New Delhi: With three of his films to be screened at 65th Cannes Film Festival, actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui says he is excited to have achieved such a feat, a first for any Indian actor. The 38-year-old actor’s three films to be screened at this year’s festival are –Ashim Ahluwalia’s ‘Miss Lovely’ and Anurag Kashyap’s two part series ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’.

“I am very privileged that three of my films are being screened at Cannes. I don’t think any other Indian actor has so far achieved this feat. This is a first for me and I am very excited to make my presence felt at Cannes. I am also looking forward to seeing the films as I have not yet watched them. I will be there till the end (May 28),” Nawazuddin told PTI.

The actor will reach Cannes on May 22 and ‘Miss Lovely’ is to be screened on May 24 followed by ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’. The ‘Kahaani’ actor was all praise for his ‘Miss Lovely’ director Ashim Ahluwalia. “The story is about two brothers, who make C-grade films. There is one struggling actress (played by former Miss India Niharika Singh) and they both fall in love with her,” he said.

In ‘Miss Lovely’, the actor plays a C-grade film director, who falls in love with a struggling actress.

“The film has a very international look. It has been made in such a way that it has an international appeal. Ashim does not watch Bollywood films. So his style of filmmaking is very different from other directors. There is a rawness in his films,” the actor said. Asked if he was apprehensive about taking up such a role, Nawazuddin said, “I had no second thoughts about it. I always wanted to do this kind of films. It is not a typical Bollywood formula film. I did try my luck in such films but I was told I did not have the looks of a hero and was driven away. I am now comfortable in this genre. It is refreshing for us actors.”

The actor is also hopeful that the film will do well in India. “I am sure that the film will work in India because the audience is now appreciating directors, who are taking the risk and making different kind of cinema. It has been seen that small budget films which have a strong storyline, a talented director and a bunch of decent actor are doing much better than big budget films,” he said.

The actor has just come back from the Eberfest, an annual film festival organised by popular American film critics Roger Ebert in Illinois, Chicago. “Roger personally invited me to the festival. My film ‘Patang’ was also screened there. I was honoured to have been invited to such a prestigious event. I also interacted with actor Michael Shannon and various other film and theatre

personalities,” he said.

After returning of Cannes, the actor will start shooting for Shlok Sharma’s next film. The actor will also be seen in films like “Monsoon Shootout”, ‘Talaash’ and ‘Dekh Indian Circus’.

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Article source: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/nawazuddin-siddiquis-three-films-at-cannes-2012/258819-8-66.html

Bigger may be better in some cases, but for the organizers behind the Worldwide Short Film Festival, who announced the 2012 lineup in Toronto Tuesday, good things definitely come in small packages.

“There’s a novelty to short films, because you can’t really see them outside of ads or music videos,” says Angie Driscoll, interim artistic director for the festival, adding it was particularly tough to narrow the selection down this year.

From the 4,768 entries from 113 countries that were submitted for consideration, 244 films from 35 countries will be screened this year, and 207 of those are premieres.

Selected highlights from the 2012 Worldwide Short Film Festival

Trotteur, Arnaud Brisebois, Francis Leclerc, Canada: This breathtaking look at a boy who takes on a state of the art steam engine won the 2012 Jutra for best short, and won best Canadian short at the Edmonton film fest.

The Immigrant, Josh Levy, Canada: Follow the travails of a once famous Canadian comedian (played by Scott Thompson) as he attempts a Hollywood comeback, but must first make sneak his way across the Mexico/U.S. border. Also starring Michael Cera and Dave Foley.

Big Mouth, Andrea Dorfman, Canada: The world premiere of this short from the director of the viral hit How To Be Alone looks at what happens when a big mouth gets you in trouble and makes you special, all at the same time. Prepare for moral lessons.

The Master Cleanse, Todd Strauss-Schulson, U.S.: Mixing a relationship story with maple syrup, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and water the way only someone responsible for A Harold Kumar 3D Christmas can.

The Beaufort Diaries, Alex Petrowsky, U.S.: David Duchovny addresses addiction and the corrupting influence of Hollywood in this animated short. Did we mention he plays a polar bear?

