Oh, Bollywood! The Indian film industry is definitely showing off its presence in Cannes. And why shouldn't it? After all, it is the largest entertainment industry in the world! Today I visited the Indian pavilion. A nice space but it is quite small and bare, not doing justice to the powerhouse that the Indian entertainment industry is. The pavilion does light up, however, with parties and receptions.

Left: The royal couple of Bollywood, Abhishek and Aishwariya Rai Bachchan.

Before attending the many scheduled events sponsored by the Bollywood fraternity, I began my day watching "A Proper Violence." The story of a husband and brother-in-law plotting to kill their wife and sister's rapist . I must say watching the film was like being on an emotional roller coaster, as you navigated through the suspenseful plot. I spoke with the director Chris Faulisi from Albany County, NY, who was just an intern at Cannes last year. It looks like Cannes opens up a lot of doors for youngsters who are interested in pursuing a career in cinema. I absolutely love it!

Continue reading →

Crowded with festivalgoers, Cannes is full of noise and excitement. It is everything I expected it to be. I watch as diverse groups of people fill the streets and lobbies. I look into the kaleidoscope of cultures as the sounds of at least 100 different languages fill the air.

The ordinarily drab looking Palais des Festivals comes to life amid scantily dressed starlets and flashing paparazzi bulbs. However, in the midst of the glamour, some exhibit a down-to-business attitude that I had not expected.

Continue reading →

CANNES, France -- There are two species of journalists at Cannes, described by the festival as critics or chroniclers. The critics review the films. The chroniclers write the gossip, review the fashions, attend the press conferences and pray for scandal. One year, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren (remember them?) got in a pushing match on the steps of the Palais, and the chroniclers dined out for a week. The critics, however, savor moments of quieter savagery, as when Dogma founder Lars von Trier didn't win the top prize from a jury headed by Roman Polanski, and accepted his lesser award ''with no thanks to the midget.''

Continue reading →