The most prominent no-show of the 50th Cannes International Film Festival - Swedish director Ingmar Bergman, awarded the Golden Palm of Palms tonight (11 May) - could well have been avoided, had it not been because of cocked-up diplomacy from the inventors of - diplomacy.
The traditional procedure if you want to formally invite a person is that you first ask whether he wants to be invited, so as not to risk a refusal. Liv Ullmann was asked to break the news of the prize to Bergman, who said he was very honoured and wanted to know more.
The festival took this as an acceptance of the invitation, and the story of the special anniversary prize was leaked to the Swedish press. Bergman's response to them was that while he was very honoured, he was not going to Cannes, as he does not travel to festivals.
According to media reports, festival director Gilles Jacob got very upset and was quoted as saying that 'Cannes is not just a small Japanese festival,' a remark which ensured Jacob had to apologise to the offended Japanese.
Then Jacob, according to several newspapers, claimed that the festival had not made a decision as to who would be given the award. Not a convincing claim, however, since it was a pretty much unanimous decision made by all the surviving winners of the Palme d'Or.
It would also be difficult to withdraw the invitations to participate in the ceremony, issued to several Bergman actors and actressesm such as Bibi Andersson and Harriet Andersson.
Bergman, rightly, will be honoured. He just won't be here.
- Those Croisette pin-ups Beavis and Butt-head are in Cannes tonight for the MTV party in their honour. In the UK, meanwhile, the boys have been on a promotional tour, featuring a competition for the best lookalikes. The prize on offer is a chance to visit New York to be animated into a future episode. The rumour that new Prime Minister Tony Blair (Butt-head) and Foreign Secretary Robin Cook (Beavis) are early favourites is just scurrilous nonsense.
- The posse of Britpackers will be the special guests tonight on the Moving Pictures/Soho House boat, back once again after a successful launch last year. During the Festival, Nick Jones and the Soho House team will serving up members and sponsors a cornucopia of gastronomic and alcoholic delights in its 70 seater restaurant and bar around the clock (well, almost). This year' boat sponsors include Goldcrest, Creative Partnership, Vine International, Bravo, The Picture Production Company, MTV, KPMG, Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival,Capella Films, the Austrian Film Commission, Holland Films, and Paradise Agency. Membership details can be obtained from the Lady Jersey moored just behind the Palais at the Jetée Albert Edouard or by calling 04 92 98 70 71.
Gallini-West has named Irving Pocahantas as its senior executive vice president of distribution, marketing, sell-through, drive-through, acquisitions, inquisitions, merchandising and the mail room.
'We're proud to have this man of many talents and vast experience on our team. His title will ensure that he has the largest business card in the industry,' said president/ceo Carmine O'Really.
Pocohantas has previously worked as a junior pharmacist at Thrifty Drug Stores in Los Angeles, was a pre-need cemetery salesman in San Diego, a postal worker in Hoboken and, most recently, in management at the Go-Go Girls massage parlour in Chicago.
Rumours that he had been fired for just cause from Go-Go Girls were vigorously denied by Gallini-West's publicity representative Leonard Morpurgo. 'Nobody has come up with a shred of evidence. It's wrong to brand an honest, hard-working guy like that. Besides, what's wrong with the occasional shoulder rub or pat on the butt?'
