Thursday, May 15, 2008

For all the glitz, Cannes is dazzled by an old hero

By Arifa Akbar, Arts Correspondent, in Cannes
The Indenpendent, Thursday, 15 May 2008

REUTERS/Vincent Kessler

Workmen prepare for the 'Indiana Jones' world premiere

There was arthouse philosophy and Hollywood glamour. There was Sean Penn, Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman. Even a troop of kicking kung-fu pandas got a look in. As the world's cinematic elite descended on Cannes yesterday, it was festival time again.

Actors, directors and critics turned out in style for the opening of this year's event, the 61st in its illustrious history, as a political and philosophical thriller from Fernando Meirelles became the first film to compete for the Golden Palm award.

Blindness, a dystopian epic about a world in which more and more people lose their sight, features Moore in the starring role and has been praised for its thoughtful and challenging portrayal of humanity spinning out of control.

But, for all its critical cachet, Meirelles and Moore failed to take centre stage. Despite the festival's reputation for showcasing the world's most innovative cinema, there was only one film anyone was talking about, and it starred the decidedly mainstream actor Harrison Ford...

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