Daily Recap

16 May - Day 10

Cassavetes and Kassovitz

There were those that reminisced about the more relaxed, less of a world's fair atmosphere in Cannes 30 or 40 years ago like Bernadette Lafont or Francesco Rosi, while others were having dinner and chatting away on their portable telephones at the same time. Meanwhile, back at the Palais, Mathieu Kassovitz's Assassin(s) was being booed into last place on the favorite lists.

Kassovitz declared that his film was an experience that should be revolting, that violence is not pleasant. In 1995, 27 year old Kassovitz won the best director prize at the festival for La Haine (Hate). Michel Serrault, presenting a film in Cannes for the first time, plays an aging killer who wants to pass his savoir-faire on to a young man, played by Kassovitz who also co-wrote, directed and produced Assassin(s).

She's So Lovely by Nick Cassavetes was also in competition today, appearing to be a much better crowd pleaser. Special mention was given to the performances by Sean Penn and Robin Wright, the couple in this love story as well as in real life. John Cassavetes wrote the original script which father and son worked on together for over a year. Gena Rowlands (the director's mother) received a round of applause from the viewers today when she arrived on the screen.

John Travolta, also starring in the film, told reporters that his adventure at Cannes for Pulp Fiction represented a turning point in his career and was pleased to be back. At the press conference, Travolta, Penn and Wright demanded that the photographers leave or else they would.

Abbas Kiarostami did arrive in Cannes today for the projection of his film in competition, The Taste of Cherry. The Iranian authorities wanted to prevent the film from being shown under the pretext that it should first be shown at the Tehran film festival; other accounts say that it was because the story line deals with a man who helps a friend commit suicide.

One that did pass Islamic censorship, Youssef Chahine's The Destiny, seems to be a pretender for the Palme d'or, especialy since jury president Isabelle Adjani has Northern African roots. The Sweet Hereafter seems to be an American favorite while the French prefer Western. The Ice Storm and L.A. Confidential are still very much in the running. Those that are not are The Brave and Assassin(s).

The Critics Week came to a conclusion, voting Norwegian Pal Sletaune's Budbringeren (Junk Mail) the winner.