The surprise appearance of the face of the Ukrainian president, in fatigues, on the screen of the Palais des Festivals, was followed by a long ovation by the gratin of world cinema, gathered for the opening ceremony of a festival which promised that the war would be “on everyone’s mind”.
“We will continue to fight, we have no other choice (…) I am convinced that the ‘dictator’ will lose”, continued Volodymyr Zelensky, in reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin and the film of Charlie Chaplin, whom he quoted several times.
In Ukraine, “hundreds of people die every day. They are not going to get up following the end clap. (…) Will the cinema be silent, or will it talk regarding it? If there is a dictator, if there is a war for freedom, once more, everything depends on our unity. So, can cinema remain outside of this unity? it still launched.
Long political history
This intervention writes a new page in the long political history of the Festival, founded in 1939 to oppose the Venice Film Festival of fascist Italy, but whose first edition, due to world war, might only be held in 1946.
“The Festival has never ceased to welcome, protect and bring together the greatest filmmakers of their time”, underlined before the president of the jury, Vincent Lindon, recalling the “artistic and civic line” of this world event. “Can we do anything other than use cinema, this weapon of massive emotion, to awaken consciences and shake up indifference? I can’t imagine it!”, he said.
In addition to the banishment of official Russian delegations, announced following the invasion, the official selection also bears the shadow of war this year. Starting with the film which will open the competition on Wednesday, “Tchaikovsky’s wife”, by Russian dissident Kirill Serebrennikov. Seeing this filmmaker, selected three times, for the first time on the steps will be a strong symbol.
Later in the festival will also be shown the films of the Ukrainians Sergei Loznitsa or Maksim Nakonechnyi, as well as the last film of the Lithuanian director Mantas Kvedaravicius, killed at the beginning of April in Ukraine, “Mariupolis 2”.
Several Swiss films, including one by French-speaking filmmaker Lionel Baier, will also be there.
Forest Whitaker honoré
Despite the context, at Cannes, “the show must go on”: actors Julianne Moore, who plays in Jesse Eisenberg’s directorial debut (“The Social Network”) and Forest Whitaker ensured the glamorous quota, the latter receiving an honorary Palme d’Or for his career.
At 60, the actor with a career marked by an Oscar for his interpretation of Amin Dada, the Ugandan dictator, in “The Last King of Scotland” (2007), or his role as a killer with Jim Jarmusch in “Ghost Dog” (1999), is a regular on the Croisette, where he won an interpretation prize in 1988 for “Bird” by Clint Eastwood.
This prize “changed my life, it allowed me to be recognized as an artist and to be respected as an actor all around the world. I was really a kid at the time [26 ans], insofar as I was not used to interviews and I did not know what to answer. I remember that the day before the awards ceremony, I was in my room in Cannes with my brother and he said to me: ‘Imagine it’s you tomorrow’. I said, ‘Are you serious?'” he recalled.
Outlet
The atmosphere then changed radically, with the opening screening of “Cut!”, by Michel Hazanavicius, a crazy parody of zombie films and a declaration of love for all films – even the most failed ones.
The film, which is released simultaneously in theaters, must act as an outlet for a world of cinema which is trying to recover from the pandemic: “Cut!” “is joyful, it highlights the people of the cinema, and I hope it makes you want to do it,” the French director told AFP, “very happy” to return to Cannes as the opening.