Pitch Black Heist, John Maclean, U.K.: He’s played a sex fiend, Carl Jung and supervillain Magneto, so why shouldn’t Michael Fassbender tackle the quirky caper genre? Also starring Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones).

Friend Request Pending, Chris Foggin, U.K.: Nothing can stop Dame Judi Dench, except of course the Internet. Watch her turn into a neurotic mess after messaging man online for the first time.

One of the Canadian premieres comes from Kids in the Hall vet Scott Thompson, who will be screening The Immigrant, about a struggling Canadian actor living in Los Angeles who, out of necessity, becomes a day labourer. The short is inspired by the comedian’s own experience of “living in L.A.’s black and Latino community, and while these aren’t things that actually happened, it’s definitely based on the adventures I had there and the people I met,” he says. “Let’s just say I had better days.”

Another premiere comes from Montreal writer/director Anne Emond, who received a Genie Award for her film Nuit #1, and will debut Nothing Else, about the ennui suffered by a thirtysomething who has lost the ability to dream. Also from Quebec, acclaimed director Jean-Marc Vallée (Café de Flore) will conduct a master’s class for budding filmmakers. “It’s an intimate conversation where he will talk about his shorts, his features and his beautiful style of filmmaking,” Driscoll says.

Also returning is the popular Shorts Bus, a “tricked out vaudeville theatre on wheels” that screens free short films in and around downtown Toronto, and The Night Shift, an all-night marathon of horror films, complete with free cupcakes and coffee. “It’s a sleepover survival of the fittest,” Driscoll says.

It wouldn’t be a film festival, short or otherwise, without celebrities, though, and making an onscreen appearance this year are Judi Dench (Friend Request Pending), David Duchovny (The 
Beaufort Diaries), John 
Malkovich (Butterflies), Rainn Wilson (Blitzen Trapper 
Massacre) and Michael 
Fassbender (Pitch Black Heist), to name a few.

“It’s always interesting to see how many celebrities are recruited to shoot short films,” Driscoll says, adding that one of the most fascinating films would have to be Life and Freaky Times of Uncle Luke, starring 2 Live Crew frontman Luther Campbell. Described as a “playfully demented” remake of Chris Marker’s La 
Jetée, Driscoll promises a unique experience: “You’ve never seen anything like this.”

The Worldwide Short Film Festival runs June 5-10 in Toronto. For more information, visit shorterisbetter.com.

Article source: http://arts.nationalpost.com/2012/05/16/worldwide-short-film-festival-size-doesnt-matter-with-these-films/

Simon Curtis will direct the art-world drama “The Golden Lady” for BBC Films, which announced an upcoming slate of films at the Cannes Film Festival on Sunday.

The film from “My Week With Marilyn” director Curtis was written by playwright Alexi Kaye Campbell. It tells the true story of Maria Altmann, who fought to reclaim a number of Gustav Klimt paintings, including a renowned portrait of her aunt (left), that had been stolen from her family by the Nazis in World War II.

The company also announced that actress Saoirse Ronan (“The Lovely Bones”) will star in “Testament of Youth,” Juliette Towhidi’s adaptation of Vera Brittains’s World War I memoir. “Harry Potter” producer David Heyman’s Heyday Films will produce the film.

“A winning combination of hot new talent and more experienced high-profile filmmakers and artists makes this year’s slate a genuinely rich, diverse and exciting proposition,” said Christine Langan, Head of BBC Films, in a press release announcing the new slate.

BBC Films is currently represented at Cannes by the Rufus Norris film “Broken,” which opened the Critics Week section. It also has the Dustin Hoffman-directed “Quartet” opening later this year, along with Mike Newell’s “Great Expectations,” James Marsh’s thriller “Shadow Dancer” and Ol Parker’s teen romance “Now Is Good.”

The announcement also revealed a number of other BBC Films projects:

“Don Hemingway” is a black comedy about a safecracker newly released from prison after serving a 12-year sentence. The film will star Jude Law and Richard E. Grant for director Richard Sheppard (“Matador”) and producer Jeremy Thomas.

