UGB Chapter 183 Cannes Film Festival Opening
Chapter 183 Cannes Film Festival Opening
The opening gala of the Cannes Film Festival officially began at 5:30 p.m. on May 16.
In Europe's three major events, the opening red carpet is usually more glamorous than the closing red carpet.
Compared to the Berlin Film Festival that Fu Yibai attended before, the opening ceremony of this Cannes Film Festival was a star-studded affair, far surpassing the brilliance of Berlin.
Thousands of media outlets and numerous movie fans had already gathered on both sides of the red carpet.
The intense flashing of the cameras almost turned the evening sky into daylight.
When Fu Yibai walked the red carpet with Leonardo DiCaprio and Margaret, it instantly ignited the atmosphere.
Leonardo DiCaprio's global superstar aura attracted countless cameras, while Fu Yibai, as an Eastern director who has rapidly risen in the international film scene in recent years, also received much attention.
Dressed in a well-tailored black tuxedo, he walked with ease, maintaining a humble yet confident smile amidst the cheers and camera shutters on both sides.
After the red carpet event, everyone entered the main venue of the film festival.
The opening film was Wong Kar-wai's "My Blueberry Nights," marking the first time in 60 years that a film by a Chinese director had been chosen as the opening film at Cannes, making it a truly significant event.
The atmosphere was even more relaxed and lively at the opening banquet that evening.
Fu Yibai met the chairman of this year's jury, the famous British director Stephen Frears.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Mr. Freys humorously remarked that he had heard of the extremely high praise "The Hunt" had received during its internal screenings and looked forward to the experience at the official screening.
Fu Yibai responded tactfully, thanking the film festival for the invitation and expressing his appreciation for the exchange of film art.
The following day, the official press conference and media photo session for "The Hunt" were held in the side hall of the Palais des Festivals.
The scene was packed with reporters from all over the world, their cameras and microphones aimed at the creative team.
The main issues focus on the film's thematic depth, Leonardo DiCaprio's transition challenges, and Fu Yibai's cross-cultural perspective as a Chinese director helming a Western subject.
Fu Yibai's answer was calm and insightful. He emphasized that "The Hunt" explores the universal dilemma of human nature under extreme pressure, transcending regional and cultural boundaries.
Leonardo DiCaprio also shared his feelings about working with director Fu, praising his precise directing skills for inspiring an unprecedented level of performance in him.
After the media session, the team rushed to the first official screening of "The Hunt".
The Lumière Hall, which can hold a thousand people, was packed. The lights dimmed, the screen lit up, and a tense and suspenseful narrative gradually unfolded.
During the screening, the room was completely silent, and the audience was completely drawn into the story.
When the film ended and the credits rolled, the audience was silent for a moment, then erupted in enthusiastic and sustained applause.
This applause was not merely a formality, but rather a heartfelt expression of awe and admiration.
In the media review section following the premiere, "The Hunt" received an astonishing score of 3.7 out of 4, temporarily ranking first among the main competition films that have been shown.
International film critics have praised the film with terms such as "masterpiece", "soul-stirring", and "strong contender for best film of the year".
In the days that followed, the word-of-mouth for "The Hunt" continued to grow, sparking in-depth discussions among professional film critics and generating a spontaneous wave of recommendations among viewers.
Isabella's team struck while the iron was hot, carefully arranging several in-depth conversations with key film critics and selectors, and having the main creators participate in several masterclasses to further enhance the film's artistic impact.
At the same time, Leonardo's performance is widely regarded as the pinnacle of his career, completely shedding the stereotype of an "idol" and showcasing a chillingly complex portrayal of human nature.
With the film festival halfway through, the competition has become fierce.
Despite the popularity of "The Hunt," several other works by European masters that followed were equally impressive, with the festival's daily ratings neck and neck, creating suspense.
On May 20th, Fu Yibai walked out of the screening room of "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days", still immersed in the cold and profound cinematic world of Romanian director Cristian Mungina.
The film's profound questions about life and the system put him under immense pressure.
This was the first film he saw at the festival that truly posed a threat to him.
The following day, Fu Yibai was seen more often in the screening rooms of other competition films.
He carefully observed each of the works that sparked heated discussions.
During this time, he ran into Jiang Wen a few more times. The two often exchanged brief thoughts at the coffee shop. Although they were rivals, they felt a deep sense of mutual respect and friendship.
"There's not much hope for my film this time."
Jiang Wen took a sip of coffee, shook his head with a wry smile.
"Foreigners don't understand my rustic fantasy; the program only gave it a 2.1 rating. But you..."
He patted Fu Yibai on the shoulder, his eyes shining.
"The momentum is very strong, I think it has potential."
If it really works out, you'll have to treat us to a meal when we go back to China.
On May 23, the film festival entered its final sprint.
All films in the main competition have been screened. On the festival's daily ratings, "The Hunt" holds the top spot with a score of 3.6, but Mungiu's "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days" is close behind with a score of 3.2.