It’s a funny place, Cannes. One minute, it’s a quiet-ish, seaside town, full of spotty boys on noisy mopeds. The next, legions of colorful individuals descend en masse, transforming it into a bizarre bazaar of film festivities. But is it glamorous? As per actress Sarah Michelle Gellar, it’s the most glamorous event an actress can attend. But beware.
Arriving more than a day beforehand, and staying longer than the festival run, is one sure way to dispel any illusions of glamour. The restaurants go quiet; the fun-lovers disappear; and Cannes is returned to its usual glory as a retiree’s paradise.
While earning a living quizzing the rich and famous can make it all seem every-day, even the most hardened reporter can still get a kick out of Cannes.
Stars are everywhere you turn: at parties, premieres even on the beach. Even the fans get their fair share of action at the Martinez hotel where some of the best stargazing in Cannes can be had.
Penelope Cruz and Pedro Almodovar were met with humungous screams as they walked out onto the street Saturday. Inside, director Sidney Poitier tried to pass by unnoticed. Down the road at the Hilton, Chinese star Vivian Wu was greeting the press for her new television series. Over at the beach, rising star Catalina Sandino Moreno was getting swept away 6 P.M. cocktails, with the ferocious winds that hit the Riviera this weekend. The list goes on and on.
“It is kind of nice to get dressed up in your best dresses and all this make-up and hair,