“Saving Mr. Banks” will star Tom Hanks and tell the story of the feud between Walt Disney and novelist P.L. Travers over Disney’s battle to obtain the rights to “Mary Poppins.” Ruby Films will produce the movie, which was written by Kelly Marcel.

“The Alan Partridge” movie, based on the British television series, will begin shooting in the fall with star Steve Coogan and producer/creator Armando Iannucci (“Veep,” “In the Loop”). Declan Lowney will direct.

“Invisible Woman” will be Ralph Fiennes’ follow-up to his directorial debut, “Coriolanus.” Felicity Jones will star in the title role of the film written by Abi Morgan about the secret affair between Nelly Ternan and Charles Dickens. Fiennes, Kristin Scott Thomas and Tom Hollander will also star.

“Good Vibrations” will premiere at this year’ Belfast Film Festival. The film, directed by Lisa Barros D’Sa and Glenn Leyburn, is about Belfast punk-rock legend Terri Hooley, who started the record shop and independent label from which the film draws is name.

“Blood” is a psychological thriller starring Paul Bettany and Stephen Graham and directed by Nick Murphy. It recently finished shooting.

 An untitled Sally Potter film, set in London in 1962 as “the cold war meets the sexual revolution,” has also finished shooting and will be distributed in the UK by Artificial Eye. Elle Fanning and Alice Englert star.

“Spike Island” deals with a group of boys who form their own indie rock band and travel to Spike Island to see the Stone Roses perform in 1990. Elliott Tittensor and Matthew McNulty star for director Mat Whitecross.

Additional announcements made by BBC Films at Cannes include four short films made for the London 2012 Festival, to coincide with the London Olympic Games this summer. Those films, made in a partnership with Film4 and LOCOG, include Lynne Ramsay’s “Swimmer” and Max Giwa’s and Dania Pasquini’s “What If.”

Article source: http://movies.yahoo.com/news/cannes-2012-bbc-films-release-simon-curtis-art-143329558.html

USMagazine, Friday, May 18, 2012, 11:20am (PDT)

One of the world’s most beloved action stars is calling it quits.

At a Cannes press conference Friday for his latest film, Chinese Zodiac–his 100th movie–Jackie Chan told reporters he’s giving up action films for good.

“This will be my last action movie,” the actor, 58, said. “I will ask my body how long I can go . . . I tell you, I am not young any more.”

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Laughing he added, “I am really, really tired.”

The international superstar–who is famous for performing his own stunts–says he also takes issue with the extreme content seen on-screen today.

“The world is too violent now,” he explained. “It’s a dilemma because I like action, but I don’t like the violence.”

Chan is also hoping that by giving up his tried-and-true action star parts, he’ll be able to expand his brand and take on more serious, dramatic roles. Little by little, the actor hopes he can show audiences “the real Jackie Chan.”

PHOTOS: Sizzling seniors!

“I don’t just want to be an action star, I want to be a true actor,” the Hong Kong-born star revealed. “I want to be an Asian Robert De Niro. I want to get rid of my image. So, for the last ten years I’ve done other films like The Karate Kid, where I’d rather play an old man. I want the audience to know I’m not just about fighting or comedy, also I can act.”

Chan is best known for combining martial arts with slapstick comedy; the actor’s daredevil tendencies make it difficult for him to be insured by movie studios. Chan currently holds the Guinness Book of World Records title for “Most Stunts By A Living Actor.”

This article originally appeared on Usmagazine.com: Jackie Chan: I’m Quitting Action Films

Article source: http://wonderwall.msn.com/entertainment/jackie-chan-im-quitting-action-films-1682802.story

New Delhi, May 20 (PTI) The capital”s popular Shakuntalam theatre, closed for regular screening of commercial cinema from April 1, has reopened, albeit briefly, for an exclusive retrospective of late Assamese filmmaker and musician Bhupen Hazarika”s movies.

