(Cannes) Julianne Moore, Natalie Portman, Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro were the big stars of the sixth day of the Cannes Film Festival. With Todd Haynes, director of May-Decemberand Martin Scorsese, whose Killers of the Flower Moon garnered praise, the stars carried out their media day with panache.
The Cannes Film Festival presents in its selections pure and hard auteur films, which thus benefit from a privileged platform to promote themselves. It is enough however to see how the Croisette is set ablaze as soon as big American stars show up there to see that despite those who would like to affirm the contrary, Hollywood still occupies a colossal space in the collective imagination of moviegoers.
By choosing a film with Johnny Depp for the opening (Jeanne du Barryby Maïwenn), by scheduling out-of-competition productions such as Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destinydirected by James Mangold) and Killers of the Flower Moonby Martin Scorsese, the direction of the festival measures very well the anticipated media effects, generated by the simple presence of the superstars on the red carpet.
A “dangerous” film
On Sunday, the coincidences of the programming meant that the teams of May-DecemberTodd Haynes, and Killers of the Flower Moon submitted to the imperatives of the press conference. Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman, the two headliners of this “melodramatic comedy” that is May-December, got the ball rolling. Even if this excellent film, very well received by the press, is not directly inspired by a specific news story, the story of this woman (Julianne Moore) who made the headlines 20 years ago because of a history with a minor, who has now become her spouse (Charles Melton), nevertheless recalls a case that actually occurred, which the tabloid press made its headlines. Mary Kay Letourneau, a teacher, was indeed sentenced for having had a relationship with a 12-year-old student.
PHOTO PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Charles Melton, Natalie Portman, Todd Haynes, Julianne Moore and Cory Michael Smith posed for photographers at the official screening of May-Decembera film by Todd Haynes.
“The reason why this film seems so dangerous is that nobody knows where the limits are,” commented Julianne Moore. An age difference is one thing, but a relationship between an adult and a minor is quite another. »
Natalie Portman, who plays an actress to play the role of the woman in a biographical drama inspired by the couple’s story, also echoed the “unfair” expectations that women invited to Cannes must meet. “What is expected of women in this festival is very different from what is expected of men,” she said. It’s constant and there comes a time when it affects behavior. This film is about performance and the different roles we play in different environments, sometimes even towards ourselves. »
Close to the Osage Nation
Three hours later, it was the team’s turn to Killers of the Flower Moon to appear before the journalists, less than 24 hours after the official screening, marked by a nine-minute ovation.
PHOTO PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Martin Scorsese was still reeling from the emotion of the nine-minute standing ovation following the presentation of Killers of the Flower Moon.
“It felt like a very important moment, said Leornado DiCaprio, especially since we had the privilege of being able to live this moment with Chief Standing Bear, leader of the Osage Nation. We are very proud of this film. »
It was by asking Martin Scorsese where the heart of the film’s story really was that Leonardo DiCaprio deviated the project of adapting David Grann’s book so that the story focused more on the impact of the drama with members of the Osage Nation rather than the FBI agents investigating the murders.
PHOTO PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Leonardo Dicaprio, Lily Gladstone and Robert De Niro, shortly before the team’s press conference Killers of the Flower Moona film by Martin Scorsese.
Accompanying the stars to the press conference, Chief Standing Bear, who acted as a consultant, believes that the tragedy experienced by his people in the 1920s is evoked respectfully by Martin Scorsese.
“Our people have suffered greatly and we are still feeling the effects today,” he said. But on behalf of the Osage Nation, I can say that Marty and his team have restored the bond of trust. We know this bond will not be betrayed. »
“I wanted to know everything about the Osage Nation,” added Martin Scorsese. The more I learned, the more I wanted to integrate all these elements into the film! »
For his part, Robert De Niro recalled that his last appearance at the Cannes Film Festival in the company of Matin Scorsese dates back to 1976. That year, Taxi Driver won the Palme d’Or. In Killers of the Flower Moon, he slips into the skin of a poisonous character, an upstart breeder, very involved in the file of the mysterious disappearance of several natives. Speaking of his character, the actor couldn’t help but think of a former president – and now a candidate for the Republican nomination – whose name he prefers to keep silent.
“The banality of evil, that’s what we have to watch out for. We see it today, of course. We all know who I’m going to talk about, but I won’t say his name. This man is stupid. Imagine what it would be like if he was smart! »
let’s remember that Killers of the Flower Moon, a 3:26 fresco, will hit theaters on October 20 in North America. It will then be broadcast on the Apple+ platform.