Cannes supremo in the line of fire

Frémaux on tickets, strikes, protests, Östlund and Haenel

by Richard Mowe

Thierry Frémaux: 'If actors or directors or screenwriters who are here want to talk about it [the screenwriters’ strike], then they are welcome to do so'
Thierry Frémaux: 'If actors or directors or screenwriters who are here want to talk about it [the screenwriters’ strike], then they are welcome to do so' Photo: Richard Mowe
Thierry Frémaux, the Cannes Film Festival artistic supremo, seems to relish putting himself in the firing line - especially in a room full of journalists with sporadic complaints about the erratic electronic ticketing system on the day before the 76th edition is due to kick off.

Apart from many titles already showing a sell-out on the online grid - especially irksome in the case of the latest Indiana Jones - he was quick to dampen down hostility in a relatively jocular fashion. The barbs provided a running theme for his discourse.

He preferred to field questions about the US writers’ strike and what impact that might have among the Stateside contingent. He suggested the organisers were not so up to speed with the situation “because we were busy preparing the festival,” adding, “I don’t know what consequences it will have it. We have to respect their standpoint. If actors or directors or screenwriters who are here want to talk about it, then they are welcome to do so”. He was similarly sanguine about the potential effect of French protesters flagging up their animosity to President Macron’s pension reforms.

The face of this year’s Cannes Film Festival: Catherine Deneuve adorns the front of the Palais des Festivals
The face of this year’s Cannes Film Festival: Catherine Deneuve adorns the front of the Palais des Festivals Photo: Richard Mowe
He was also asked to address the comments by French actress Adèle Haenel, who has said she is retiring from cinema for political reasons. She had suggested in an open letter to a French magazine that Cannes had defended “their rapist chiefs”.

Frémaux said that Haenel was simply wrong in making such accusations. He defended the Festival’s record in supporting women filmmakers, including a Red Carpet Me Too event in a previous edition and the fact that were seven female directors in this year’s official selection.

A journalist writing for the showbiz Bible Variety weighed in to the fray on the topic of Johnny Depp, who appears in tomorrow night’s sumptuous costume drama Jeanne Du Barry alongside director Maïwenn. Frémaux opined he was the last person to ask about Depp’s reputation in the States following the Amber Heard dispute. “I have no idea about his image in the US. This came up once the film was announced. I don’t know why Maïwenn chose him but you should ask her.” He added that he watched films for their artistic merits rather than any “noise” swirling around them.

On the choice of Triangle Of Sadness director Ruben Ostlund (Palme d’Or winner last year) as head of the jury for the official competition he said: “I told Ruben we wanted a woman for the role, but he was the first choice among the men. He’s a great cinephile and through him we’re highlighting this new generation of filmmakers from Northern Europe including Joachim Trier. The timing seemed to be right to try new things.”

Perhaps sensing he might get himself in to more trouble Frémaux avoided commenting on the fact that Woody Allen’s new film Coup de Chance (his 50th outing and for the first time in French) fails to feature in the various line-ups despite having a stellar cast of Lou De Laâge (The Innocents), Valérie Lemercier (Aline), Melvil Poupaud (Summer of 85) and Niels Schneider (Heartbeats).

Chipper to the end Frémaux announced he was off to meet local film lovers (Cannes Cinephiles) and he would be doing so on his official bike as part of the Festival’s ecological bent. “I am the first director of the Festival to be given a bicycle to go about my duties,” he beamed.

Share this with others on...
News

It's all life Alan Rudolph on what’s in Breakfast Of Champions and not in Kurt Vonnegut’s novel

Small town problems Boston McConnaughey and Renny Grames on Utah, demolition derbies and Alien Country

'The real horror is how they treat each other' Nikol Cybulya on trauma and relationships in Tomorrow I Die

Leaning to darkness Aislinn Clarke on the Na Sidhe, Ireland's troubled history, and Fréwaka

Strangers in paradise Alan Rudolph on Robert Altman, Bruce Willis, Nick Nolte, Albert Finney, Owen Wilson and Breakfast Of Champions

Anora leads in the year's first big awards race Full list of Gotham nominees announced

More news and features

Interact

More competitions coming soon.


DJDT

Versions

Time

Settings from settings.local

Headers

Request

SQL queries from 1 connection

Templates (12 rendered)

Cache calls from 2 backends

Signals