boat.”
Spielberg has chosen an all star jury to help him cast ballots this year. Among his choices: Oscar winner Nicole Kidman and two time Best Director Ang Lee, as well as two time winner actor Christoph Waltz. The jury is as well known this year as the stars in the movies, say some wags.
But in reality, Cannes is going to be jam packed with stars and parties for movies. Forget about the Paris Hilton type events that have nothing to do with the festival. Cannes is so busy that those tabloid celeb gatherings don’t really register. It’s not that Cannes isn’t fun. But it is about real stars and real movies, not sideshows.
To wit: movies by the talented directors Alexander Payne, Sofia Coppola, Joel and Ethan Coen, James Franco, James Toback are tops on the lists. Hollywood legends Jane Fonda, Robert Redford, Jerry Lewis and Kim Novak are all coming to town. Petra Nemcova is hosting a fund raiser for Haiti. Amy Sacco is bringing Bungalow 8 to a yacht. Denise Rich is hosting an all star party for Toback’s “Seduced and Abandoned.”
Popular publisher and p.r. consultant Charles Finch is throwing his annual dinner for the A list at the Hotel du Cap’s Eden Roc– plus he’s behind the New York Film Festival’s new filmmaker venture with Jaeger LeCoultre now under way. Naomi Campbell has her famous fashion show. And the very in the know crowds will be buzzing around Antibes hot spots Michelangelo, Tetou, and Bacon, as per usual.
