Behind the Scenes by Devanshi Mody
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Chateau de la Tour
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The show must go on. But on a more sensational scale this year, in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Cannes Film Festival.
The rich and famous get off their private jets and on to their private yachts. But if you don’t own one, it’s a good idea to book a room (six months in advance) at the Martinez, Carlton or Majestic Barriere. The triumvirate of ultra luxury hotels lines La Croisette, where all the action takes place. This famous beach stretch leading up to the Palais du Festival metamorphoses into an albino caterpillar during the festival when white marquees dot the entire contour of the seashore.
60 years of the Cannes Film Festival invites a retrospective look at the magical moments and the madness that have made this festival so special. In recent times, it’s been more madness than anything else. The Cannes Film Festival is purportedly about films. About releasing blockbusters, marketing new films, re-viewing classics. Actually, it’s a bit of films and lots of frivolity. Throngs convene annually for the glamour, glitter, celebrity-spotting and yes, partying… A typical day in Cannes goes: breakfast party, lunch party, cocktail party, dinner party, after premier party, after-after party…
Indeed, the Cannes Film Festival is a never-ending party.
And it’s no secret that this is what lures people. At this most glamorous of film festivals, with its notoriously extravagant celebrity parties, graced by the Who’s Who of film, fashion, music, royals, tycoons and socialites films have become somewhat incidental. Last year’s curtain raiser, the over-hyped Da Vinci Code, illustrates the point in question. Amongst those with passes to the premier, there weren’t a few happy to part with them- for a price. But takers were limited as most busied themselves frantically trying to procure passes for the even more hyped after premier party held in a specially constructed pyramid. Hundreds tried “crashing” the high security party. And were pursued by police dogs ready to rip them apart.
Yes, people risk life and limb to crash VIP parties in Cannes. I discovered that a significant number of guests at the most “exclusive” Cannes parties are- em, uninvited. Several different groups of gatecrashers operate (including those of minor royals, aristocrats, socialites and bankers) in various and wonderful ways. They evidently take their gate crashing very seriously... have even perfected it to an art. Indeed, Cannes is notorious for “professional” gatecrashers who systematically and compulsively insinuate themselves at every celebrity party. The intriguing and excessive measures employed by these professional gatecrashers ever transport one to fresh dimensions of wonder and delight. Such antics are now considered an indispensable and massively entertaining aspect of the Cannes Film Festival. If you’re prepared to burrow holes in the sand, you could be sipping champagne with George Lucas at his beach party.
But this won’t do if there’s a more exclusive party with bigger stars elsewhere. The hierarchy of exclusivity of parties goes: beach, ballroom, yacht, villa party. If you manage to fake press badges and turn up with camera crew et al, you can even crash a party like Bruce Willis’s last year, which was held in the breathtaking hilltop Villa Babylone with its terraced gardens cascading down the cliff and its gorgeous panoramic view of the sea. It isn’t certain that the star showed up... No matter. NEVER miss a villa party! Or the opportunity to crash one, apparently.
The one party you cannot crash is Canne’s most spectacular party, a paradigm for parties, the de Grisogono Gala at Hotel du Cap’s legendary Eden Roc. The setting is splendid: the hotel terrace perched on the sea. This is the party for which annually stars, models, musicians, designers, princesses, dukes, duchesses, countesses etc etc. turn up for a sumptuous supper followed by a fantastic fireworks display. Guests stay on to waltz, jive, disco, samba until the champagne runs out at about 5.00.
Whilst gatecrashers want to crash in, sponsors want to cash in on parties. Indeed, the more amusing truth about premiers and parties is that they are publicity stunts by the sponsors of the festival costing € 20 million. Last year, many French film stars were heard clamouring that this Festival was no longer about films, but about the corporate sponsors… If it’s a problem that glamorous stars are paid to mount the red carpet in jewellery designed by one of the chief sponsors, it’s a bigger problem when producers accept money to get their film stars to wear the jewellery and the stars refuse to do so… The worse case scenario was when French actress Juliette Binoche turned up for the premier of “Paris Je T’Aime,” saw sponsor Chopard’s banners splashed unabashedly around and sighed, “Pas encore Chopard,” (“Oh no, not Chopard again,”), much to the chagrin of the president of the company who was standing there.