Five films among those for which Hazarika composed music are being screened at the festival that kick-started on Friday � “Chameli Memsaab” (Assamese, 1975), “Ek Pal” (Hindi, 1986), “Rudali” (Hindi, 1983), “Aparoopa” (Assamese, 1982) and “Gandhi to Hitler” (Hindi, 2011).

The retrospective is being organised by India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) in collaboration with the Directorate of Film Festivals of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

The ITPO said this is the first screening at Shakuntalam theatre after the decision to stop regular screening of commercial cinema to make way for hosting business conferences and seminars and to use it only for special screening of select films including regional ones from time to time when the facility is not wanted for business events.

Under ITPO”s plans for enlarging business related conference facilities at Pragati Maidan, Shakuntalam theatre is being converted to a business meeting facility. The 300-odd seated theatre opened in 1981 and was known for its low-priced tickets.

Article source: http://news.in.msn.com/business/article.aspx?cp-documentid=250059293

CANNES (May 19, 2012) — Millennium Films has signed a $100 million co-financing/co-production agreement with West Coast Film Partners. The agreement runs for three years and calls for the parties to co-finance two to three wide-release feature films per year.

The first movie West Coast will co-finance and co-produce is “White House Taken,” directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Gerard Butler. It’s an action movie about a U.S. Secret Service agent who has fallen from grace – until the White House is attacked and taken over by a team of North Koreans armed with extraordinary technology. Everything the Pentagon throws at the problem fails. But our hero knows the building like nobody else, and is the last chance we have to save, not only the President, but the entire country.

The deal was put together by Millennium President Mark Gill and West Coast CEO Klay Shroedel.

“We’re very excited to be working with Klay and his team at West Coast,” said Millennium Chairman Avi Lerner. “Clearly, they have financing expertise. But also the movies they want to make are very much in line with the direction we’re taking our company today.”

“The team at Millennium impressed us with their commercial sensibilities and their willingness and ability to get movies made,” Shroedel said. “At a time when so many companies in the film business are retrenching, these guys are expanding. We share their optimism about the potential for growth and success in the motion picture business, if properly managed, in the years ahead.”

Millennium Films develops, finances, produces and distributes approximately 8-10 films per year. Among the company’s upcoming movies are “The Expendables 2,” “Playing The Field” directed by Gabriele Muccino and starring Gerard Butler, Uma Thurman, Jessica Biel, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Judy Greer and Dennis Quaid; and “The Paperboy” an official selection of the 2012 Cannes Film Festival directed by Lee Daniels and starring Matthew McConaughey, Zac Efron, John Cusack and Nicole Kidman.

West Coast Film Partners is an equity fund and production company based in Germany, Great Britain and Los Angeles.

The agreement was negotiated by Lerner and his partner Trevor Short along with Gill and business/legal affairs head Lonnie Ramati on behalf of Millennium, and by Shroedel, his Prexy Stefan Gray and Gary Concoff of Troy Gould on behalf of West Coast.

Article source: http://news.yahoo.com/millennium-films-west-coast-film-partners-enter-100m-171648229.html

Millennium Films has signed a $100 million, three-year co-financing and co-production agreement with West Coast Film Partners, which will kick off with Antoine Fuuqua’s “White House Taken,” an action film about the U.S. Secret Service.

The deal, which was put together by Millennium president Mark Gill and West Coast CEO Klay Shroedel, was announced on Saturday at the Cannes Film Festival.

The agreement calls for the companies to co-finance two or three features each year for the next three years. The first of those films, “White House Taken,” will star Gerard Butler as a disgraced Secret Service agent who has a chance to redeem himself when North Koreans take over the White House.

Previous films from director Fuqua (left; Getty Images photo by Francois Durand) include “Training Day,” “King Arthur” and “Brooklyn’s Finest.”

The deal was negotiated by Gill, Millennium chairman Avi Lerner, Trevor Short and Lonie Ramati for Millennium, whose upcoming slate also includes the Cannes competition entry “The Paperboy.” Negotiators for West Coast Film Partners, an international equity fund and production company, were Shroedel, West Coast president Stefan Gray and Gary Concoff of Troy Gould.

