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Filmmakers, celebrities and the international media will descend on the French Riviera for the "grand dame" of the international film festival circuit: the 2006 Cannes Film Festival, whichkicks offon May 17.
The 12-day festival has undergone a big change in its character over time. In its first three decades, it used toshowcaseHollywood and Europe (particularly France), their stars and products (with a rare, occasional nod to Asian Cinema).
Gradually, the Asian Cinema began to get noticed at Cannes, and now it is getting more than alook-in. As Cannes festival director, Thierry Fremaux admitted in an interview on the eve of this year's festival saying,
"from an artistic point, a great festival can no longer exist without Asian films. From the point of view of the industry, professionals come in ever greater numbers to the Festival." Chinese film-director Wong Kar Wai is heading the 9-member Feature-film Jury at Cannes. Wong, 46, some of whose films have done the festival-circuit in India, belongs to the latest wave of Chinese directors.
This time there is no one from India on any of the official juries at Cannes.
However, in the main jury, there are some names Indian filmgoers would be familiar with.
One Jury member whose presence could be of special interest to some back home is Monica Bellucci.
The 41-year old Italian actress is reportedly being wooed by NRI producer, Jagmohan Mundhra to play the title role of Sonia Gandhi in his proposed biopic on the Indian Congress party president.
Mundhra is also expected to be in Cannes for a private showing of his latest movie, "Provoked", based on the travails of a battered Indian housewife in Britain.
(China Daily)
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