Whatever the internal politics, go to the annual Chopard party one must. This is when the Trophée Chopard is awarded to the best newcomers amidst a magical fusion of fantasy and extravagance. Last year there was drama too, what with Elton John’s savage verbal attack of paparazzi photographers who infiltrated the party. More sensation ensued when the new Chopard collection was presented. “What superb jewellery!” gasped a guest. One is surprised that anybody noticed the jewellery as everyone else was focused on the barely-clad models… Sparkling was the theme. Scintillating were the celebs… Lacklustre was the food. Suchi and sandwiches. Guests grumbled. You’d be surprised at how many solitaire-adorned fingers fought over the swiftly dissipating supply of sushi… Never mind the dearth of dinner chez Chopard. There’s always Breakfast at Tiffany’s!
Ze beautiful people don’t eat dahlin? Think again. Celebs and canapés can’t satiate empty stomachs, explaining the massive turnouts at parties like the Dubai, South Africa and India parties, which annually present a cornucopia of delectable goodies. Feast first. Then hit hip parties like Valentino, D&G, MTV, Playboy etc.
One hobnobs for a fortnight at premiers, ultra exclusive parties, fashion and jewellery launches etc with Liz Hurley, Sharon Stone, Pennelope Cruz, Salma Hyak, Naomi Campbell, Sophie Marceau, Scarlett Johansson, Paris Hilton, Aishwarya Rai (fondly referred to as “Miss Monde” and declared the most beautiful woman in Cannes). One is exposed to what goes on behind the scenes, including whimsical stars “making a scene.”
Ah, the things one seas and hears in Cannes… Paris Hilton ran out of shampoo. She wanted some ASAP. The shops were shut. Commotion. Couldn’t she use hotel shampoo??!!! Absolutely not! Someone wailed, “Since that girl arrived in Cannes, I haven’t had a spare minute- not even for lunch. These stars are such selfish, self-obsessed people.”
Someone else mourned he couldn’t use the hotel staircase as super model Eva Herzegova was “hogging it,” eliciting the remark, “She does that every year.”
When you’re stuck in a hotel lift, it’s your opportunity to get up close and personal with the likes of Francis Ford Coppola and you realise he isn’t very personal, nor is Catherine Deneuve who regularly throws a tantrum all the way from her room to the limo conveying her to the Palais du Festival, but when she emerges from the limo to mount the red carpet, she’s beaming and photo captions read, “The ever smiling Catherine Deneuve.”
Sir Ian Mc Kellen revealed his taste when he took along a young boy for a jaunt and a joint on the beach.
But the fun thing about the Cannes Film Festival is that this is one of the few opportunities when you get to see Paris Hilton, who can’t party enough, being refused entry at the Vanity Fair party without an invite or being expelled from tycoon Paul Allen’s yacht for inebriated shenanigans (Ha Ha). She caused further sensation when she mysteriously disappeared from her own party amidst speculation that her false hair was falling off. Guests discussed the twirled bit plonked on the top of her head that was a different blond from the rest… Paris re-emerged and sat around sporting an expression saying, “I’m so rich and so bored and don’t know what I’m doing at my own party.” I too was bored and knew not what I was doing at her party.
Clearly, not every party is worth going to. But party on one must…
The 60th anniversary of the Cannes Film Festival promises even more decadent VIP parties. But there’s more to Cannes than stars and parties. Indeed, skip a party to nip for supper at Vesuvio, where the jet set lands and Arabian royals descend from their hilltop villas for the world’s best pizzas. The manager of 30 years reminisces serving 4 generations of Jordanian royals at this rumbustious brasserie-style pizzeria. Felix, another celebrity hotspot, is La Croisette’s trendiest restaurant. Exquisite ambiance. Beautiful people. Gorgeous food. Divine deserts. Cuisine doesn’t get more adventurous or more imaginatively presented than at Palm d’Or. The legendary Michelin-starred restaurant named after the festival trophy, is a Must-Do. whilst Relish Chef Sincropi’s innovations which come hanging from a porcelain swing, encased in an ornate box, flowering from a tree... You’re sure to spot a celebrity at this stylish Art Deco restaurant overlooking the bay. Beats camping outside Le Martinez, waiting for stars to emerge!