In the press release announcing the deal, Lerner said of the West Coast team, “The movies they want to make are very much in line with the direction we’re taking our company today.”

Added Shroedel, “At a time when so many companies in the film business are retrenching, these guys [Millennium] are expanding. We share their optimism about the potential for growth and success in the motion picture business, if properly managed, in the years ahead.”

Article source: http://movies.yahoo.com/news/cannes-millennium-west-coast-film-partners-sign-100-175152302.html

NEW YORK — Left Behind: The Movie is filled with drama: sudden disappearances, a vitriolic Russian Antichrist bent on global domination, and fireballs raining down during the Apocalypse.

“The future as foretold by the Bible has come to pass,” a grandiose voice proclaims in the trailer. “Seeing is believing.”

Its producer, Cloud Ten Pictures, a Christian film company in Ontario, Canada, called it the most ambitious Christian movie of its time. From 2000 to 2005, the company poured roughly $12 million into three profitable Left Behind movies, which are based on the best-selling novels of the same name.

But this year, Cloud Ten is quadrupling down on Left Behind. It plans to spend roughly $15 million to remake just the first of the series, nearly four times the budget of each of the original three. Not many movies get a complete reboot at four times the original cost just a few years after being released.

The move by Cloud Ten reflects an appetite for Christian cinema that has grown significantly during the past five years.

“We really just wanted to be reaching a wider audience,” said Andre Van Heerden, the company’s CEO. The first films had a “movie-of-the-week” feel, no big-name stars and focused myopically on religious themes, he added. He thinks a sleeker, refocused film could cross over to the mainstream.

During the past five years, independent Christian movies — films with overt proselytizing — have been among the most profitable independent releases across all genres. Several “faith-based” movies from major studios — films with redemptive messages or Christian characters — also have reaped larger-than-expected profits, causing the big studios to take greater notice of the market.

Todd Juenger, a senior analyst at New York City-based Bernstein Research, said that after the major studios reduced their production slates to focus more on big-budget franchise films, the door opened for a variety of smaller budget religious films.

“Faith-based films offer the benefit of an identifiable, relatively efficient-to-reach target audience, which provides marketing advantages,” Juenger said.

The boomlet in Christian films dates to 2008. Fireproof, the story of several firefighters struggling with marriage and religion, was that year’s highest grossing independent film, taking in $33.5 million on a $6 million budget. That is tiny compared to a major studio blockbuster, but it is still a tidy profit.

Things picked up with last September’s Courageous, a redemption story with inspiration from the Bible about policemen reconnecting with their families. The film brought in $35 million on an $11 million budget. Then in March, October Baby — a heavily pro-life film, which opened on only 390 screens — placed in the top-10 its first weekend, beating out mainstream fare that played in 10 times as many theaters.

October Baby, Courageous and Fireproof featured no stars. In fact, Courageous and Fireproof relied largely on volunteers from the church affiliated with the films’ producer, Sherwood Production Co.

“Religious audiences have felt marginalized by cultural changes,” said Craig Detweiler, director of the Center of Entertainment, Media and Culture at Pepperdine University. “Rallying around a particular film is a way to vote with their feet and say, give us more.”

The surge has not been missed by major Hollywood studios, which have seen mainstream audiences increasingly gravitate to “faith-based” movies. The Blind Side, a film about a Christian family taking in an impoverished and talented high school football player, was a surprise hit in 2009. It grossed more than $300 million, was nominated for the best picture Oscar and won for best actress (Sandra Bullock).

Recently, all six major movie studios started divisions dedicated to acquiring and producing overtly Christian movies, as well as more mainstream “faith-based” films. Affirm Films, a division of Sony Pictures, was founded in 2007 to acquire Christian movies for distribution on DVD. But the success of Fireproof and Courageous, which Affirm acquired, led Sony to expand the division into production.

“There was some trust and desirability to stretch a little bit and see what else we could do,” said Rich Peluso, Affirm vice president.

