Italian
director Bernardo Bertolucci (L), is awarded with the Honorary Palme
d'Or for his career from the president of the Cannes Film Festival
Gilles Jacob (C) as President of the Jury Robert De Niro, Uma Thurman,
Chadian director Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, Jude Law and Argentinian actress
and producer Martina Gusman applaud during the opening ceremony of the
64th Cannes Film Festival. - AFP PHOTO
CANNES:
The Cannes film festival got off to a glittering start on Wednesday,
paying hommage to the creator of “Last Tango in Paris” before sitting
back to enjoy “Midnight in Paris”.
“I declare the Cannes
festival open,” said Bernardo Bertolucci in Italian and French, after
French actress Melanie Laurent, the evening’s master of ceremonies,
invited the Italian director to do the honours and “cut the ribbon”.
Just
minutes earlier, the septuagenarian wheelchair-bound Bertolucci was
visibly touched as he received a Palme d’Honneur for his life’s work
including “Last Tango in Paris” and “The Last Emperor”.
“The
surprise makes this even more important,” said Bertolucci, who has never
won a coveted Palme D’Or despite his respected oeuvre.
He
dedicated his award to Woody Allen “who I can see in his seat with a
strange expression I’ve never seen in his films” – Allen looked
poker-faced slumped in his seat – and to Robert De Niro, president of
this year’s Palme d’Or jury, “a big, big friend” who starred in his epic
film “1900”.
Allen’s latest romantic comedy “Midnight in Paris” opened the festival.
Bertolucci
then added: “And then I’d like to dedicate this honorary Palme to all
Italians who still have the strength and the energy to struggle, to
criticise and to be indignant.”
14.05.2011 | Cannes's blog
Cat. : 1900 actress actress and producer Bernardo Bertolucci Bernardo Bertolucci Cannes Cannes Cannes Film Festival Cinema of France Cinema of Italy d'Or Director Emperor energy Film Gilles Jacob Honneur Human Interest Human Interest Italian films Jude Law Last Tango in Paris Mahamat-Saleh Haroun Martina Gusman Mélanie Laurent Midnight in Paris Palme d'Or Paris Person Career president Robert De Niro Robert De Niro Romantic drama films the 64th Cannes Film Festival the Cannes festival the Cannes Film Festival Uma Thurman United Artists films Woody Allen AWARDS