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The 61st Cannes film festival kicked off with a good turnout and horrible weather. Never mind the stars, I've never seen such dull weather since leaving England. However, stars turned up in force nevertheless and I had a good festival in all. My Blueberry Nights opened the festival with JUDE LAW, NORAH JONES and director Wong Kar Wai on the red carpet. Kung Fu Panda premiered in Cannes -with voice overs from ANGELINA JOLIE, JACK BLACK and DUSTIN HOFFMAN- with ANGELINA and BRAD PITT in attendance. Angelina was wearing a bright green dress showing off her bump as, she's expecting a child of HER OWN folks!
Madonna
Natalie Portman
Victoria Silvstedt
No need to fly to Asia / Africa and pluck some godforsaken child. That's the real news. With luck he / she won't have weird boney knees as Angie has, but a lucky child they will be. Other celebs at the festival included: QUENTIN TARANTINO, DIANE KRUGER, MADONNA, MARADONA, CLINT EASTWOOD, NATALIE PORTMAN, ROSE McGOWAN, SIMON PEGG, SEAN PENN, P DIDDY, MARY J BLIGE, U 2'S BONO, DUSTIN HOFFMAN, PETRA NEMCOVA, EVA HERZIGOVA, SAM RILEY, SHARON STONE, VICTORIA SILVSTEDT, JOELY RICHARDSON, DENNIS HOPPER, my friend TOMMY HILFIGER, CATE BLANCHET, STEVEN SPIELBERG et al.
Sharon Stone
Tommy Hilfiger
P Diddy
Of course everyone including the stars were at the festival plugging something, be it a film, up and coming movie or project, or just hoping that they'll get seen or f--ked by an influential movie mogul and clinch a deal where they'll get f--ked again. Me? Well, I go to Cannes to shoot celebs and for three hour lunches, with oysters, lobster, champagne with caviar canapés followed by any kind of sweet you can imagine. All you can eat at the Majestic beach, for free. Mmmh. That aside, one thing for sure is that you'll only win the Palm D'or -Cannes Oscar- with an anti-American / English / Democracy / Catholic / oranythingwestern / pro-freedom film. So imagine my SURPRISE when a French film won! It didn't criticise an English speaking country or leader! The Class by Lauren Cantet, is about the trials and tribulations of a rough inner city school in Paris, France. The French looking at themselves! What a refreshing change. The most frustrating and up its own a-se film made recently must be the uber naive Peace One Day by Jeremy Gilley. Incredibly well meaning as stupid, is about having an international 'peace' day when people will stop hurting / killing each other for a day. Sorry, just stopped LAUGHING! Gilley spent ten years making this film with admittedly a Herculean effort in getting round the expected red tape from the UN.
Samantha Morton
Dennis Hopper
Rose McGowan
The date chosen was the 21 September. Eventually the U.N. agreed to mark the 21 September as an international peace day. Gilley travelled the world -paid by don't know who, as he was short of cash- in an attempt to convince some people of the merits of peace for one day. Shame he never bothered to convince ANYONE about having peace forever. OK, so you have to start somewhere, and 'Peace for One Day' is a start. Like urinating in the ocean for one day will cause a flood. Hmmmm. The whole film centred around Jeremy Gilley's ego. He is a great communicator, and has great passion for what he believes in; peace one day. Thing is that it NEVER came across that he actually wanted perennial peace. He always insisted it was for one day. It was just 'POSTPONED SLAUGHTER FOR ONE DAY'. The next day those who had a conscience for that one day would / will return to kill. In the film Gilley claimed that they had achieved this, -peace for one day- and showed clips of a handful of people from various countries making peace signs. In one obviously set up clip, I counted six people making an awkward peace sign. I'm quite sure they didn't know what one was ten minutes before filming begun. Jeremy Gilley has achieved a lot -for himself- but the 'evil' world won't bat an eyelid. The whole thing centred around Afghanistan, like that was the only war zone in the world. At the press conference after the film where Gilley and JUDE LAW were fielding questions -they had no hope in answering- they were asked whether they would make an effort in trying to achieve peace in OTHER parts of the world. Gilley looked like a rabbit caught in car headlights. He smiled for a few seconds and said: "Yes, we'll try" Crime never came in to it either. For example, in Venezuela or Brazil, more people die from daily crime than they do in war torn Iraq in the same period. Nothing is EVER done to tackle that. I won't even mention Africa, the figures there are far worse. Peace for one Day on 21 September has achieved NOTHING. I don't think it ever will, sadly. Apart from yet another stroking of Notting Hill egos that is. I really hope I'm proved wrong one day. Jeremy Gilley seems to want to be the BOB GELDOF of peace. Geldof achieved greatness for himself and meant well in trying to feed the world -by that they just meant Africa- but in the end has achieved zero. Africa is worse now than it was all those years ago. Still, a failed actor is following in the footsteps of a spent singer / musician. They've got to make a living somehow I s'pose.
On a lighter note, Petra Nemcova hosted a film launch party in Cannes. Petra was showcasing her film about luuuuuurrve. Yes, love. How fantastic, wonderful, how it can end wars she claimed etc. (I just puked, sorry) Tell Jeremy Gilley, it could help him. Yep, BONO and SEAN PENN were there also quaffing MY champagne. OK, there was plenty all round, and BONO was amiable as always. Petra was an absolute darling and was friendly as usual and gave me lots of time for my pics without any moans, only LOVE ones! She looked fab too. So who cares how frivolous these things are? Enjoy the moment, feel the LOVE, as you know it won't last long, unless you're with me baby! Sorry, champagne talking.
Petra Nemcova
This month saw a glimpse of good weather and the Polo season opener in leafy Surrey. Although the princes did not play, Princess Beatrice showed up as well as a handful of D listers like SOPHIE ANDERTON, ESTHER RANTZEN, JODIE KIDD, DANIELLE LLOYD -who looked bored and out of her depth throughout- and others I've already forgotten. The match was excellent, very close and it was neck and neck up to the last minute. Good fun. Highly recommended. Cartier Polo next at the end of July.
See you there.
Princess Beatrice
Sophie Anderton
Over and out, see ya next month.
JOE ALVAREZ
joealvarez@verycool.co.uk
Website: www.myspace.com/redcarpetspecialist
WORDS AND ALL PICTURES COPYRIGHT JOE ALVAREZ 2008. |
