The Associated Press
CANNES, France (AP) — The Associated Press is all over the Cannes Film Festival — from its glitzy premieres to the celeb parties and quirky moments in between. Here’s what reporters have seen and heard:
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LOOK OF THE DAY: UMA THURMAN
A ravishing Uma Thurman wowed the crowd at Cannes’ “Clouds of Sils Maria” premiere in a canary yellow custom-made Atelier Versace couture gown in silk cady and chiffon.
The gathered waist and separate trains, which blew in the breeze, gave the gown a classical, timeless vibe — but the psychedelic color gave it an edgy lift.
Thurman is in Cannes for the 20th anniversary celebration of “Pulp Fiction,” which won Palme D’Or in 1994. She walked the red carpet with Quentin Tarantino and John Travolta.
The “Pulp Fiction” red carpet reunion, in which Tarantino danced in front of paparazzi, almost upstaged the entrance of the actresses in the Olivier Assayas film, starring Kristen Stewart and Juliette Binoche. Stewart showed up in a glittery sleeveless jumpsuit.
–Thomas Adamson — http://Twitter.com/ThomasAdamsonAP
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DESIGNERS SET UP SHOP
Cannes is about so much more than film: It’s also the world’s premier fashion festival.
A-list actresses like Nicole Kidman and Marion Cotillard work 12 days-worth of red carpet dressed to the nines in the latest designer creations.
Luxury houses aren’t stupid — they know all too well the brand image benefits of a Cannes presence.
And now, luxury houses have started to colonize top hotels on the Croisette with pop-up stands.
The Martinez is currently home to dozens of brands such as Pucci, Armani, Valentino and Bulgari — all installed in real suites only for the length of the festival.
They’re used to either selling their wares to the rich visiting the festival — by appointment only — or fitting dresses for celebrities like Sharon Stone, who hit the red carpet down the street.
Avakian is a Geneva-based luxury jeweler that’s just caught on to the trend.
“Cannes is one of the most important events throughout the year on the calendar,” said Haig Avakian, Avakian’s owner.
He said a stand here translates into prestige, and ultimately lots more money.
“This is our second year at the Carlton (hotel). It’s so important to be here, especially as fashion houses are getting more aggressive,” he added.
— By Thomas Adamson — http://twitter.com/ThomasAdamsonAP
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QUICKQUOTE: QUENTIN TARANTINO
“As far as I’m concerned, digital projection and DCPs is the death of cinema as I know it. … The fact that most films now are not presented in 35 millimeter means that the war is lost. Digital projections, that’s just television in public. And apparently the whole world is OK with television in public, but what I knew as cinema is dead.” — Quentin Tarantino, who was in Cannes to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Palme d’Or-winning “Pulp Fiction” and to introduce a 50th anniversary screening of Sergio Leone’s “A Fistful of Dollars.”
— Jake Coyle — http://twitter.com/jake_coyle
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TWILIGHT REUNION
It was a “Twilight” reunion on the Riviera.
Both Kellan Lutz and Robert Pattinson were in Cannes this week to promote projects: Pattinson had one film in competition at the film festival and one out of it, while Lutz was around town for his role in “The Expendables 3.”
The two caught up with each other at a party, and in an interview, Lutz bragged on his friend, whose performances in “The Rover” and “Maps to the Stars” are being highlighted by critics.
“It’s great chatting with Rob and seeing his success,” Lutz said at a resort outside of Cannes this week. “I think one of the great things talking with Rob after we did ‘Twilight’ stuff is he just doesn’t care about the money. He’s doing good work and he wants to work with great directors and great actresses and actors and working with great material, as we all should.”
“I think that the blessing of being part of the ‘Twilight’ franchise is it’s given us this safety net,” he added.
Lutz has taken more action roles, which he calls his passion, since the “Twilight” films wrapped, while Pattinson has gravitated to edgier projects. Lutz said he believes an Academy Award is in Pattinson’s future.
“He has the chops and he’s doing what he loves to do and I’m so proud of him for everything that he’s doing,” he said.
Another “Twilight” alum, Kristen Stewart, had her film, “Clouds of Sils Maria,” premiere here on Friday night; it is in competition.
— Nekesa Mumbi Moody — http://www.twitter.com/nekesamumbi
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MALAYSIAN PLANE PLOT APOLOGY
The director of a movie based on the Malaysian Airlines plane disappearance is apologizing for a trailer that suggests a love triangle among members of its crew.
Rupesh Paul announced “The Vanishing Act” at the Cannes Film Festival. A brief trailer for the film, which has not yet been cast, shows two crew members kissing as a third looks at them angrily.
In a statement to The Associated Press, Rupesh Paul Productions said he was removing that element of the teaser trailer soon “so as not to hurt sentiments” of the families of those on the plane.
He also offered “an unconditional apology to the families of the missing MH 370 passengers” and said he never “meant to hurt any of the grieving friends and families of the passengers in the missing plane nor make profit over the missing passengers.”
In a previous interview with the AP, the film’s associate director, Sritama Dutta, said the movie would not follow any facts of the tragedy. Paul said the plot will revolve around an investigative report by a Malaysian journalist which the teaser trailer does not reflect. The clip, which also shows someone with a gun and commotion and horror on the plane, has garnered more than 300,000 views on YouTube.
Authorities still have not been able to locate the plane, which was carrying 239 people from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8 when it went missing.
Dutta said Paul is aiming for a September release.
— Nekesa Mumbi Moody — http://www.twitter.com/nekesamumbi
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EDITOR’S NOTE — “Cannes Watch” shows you the Cannes Film Festival and the events surrounding it through the eyes of Associated Press journalists across Cannes and around the world. Follow them on Twitter where available with the handles listed after each item.
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