I do feel bad for this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
With no big American releases, the Festival is scraping around to find celebrities for its red carpets.
Just announced: a 25th anniversary showing of the first “Fast and Furious” movie. Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, and the late Paul Walker’s daughter will walk the carpet. No word of director Rob Cohen attending the showing. But that would be problematic considering his massive stomach churning legal problems. (Look ’em up, I can’t get into it.)
“The Fast and the Furious” would never have been shown in Cannes, cry critics, under any other circumstances. It would be beneath them.
To make matters worse, the screening will be at the Palais du Festivals, albeit at 11:45pm. This might have worked if it were shown on the beach, at the Cinema du Plages.
Sacre bleu! But so far the festival, which starts next Tuesday, is relying on B movies like the new one directed by John Travolta, of all people. And they’ve got James Gray, the American director still looking for a hit after 25 years. There are no marquee names coming like Spielberg, Scorsese, Coen, or Anderson.
Timing is everything with film festivals. I’m sure Cannes will return next year with beaucoup of stars!
