American cinema veteran Jane Fonda and Chinese star Gong Li opened the 79th Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday in front of a celebrity-studded audience on the French Riviera. Fonda hailed cinema’s role as ‘an act of resistance’ at the end of a ceremony that also saw ‘The Lord of the Rings’ director Peter Jackson receive an honorary Palme d’Or award for his career.
Cinema as Resistance
‘I believe in the power of voices, voices on the screen, voices off the screen, and definitely voices on the street, especially now,’ said Fonda, a vocal critic of US President Donald Trump and long-standing campaigner, to loud applause. ‘I believe that cinema has always been an act of resistance because we tell the stories… stories that bring empathy to the marginalised, stories that allow us to feel across difference, stories that let us see that there is an alternative future that is possible,’ she said.
Jackson was presented with his award by American actor Elijah Wood, who recounted how his life had ‘been divided into before and after’ the moment he was cast as the hero Frodo Baggins in ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy aged just 18. Jackson, 64, was typically self-deprecating as he spoke on stage, saying it was a ‘stunning surprise, miraculous… I am not a Palme d’Or sort of guy.’ According to the Palme d’Or Wikipedia page, this award is considered one of the most prestigious in the film industry.
Notable Attendees
Other notable attendees at the ceremony included US actress and producer Demi Moore, who is a member of the jury, and South Korean director, screenwriter, and producer Park Chan-wook, who is the president of the jury. The ceremony also featured a screening of the film ‘La Venus electrique’ (‘The Electric Kiss’).
Some of the key themes that emerged during the ceremony included the importance of storytelling, the power of cinema to bring people together, and the need for greater diversity and representation in the film industry. As the festival continues, it will be interesting to see how these themes are explored in more depth. Here are some key facts about the Cannes Film Festival:
- The Cannes Film Festival is one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world.
- It was founded in 1946 and is held annually in Cannes, France.
- The festival features a range of films, including feature films, short films, and documentaries.
- The Palme d’Or is the festival’s top award, and is considered one of the most prestigious awards in the film industry.
For more information about the Cannes Film Festival, visit the official festival website.</p)
