Cannes Diary, Day 3: rushing home

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Friday, May 16, 2008

Alan Robert's Hotel, 10.10 pm:

Today was my third day at Cannes. Also my last. A personal emergency back home. I have an early morning flight out on Friday. I will miss watching films-I can't believe I only saw one this time. I will miss gazing at the stars of the new Indiana Jones movie as they make their way up the red carpet on Sunday and head into the Palais for their premiere. I will miss the opportunity of meeting Madonna when she's here next week with her documentary I Am Because We Are. I will miss so much about Cannes. But I know if I don't go back, I'll regret it. It's the most important decision I will have made recently. And one I know I will be proud of.

After a long night standing on my toes so I could crane my neck above the hundreds of popping flashbulbs and gawk at the lovely ladies at the Chopard photocall (most of them I have to admit I didn't even know-I could only identify three: the brilliant actress Juliette Lewis who's made a career out of playing dysfunctional parts, the stunning Cate Blanchett, and 'our girl' Preity Zinta). The others were lovely little starlets with strange names like Bar Rafaeli (who I later learnt is Leo diCaprio's current squeeze) and AFEF (still have no clue who she is or what that name stands for), but I had a one-point agenda: Preity Zinta.

Photocall done and about forty minutes of waiting later, Preity excused herself from the Chopard event and happily agreed to an interview. It was short and sweet. Much like Preity herself.

It was too late by the time we were done. No restaurants were open. Thank God for McDonalds.

Today we spent shooting links. Lots and lots of them.

Kung Fu Panda had its world premiere today and the red-carpet was quite the sight. There was Jack Black doing his thing, ever the funny fellow. There was Dustin Hoffman (his poker face still intact), there was Lucy Liu (glowing), and then there was Angelina Jolie. Very pregnant, and very radiant. Luminous. Yes, that's the word I was looking for -- luminous. In a green dress, sporting a big smile, her partner Brad Pitt by her side, she was positively STUNNING.

I'm not a big fan of Angelina Jolie. I think she's a limited actress, and she was rather cutting in an interview I did with her last year at Cannes when she was promoting A Mighty Heart. She's not someone I'd be terribly keen on interviewing again, she makes boring copy. But man, she was stunning.

I discovered last night while at the Chopard event that the paps (the paparazzi) refer to Angelina Jolie as "Rubber Lips". They don't call her by her name at all. "Rubber Lips" is the word apparently. Hilarious, I thought and so did Karma and we couldn't stop laughing every time we heard someone use the name!

And thus ends my short and sweet visit to Cannes.

I know I promised a week of blog entries, but next year perhaps. I'm coming back to Cannes next year. For sure.

Wouldn't miss it for the world. Perhaps I'll stay two weeks next time. To make up for this touch-and-go visit.

Good night, I have to pack now.