Jane Clark - Cannes Journal
Day 4

Jane Clark is writing a Daily Cannes Journel from the Cannes Film Festival

DAY 4

It was a busy one. That’s good. That’s what I am here for. I had a meeting with a company called Freshline, to talk about acting as a service agency in Paris for three days of shooting on one of my project. We met at the Carlton Beach Restaurant and sat out on the beach and talked. How many people get to take a meeting on a beach? And it is, again, an absolutely picture perfect day, sun shining/breeze blowing.

After we wrapped up I went to the American Pavillion to write. I sat at a table with a woman and man. The woman was British (even though it is ostensibly for Americans the American Pavillion has a lot of members from other countries.) Anyway, she was bitching at the college student waitress about the size and cost of her coke. I told her the poor girl really wasn’t the person to be bitching at. She should be speaking to the manager of the place. My comment started her on a slam fest of American film and American Filmmakers/producers and the poor service and bad food in our tent, and our cheapness, greed and self-involvement. The man at the table tried to smooth things over and I went with it hoping to end the tirade before I really started getting angry. There are many things about America that aren’t perfect, I agree, but we don’t have the monopoly on shitty behavior, nasty people and bad food (on that score, she’s a little bit like the Brit calling the kettle black.) Further, if she hates America and the American movie business so much, why did she pay the $50 to be a member of the American Pavillion when the European Pavilions are free?

Meanwhile, Mr. Assuager introduces himself. He is Greek and lives in Athens and is a producer, but also runs the film festival in that town. I take the opportunity pick his brain on material, because I have promised my program director from The Woods Hole Film Festival, that I will return with two good comedies for our festival in August. In response, the woman I was just in a heated argument with says, “I have a comedy!” and promptly pulls out a flyer. It turns out to be a British comedy, directed by Oliver Parker (“The Importance of Being Earnest,” “The Ideal Husband”.) He has little bit of a pedigree, and Neve Campbell is one of the ensemble of five women in the film. Well, I couldn’t pass that up. So she gave me the dvd to review. Then she tells me about this really cool doc she has about a British band, and Kiefer Sutherland is their roadie, and maybe just maybe she can get Kiefer to come to the festival. I’m thinking this is a great idea, not only because it would be good for business, but on a very personal and selfish, greedy American level, I had a huge crush on Kiefer growing up and think he is a dreamboat and would love to have him attend, if only to gaze on him in the flesh. So out of this really dysfunctional beginning emerged this positive business exchange. I watched the comedy this morning. It’s really cute, has some laugh out loud moments, and I cried in the end. What more could you ask for in a film. Later today I will go to the Carlton, return the film, meet the director and on behalf of the Woods Hole Film Festival, invite them to screen.

In the evening we headed to a private party on a yacht, thrown by Kodak. I had a great discussion with the woman who handles the marketing. Kodak is actively looking to recruit young filmmakers to shoot on film and have all sorts of classes and incentives to offer. If you want to shoot film, but think you can’t afford it, contact them and ask them how to make the leap affordable.

We finished the evening at a larger Kodak party – a pre party for the U2/3D doc that was premiering that night at 12:30 am. Bono, (oh yeah and the rest of the band) was supposed to show, so the place was packed with people - agents, producers, filmmakers, actors - you name it, all hoping for a handshake or glimpse. We hung out until about 11;30, but figured at that point they would have shown if they were going to because at midnight exactly they were supposed to come out on the palais steps and play a couple of songs. So we went home, tired, but with an eventful day behind us and a new one waiting ahead.

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