The 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival was opened by Catherine Deneuve who paid tribute to Ukraine, while Michael Douglas received the Palme d’or d’honneur from the hands of Uma Thurman.
“Cinema is like love, when it’s good, it’s great and when it’s not good… it’s not bad anyway.” Chiara Mastroianni, mistress of the opening ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival, launched this 76th edition by quoting the American director Georges Cukor. Catherine Deneuve, the mother of the mistress of ceremonies, for her part officially declared the fortnight on the Croisette open, alongside the American actor Michael Douglas, who was awarded an honorary Palme d’Or for his ensemble. his career. At the bottom of the steps, he and many stars delighted spectators and photographers. Among the most scrutinized, Johnny Depp who accompanied the director Maïwenn to present the opening film Jeanne du Barry. Franceinfo summarizes what to remember from this ceremony.
>> Follow our live news from the Cannes Film Festival
Maïwenn and Johnny Depp hand in hand
Rumors of tension between the director and the American actor had germinated during the filming of Jeanne du Barry. The filmmaker had confirmed them in an interview. The presence of the Hollywood star at the bottom of the steps was seen by some as an offense after his ultra-media trial with his ex-wife Amber Heard. But, despite the controversy, Maïwenn and Johnny Depp moved forward hand in hand in the Grand Théâtre Lumière where the filmmaker’s sixth feature film was to be presented. At the bottom of the stairs, she assured to be “very stressed” before the screening. The actor, he defended a “great director” who had a “incredibly coherent vision”.
Ruben Östlund defends cinema
The jury climbed the steps. Chaired by Ruben Östlund, it took place on the big stage, where in 10 days, he will watch the Swedish director award the Palme d’Or. While waiting for this great moment, the man who has already won the precious Cannes award twice wanted to defend cinema during his speech. “What is unique in cinema is seeing films together, physically in the same room”he assured. “The only content we see in Sweden now in front of television is Eurovisionhe smiled. Are we doped to scroll through content created by algorithms?” “Cinema must be created by human beings and must make us think, he added. In a movie theatre, the mere fact that there are other people in the room who might ask you after the screening what you thought of it, that alone is a reason to go see films indoors.”
Catherine Deneuve pays tribute to Ukraine
She is everywhere in Cannes. At the top of the Palais des Festivals where his face sits as the emblem of this 76th edition, but also below on the red carpet. Catherine Deneuve climbed the steps for this opening ceremony. It was she who officially opened this Festival, but before that, she had declaimed the poem Hope of the Ukrainian poet Lessia Oukrainka (1871-1913). This poem, written at the age of nine, echoes the deportation of his aunt to Siberia for her participation in the national liberation movement.
The actress had already read this text on the TV5 Monde set on the first anniversary of the war in Ukraine. Last year, theukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had, to everyone’s surprise, spoken at the opening ceremony of the Festival, a few weeks after the start of the Russian invasion of his country.
Michael Douglas receives the Honorary Palme d’Or
Greeted on stage by actress Uma Thurman who called him a “eternal star” and D’“bright artist”Michael Douglas, 78, began his speech with a joke: “I’m older than the Festival.” The American actor received the Palme d’or d’honneur which crowns his 55-year career. “It means a lot to me, because there are hundreds of film festivals in the world but there is only one Cannes. (…) It’s an incredible honor”did he declare.
“Looking at my 55 [de carrière]I wondered how I could last so long (…) we work as hard for our failures as for our successes“, he commented. He also praised this Festival which “reminds us (…) that cinema transcends limits and unites borders” before thanking, in French, Cannes and all of France: “I would like [vous] embrace with all my heart.”
The performance of The Gabriels performing “Stand by me”
It’s the title of a Rob Reiner movie, it’s also the title of a Ben E. King song. Tuesday evening, stand-by-me was taken over by the group Gabriels, an Anglo-American trio dominated by the voice by Jacob Lusk, avid gospel singer, choir director and former “American Idol” contestant, who is part of the backing vocals of artists like Diana Ross and Beck. The other two band members are Ryan Hope and Ari Balouzian. The trio offered a nice musical moment to the festival-goers.