Last year, Affirm developed Soul Surfer, based on the true story of a teen who returns to competitive surfing after losing an arm in a shark attack. The film starred Dennis Quaid, Helen Hunt and AnnaSophia Robb, who starred in the popular children’s films Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Bridge to Terabithia. It was released on 2,000 screens — more than double the exposure most independent films get — and grossed nearly $44.5 million on a $37 million budget.

“If we can just get these movies in the theaters and put them in front of people, they will respond because they’re hearing about it and they want it,” Peluso said. “They just can never find it.”

Which is why Van Heerden of Cloud Ten is targeting 2,500 screens and is aiming to land a name director and star actors for the new Left Behind film, slated for 2013. The 16-book series — hugely popular in the Christian community but largely unknown outside it — follows people battling with their faith during the Apocalypse. First, Christians and children ascend during the Rapture, then an Antichrist rises in the form of a United Nations dictator. Van Heerden sees the remake less as a Christian parable and more like a mainstream end-of-the world flick like Armageddon.

But Ted Baehr has seen it all before. He might even be the most well-versed authority on the history of Christian cinema. In 1986, he founded the Christian Film and Television Commission, which encourages media outlets to produce wholesome content, and Movieguide, a publication and now Web site that reviews movies based on their Christian-friendly content.

“These things always go in waves,” he said. “They’re going to get tired of it eventually.”

Article source: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/05/19/2193384/christian-films-find-fans-at-the.html

Cannes, France (AP) — Jackie Chan is landing his last punch as an action star, but says he is stepping into retirement having made one of the most important films of his career.

The Hong Kong actor told the AP on Friday that his latest film “Chinese Zodiac” will be his last action movie.

Chan, launching the movie at the Cannes Film Festival with co-stars Kwone Sang Woo, Yao Xingtong and Liao Fan, said that people don’t believe him when he says he is going to retire.

Bing: Watch trailers and clips from ‘Chinese Zodiac’

“They say `no, you’re still young, you can still do it,’ but I have to stop one day.”

The 58-year-old says he is bowing out with “Chinese Zodiac” — in which he plays a fortune hunter, travelling the world trying to track down missing astrological antiques — because it is one of the “most important” films in his career.

Chan says he spent seven years working on the movie — writing, producing, directing and coordinating fight scenes.

“For the last ten years I’ve been choosing the director to direct me. This one I direct myself.” he said. “I hope this movie, 20 years later, people still remember it. For me, for the audience, for my future, for my history — it’s very important.”

Chan says “Chinese Zodiac,” and the many films before it, have taken their toll on his body.

“It hurts, it really hurts,” he says, flinching. “The shoulder, the ankle, it really hurts. You don’t know because I still look healthy.”

Not that he plans on putting his feet up — Chan shrugs off suggestions of taking up gardening, cooking or bowling in his spare time. He wants to work on his acting muscles instead.

“When I look at Hollywood, at Robert De Niro, he can do anything — comedy, drama,” he says.

“Clint Eastwood— 60-70 years old, he can still move. I said yes, that’s my goal. Because action stars’ life is so short. Actor’s life is very long. I want to show audiences I can act.”

Article source: http://movies.msn.com/movies/article.aspx?news=729908

Schauspieler Bruce Willis gab das Familienoberhaupt, das sich im Hintergrund hält und beobachtet. Bill Murray wirkte wie der schräge Onkel im wild-karierten Hemd und noch wilder karierten Sakko, und Edward Norton erinnerte an den euphorisierten Neffen, der aus dem Schwärmen gar nicht mehr herauskam. “Es war wie ein Sommerferien-Lager”, erzählte der Schauspieler über die Dreharbeiten zu dem Film “Moonrise Kingdom”. Die sind zwar längst vorbei und der Film fertig, doch die Stars stellten die Tragikomödie von Regisseur Wes Anderson nun am Mittwoch in Cannes vor. Das Werk eröffnete dort am Abend die 65. Internationalen Filmfestspiele.

Zur Gala liefen nicht nur die Stars dieses Films über den roten Teppich. Jane Fonda kam in einer glitzernden Robe und kuschelte mit Alec Baldwin. Eva Longoria posierte in einem mit Spitzen verzierten Kleid, dessen lange Schleppe ihr beim Aufstieg in den Festivalpalais einige Mühe machte.

