Cannes Film Festival: Stellar style moments

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I have finally figured - going through the Cannes red carpet pictures and reading the movie reviews while indulging in guilt free (or so I have been made to believe) fro yo is the best way to survive the sweltering heat, reports of overgrown men in heat on both coasts of the US and the queen-prince tussle closer at home.

"The kid with a bike" and "Melancholia" have me very very excited (despite the Nazi ramble of the director). As has "Midnight in Paris" (but of course) - an ode to lovely, golden Paris soaked in nostalgia and romanticism of the yesteryears. Though not entirely novel it is still being hailed by critics as Mr Allen's best work in a long time. But let me not digress; here we talk only of the fabulous fashion on display. So as the greatest cinema carnival draws to an end lets look back with fondness and celebrate the stellar style moments.

Penelope Cruz -- Captain Sparrow's partner-in-piracy(!!) went from sexy in a blue-violet Stella McCartney at the photocall to mermaid romantic in Marchesa at the premiere. Her hair too went from straight, lustrous to sweet bangs. Oh the luxuries of having a hair stylist on beck and call round the clock!! I can get used to that. And yes did I forget to mention she is in hot shape; you would never know she has had a baby just a couple of months back. But one complain though -- where was your beautiful husband Senora? Allow us to feast on him from time to time. Gracias.

Angelina Jolie -- I re-reliazed just how stunning Ms Jolie is all over again. She was a vision (a tad uncharacteristically sweet by her standards-maybe because of the movie in question) in her beige Salvatore Ferragamo for the Kung Fu Panda photocall and then threw it out of the ball park in her stunning, chocolate coloured Atelier Versace gown. Unlike Penelope, she didn't forget her dishy arm candy at home and he perfectly complemented his lady love. They looked happier and even more in love than ever before. I am not ashamed to admit - I love Brangelina.

Fan Bing Bing -- The face of L'oreal and Hong Kong cinema and the lady with probably the maximum number of public appearances in the last one week continued and maybe even bettered her near-flawless red carpet run of last year. She kick-started the proceedings in a rich, red traditional attire and then went on to wow us in several Elie Saabs (these two make a perfect pair), a gorgeous lime coloured Oscar de la Renta (a first for her??) gown and a fuchsia pink LV at the amFAR's Cinema Against AIDS night. But her peak was at "The Artist" premiere for which she arrived in an Atelier Versace Spring 2011 gown. It fully embodied the unofficial Cannes dress code - Big Gown and Big Drama.

Uma Thurman -- One of the jurors this year was in knockout form donning a white Versace at the opening ceremony, multiple Chanels and Dolce & Gabbanas. Personally I dug her fierce, sultry, blue Roland Mouret look the most. And the lady manages to look statuesque even with so many models, current and former, around and that too in her signature flats. I am so green!!

The Others -- Bar Refaeli, Naomi Campbell, Karolina Kurkova, Brooke Shields and Rosario Dawson were there to represent the model fraternity and so quite predictably there were a lot of great legs being flaunted. I was bowled over by Naomi in her burgundy, tiered Azzedine Alaia and Refaeli in her midnight blue, silver embellished ,uber sexy Roberto Cavalli gown (Mr Di Caprio....are you aware of what you are missing out on??).

Sarah Jessica Parker made an appearance in a floral, voluminous Elie Saab gown which was very different from the usual red carpet fare and yet she carried it off with characteristic confidence.

And now let's focus on our girls....shall we?

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan -- Now what do I say ? Improvement over last year -- marginally, maybe. To be fair couldn't fault her choice of designers though -- loved both the one shouldered Elie Saab couture gown and the white and blue Armani Prive gown. But neither got me excited. After looking hard I think it has to be the hair and make up. The hair on the second day was way too severe for her face now that she is, how do I say this, not slender any more. And the make up.....too much bronzer, too many shades of eye shadow, lifeless lip colour. Come on Loreal -- I, for the life of me couldn't fathom why would you goof up this bad? After all the years that you have spent in this market don't tell me that your research team has not been able to develop make up to match the Indian skin tone?

Her saving grace was her casual, brown Lanvin photocall look. Fresh and lovely.

Sonam Kapoor I know the verdict is still divided on this but girl did me proud. Her Jean Paul Gaultier Couture gown was an extremely breathtaking (sans the net sleeve) and an extremely risky choice ( and that too on her first ever Cannes outing - kudos ) and she came this close to pulling it off with aplomb if only her L'oreal make up team had not let her down. What a shame!! Her white look from The Row, Resort 2011 at the Chopard event has not earned too many approvals but I am totally loving its fun, quirky vibe. Again for a first timer it takes courage to attempt something like that. But here the make up was even more horrid. They emptied the whole bronzer bottle and then added some orange lippie. No wonder Sonam had such a sad expression that whole evening.

Her appearance at the Roberto Cavalli boat party was very high glamour in a sequinned, nude Cavalli gown and Choo heels. I suspect the make up here was not handled by the L'oreal team and Sonam grabbed this opportunity and shone even amidst all the fashion A-listers. Well done!!

So Cannes 2011 mostly lived up to all the buzz and expectations. It is a show case of non stop fabulousity. Penelope Cruz sums it up beautifully when she says "It feels a little bit like being inside a Fellini movie". There is still some action left and if we notice something too-special-to-be-missed we will do a quick addition. Now I will just wait for at least few of the movies to hit the theatres here and the DVDs of the rest to hit the shelves.

Afternote: Film and glamour can never be estranged. And thankfully, the French have never had the rather Indian idea of "deglamourised" (whatever that means) actresses equating good actresses. But having said which it is a little in poor taste when actresses non grata like Candice Boucher and Mallika Sherawat (ahem ahem) strut their stuff on the red carpet of such a premiere festival. And what was that monstrosity Ms Boucher was wearing? Like they showed director Lars Von Trier the door this time then should have a similar policy towards bad taste and vulgarity (even if the French standards apply). By the way did you know Ms Boucher is going to star in a desi flick which is being directed by the same chap who directed Aap Ka Suroor? Besides being amused aren't you also a little upset that these guys get to go to Cannes and promote their movies when there are so many gifted, hard working writers and directors struggling to get their projects funded? C'est la Vie I guess.