Friday 16th May

I find myself wondering if I am I slipping into a routine for the first screening of the day here, as it’s back to Salle Debussy this morning for an hour and a half queue to get in and watch Mathieu Amalric’s LA CHAMBRE BLEUE. I found it to be a very engaging thriller, smattered with a dashing of romance to act as the catalyst for a rather unfortunate event. Adapted from Georges Simenon’s 1963 novel, the film left me guessing right up till the credits rolled as to who-dunnit.

The ten-foot tall portrait-aspect posters that line the riviera this morning are certainly striking – Amalric’s eyes, in pastely grey tones, follow you wherever you walk. Yes, I know Mathieu, I’m leaving your film now. I’m going to watch something else. No, I’m not cheating on you… just like you did to your wife (uh uh ohhhh *clicks fingers*). Anyhow, I digress :p

 “Oh god, was this queuing all for nothing?!”

It was down again into the short film basement after LA CHAMBRE BLEUE as I had an hour and a bit to spare before heading out to watch my next feature film of the day. I stuck with UK shorts yesterday, so today I am travelling across the North Sea and having a gander at the output from our Scandinavian friends. Again, following a similar pattern as yesterday, I watch four films, three of which do nothing for me (one came very close, but then a denouement involving a friend stabbing his best mate with what looked like a butter knife covered in ketchup… sorry, blood… put me right off). The short film VOID, however, being shown in the Nordic Factory category, impressed me. Set aboard a night ferry, it stars Lars Mikkelsen (the big bad guy in the last series of Sherlock) as passenger who propositions another traveller who’s not really in the mood at 2am. It’s tense, beautifully shot, and reaffirms my appreciation of this great Danish actor.

With my short films viewed for the day, I stroll along the beachfront towards Theatre Croisette, a 500-seater cinema where the films in Director’s Fortnight are being held. The premiere of PRIDE will be screened here on Friday, which I am gutted to miss. Hoping now that either Edinburgh or Cambridge Film Festival are able to pick it up for a special screening. I have given myself two hours to queue in very sunny conditions for a film called GIRLHOOD by Celine Sciamma, director of TOMBOY. I loved TOMBOY, and have heard nothing but good things about GIRLHOOD so far. Well, two hours later as the queue (in which I am fairly well placed) grinds to a halt just outside the cinema entrance, I have my first moment of “Oh god, was this queuing all for nothing?!” Press are allowed in, ticketed members of the public walk by, but the accredited festival badges holders queue is going nowhere. The screen is about a quarter the size of the other cinemas I have been going to, and it’s conceivable that everyone has been let in already and that I’m just goi… oh no, we’re being let in. It’s all fine. Just a mild case of queue paranoia!

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_Xx0Hm8puY

GIRLHOOD turns into my favourite film of the festival so far. Featuring four teenage girls that are seriously good at acting, in a coming-of-age story that had me mesmerised. They play characters growing up in the Projects, the visually stunning high-rise 1950’s and 1960’s apartment blocks in metropolitan France. Although there are signs of faded glory and social deprivation all around, the young actresses are so sparky and full of life that every scene feels vibrant and raring to go. There’s hardship, but there’s also great humour (the whole audience was roaring with laughter at the crazy golf scene). The soundtrack should be mentioned too- an operatic synth masterpiece that sounds like it has fallen from the same hymn book as M83. I left the screening with a massive smile on my face – full of energy, full of life, and full of praise for this wonderful new film bursting to the seams with quality acting talent and a director who really knows what she’s doing.

Later on in the evening, I meet up with my new TGV-travelling, journalist friend Falila. Despite having a cold, she is bubbly, jovial, and so enthusiastic about a film called AMOUR FOU that I go along with her to see it at 10pm in Salle Debussy. The cast and crew are in attendance, as well as three Ministers of Culture from countries around Europe. The film is billed as an Austrian period romcom, set in the early 1800s, about a suicidal poet who tries to convince his cousin to commit suicide with him. So far, so good. However, I’m sorry to say, I couldn’t keep my eyes open, and fell fast asleep. Falila later said to me that she wasn’t sure what was more funny: the film, or the sight of me slowly slumping down in my comfortable chair to the land of nod. I think I was probably funnier. Those members of the audience that stayed in the screening evidently disagreed, as their applause woke me up. You live and you learn, eh.

 

Tomorrow looks set to be a long day, with my first screening at 11.30am, and my last at half past midnight. But you know what, I flipping love it! It’s Cannes Film Festival! And I’m so very lucky to be here watching all these films :)X