Im Mittelpunkt des Abends stand jedoch der erste Film des diesjährigen Wettbewerbs, “Moonrise Kingdom”. Die Schauspieler verglichen die Arbeit an dem Werk immer wieder mit einem Familientreffen. “Wes Anderson hat über die Jahre eindeutig so etwas wie eine Familie geschaffen”, fand zum Beispiel Tilda Swinton. “Ich war sehr froh, dass ich da mitmachen konnte – es war wie ein Campingtrip.” Einer der beiden Jungdarsteller, Jared Gilman, erzählte gar, wie ihm Murray fast väterlich das Krawatte-Binden beibrachte. “Er hat sich vor mir hingekniet und sie mir gebunden.”

“Erfrischende” Dreharbeiten

Auch Willis berichtete auf der Pressekonferenz ein bisschen von seinen Erfahrungen beim Dreh: Er habe die Arbeit mit Anderson sehr “erfrischend” gefunden, sagte er, habe der doch klare Anweisungen gegeben – anders als manch anderer Regisseur. Dann fasste der 57-Jährige den Film noch schnell zusammen: “Es geht um Liebe, um alte und um junge. Es ist also die alte Geschichte: Jeder will geliebt werden, selbst die Polizisten!”

Nicht nur bei den Dreharbeiten, auch in “Moonrise Kingdom” dreht sich alles Familie und Zusammenhalt, weswegen sich das Werk als der perfekte Eröffnungsfilm für das Festival entpuppte: Für die Premiere waren nicht nur die Stars nach Südfrankreich gereist, Anderson legte auch erneut einen kunstvollen, unterhaltsamen und zugleich tiefgründigen Film vor. In wunderbar komponierten und detailreichen Bildern erzählt er in “Moonrise Kingdom” von dem zwölfjährigen Pfadfinder Sam, der auf einer Insel vor der Küste Neuenglands mit seiner Freundin Suzy durchbrennt. Das ruft nicht nur Suzys Eltern (Murray und Frances McDormand) auf den Plan, sondern auch den Insel-Sheriff (Willis) und den Pfadfinderlager-Leiter (Norton).

Anderson (“Die Royal Tennenbaums”) verbindet dabei schräg-komische Einfälle mit einer liebevollen Charakterzeichnung. Die beiden Protagonisten sind eher Sonderlinge, Außenseiter, die in ihren eigenen Fantasiewelten leben und auch deswegen wie füreinander gemacht scheinen. Zusammen bilden sie eine starke Einheit, nicht nur gegen die besorgten Erwachsenen. “Moonrise Kingdom” wird so zu einem Plädoyer für Zusammenhalt, Freundschaft und kindliche Verspieltheit – und damit hoffentlich zum guten Omen für die kommenden Festivaltage.

Spekulationen um die Goldene Palme

Welchen Film die Jury dann am Pfingstsonntag mit der Goldenen Palme auszeichnen wird, wird sicher noch für einige Spekulationen sorgen. Auf was sie bei den 22 Werken im Wettbewerb achten wollen, verriet kaum eines der neun Jurymitglieder, auch nicht der Präsident Nanni Moretti. Die meisten – darunter “Star Wars”-Star Ewan McGregor – betonten unisono, offen und unvoreingenommen an die Filme herangehen zu wollen.

Die Deutsche Diane Kruger zum Beispiel, die in Cannes einst erste große Erfolge mit dem Historienepos “Troja” feierte, freute sich darauf, tagelang nur Filme gucken zu können und unter Filmliebhabern zu sein. Nur Designer Jean-Paul Gaultier gab ein bisschen mehr preis: “Ein Film muss mich berühren und bewegen, das ist wichtig. Ich hoffe, dass ich viele Emotionen und Überraschungen erlebe!”

Article source: http://www.stern.de/kultur/film/65-filmfestspiele-cannes-startet-mit-kruger-und-willis-1828598.html