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Tribute
to Luis Bunuel
ON
THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY of Luis Buñuel's birth, the commemorations
for the Spanish film-maker have been legion, both inside and outside
of Spain. A dozen film festivals can be expected to celebrate the
occasion, and Cannes is no exception.
The
biggest event on the Croisette will be a bash organised by Studio
Canal (France) on 14 May. Spanish film institute the ICAA is collaborating
in the event, and top government brass from Madrid are expected
to attend. Among those due to surface for the celebration are Buñuel's
sons, Juan Luis and Rafael, directors Carlos Saura and Pere Portabella,
Julio Menem, Alejandro Almenabar and Spanish stars Penélope
Cruz, Ingrid Rubio, Eduardo Norriega and Angela Molina.
Coinciding
with the Buñuel commemorations will be the presentation of
a new film project by Saura, Buñuel Y La Mesa Del Rey
Salomon (Buñuel And King Solomon's Table),
based on a script by Saura and Agustin Sánchez Vidal. Buñuel's
favourite cocktail, dry martini, will be served using the director's
own recipe. Also
forming part of the Buñuel presence on the Croisette will
be an exhibition, The Secret World Of Luis Buñuel, prepared
by the Cervantes Institute, using pictures from Spanish archivist
Luis Gasca. The exhibition will be on show in the Palais from the
opening of the festival.
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Festival
Award
 French
actor Philippe Noiret received the Festival Award on 15 March at
an evening gala held at La Cote restaurant in the Carlton Hotel.
The
guest list included Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert, Yasmina
Reza and Bernard Tavernier (to name just a few) who dined over foie
gras and sea bass. The event was held in honor of one of France's
most revered actors, who has appeared in 120 films, including La
Vie et Rien d'Autre which was screened before the meal.
Upon receiving his trophy, Noiret thanked Pierre Viot and Gilles
Jacob (the directors of the festival) as well as the three women
in his life: his wife, daughter and grand-daughter.
Noiret began acting in small roles in the 40's, but it was in the
60's that the world took note as he won the Best Actor Award at
the Venice Film Festival for his portrayal of the husband in Franju's
Therese (Thérèse Desqueyroux) in 1962. Many
memorable roles were to follow in such films as Zazie
(Zazie dans le metro), La Grande Bouffe, a
French Cesar Award for his role in The Old Gun (Le
vieux fusil), and Cinema Paradiso.
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Kyioshi
Kurosawa 
Agnes
Varda gave the "Leçon de Cinéma," for which a prominent director
addresses festival participants relating their experience as a filmmaker
in an informal way. The tenth in the series inaugurated in 1991,
the Leçon de cinéma has featured such filmmakers as Milos Forman,
Bertrand Tavernier, Francesco Rosi and Youssef Chahine. Varda established
her reputation as an original artist with instinctive flair and
a photographic eye with Cleo from 5 to 7 (1961). She
won international acclaim for Vagabond (1985). Married
to Jacques Demy, she paid homage to the late director in Jacquot
de Nantes (1991).