A policewoman checks the trunk of the long BMW that advances towards the Palais des Festivals. The young woman, platinum blonde muse of a luxury brand, rolls up her window. We see him perfecting this minois which will be, throughout the fortnight, his business card. The arrival of cars near the "bunker" obeys precise rules. That of the spectators, too. The agents, on the red carpet, almost lose their nerves to make the 2500 people flock to the room.
Voices scream: Johnny Depp has arrived at the foot of the red carpet. Sketching a difficult smile, the American - who we almost hoped not to see disembark to feed his legend of hothead - lends himself for a long time to the game of dedications. The arrival of Pierre Richard on his right made him happy. A complicity is obviously born on the set of Jeanne du Barry. The tall blond kisses the ex-handsome brunette of Hollywood. We gladly glossed over the supposedly capricious attitude Johnny Depp on the set of the film, which opens the festival. Hand in hand with her Louis XV with an American accent, director Maïwenn puts an end to the rumors.
Brie Larson in tears
The team is, in any case, all to its "emotion" to present this feature film which takes place in Versailles. This is the term used by Chiara Mastroianni in her introductory speech. After the usual celebration of the "magic of cinema that allows access to freedom", the discreet but effective mistress of ceremonies of this 76th edition of the festival has indeed insisted on this "emotion", which makes all the euphoria of Cannes: that of the filmmakers who came to unveil, finally, their creation. That of viewers who only eagerly ask to discover them.
A few minutes later, jury president Ruben Östlund received a standing ovation that earned him his two Palmes d'Or, but also that grinding irony about the modern world for which we are grateful. In his speech, he falls with short arms on these phones that alienate us and on short formats, which distract us from the room. Tik Tok, partner of the festival since 2022, will appreciate. British singer Gabriels is coming on stage soon. His Stand By Me moves the actress Brie Larson, member of the jury, who lets out American tears. Ruben Östlund seems much less affected. Their deliberations promise to be eventful.
A thought for Ukraine
Michael Douglas introduced himself. The most sympathetic villain of Hollywood received, a year after Forest Whitaker, a Palme d'Or of Honor. His career is rewound on screen in an ideal demo tape. We should give a palm to the editors who make these great videos every year. The 76-year-old actor evokes, among other memories, dinners between Frank Sinatra, Gregory Peck and his father, Kirk. This giant father who took up so much space, and of whom he speaks today with almost timid tenderness. "If I had known how well you would be known, I would have been nicer to you when you were little," the hero of Paths of Glory told him. With a smile? History does not tell.
Another famous filiation of cinema, Chiara Mastroianni welcomes, to close the ceremony, Catherine Deneuve, her mother. The great actress does not seem to pay attention to the festival poster, above the stage, which shows her fifty years earlier. As a tribute to Ukraine, she read a poem by Lessia Ukrainka, who nostalgically extolled the mounds and plains of her country in the nineteenth century. A technical problem prevented viewers from fully enjoying it. The festival seems to feel guilty for being a place of celebration. He did not push the flogging to the point of giving a platform to the CGT, which would have asked only for this. Leaving this ceremony, we think back to Chiara Mastroianni first steps on stage, singing Luigi Tenco. In one minute, the actress had won the votes. So it takes almost nothing: to be half Italian...
