Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They
AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e
BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German
Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who
By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an
My Profile
Top News
Reuters top ten news stories delivered to your inbox each day.
Subscribe
You are here:
Home
>
News
>
Entertainment
>
Article
Home
Business & Finance
News
U.S.
Politics
International
Technology
Entertainment
Film
Music
People
Television
Arts
Industry
Sports
Lifestyle
Oddly Enough
Health
Science
Special Coverage
Video
Pictures
Your View
The Great Debate
Blogs
Weather
Reader Feedback
Do More With Reuters
RSS
Widgets
Mobile
Podcasts
Newsletters
Your View
Make Reuters My Homepage
Partner Services
CareerBuilder
Affiliate Network
Professional Products
Support (Customer Zone)
Reuters Media
Financial Products
About Thomson Reuters
Economic woes weigh as Cannes film festival opens
Tue May 12, 2009 7:48am EDT
Email | Print |
Share
| Reprints | Single Page
[-]
Text
[+]
By Michael Davidson
CANNES, France (Reuters) - The Cannes film festival opens on Wednesday with 3D animation comedy "Up," but with studios cutting back due to the recession the "feel good" factor at the famously extravagant cinema showcase may quickly fade.
Vanity Fair's exclusive party has been canceled, luxury yachts moored at the picturesque harbor remain unchartered and movie executives are sounding a note of caution on the eve of the world's biggest film festival.
"Like every business now, we really have to be very careful," said Michael Barker, co-president of Sony Pictures Classics. "Everyone has concerns," he added, before noting that deals would still be made.
The opening ceremony, underlining 3D's growing importance, kicks off 12 days of screenings, interviews, red carpets and late-night revelry in the palm-lined resort, which attracts many of the most glamorous and powerful figures in the business.
Brad Pitt is expected in Cannes with Quentin Tarantino's World War Two drama "Inglourious Basterds," one of 20 films showing in the main competition and vying for the coveted Palme d'Or for best picture when Cannes winds up on May 24.
The competition also includes by Pedro Almodovar's "Broken Embraces" starring Penelope Cruz, Ken Loach's "Looking for Eric" featuring former French soccer star Eric Cantona and Lars von Trier's horror "Antichrist."
Jane Campion, who won the Palme d'Or with "The Piano" in 1993, brings "Bright Star" based on the romance between 19th century poet John Keats and Fanny Brawne.
LEDGER'S FINAL ROLE
Other highlights include Ang Lee's "Taking Woodstock" about the rock festival and Lou Ye's "Spring Fever," made in defiance of a five-year ban from film making imposed by China for his previous movie "Summer Palace," also in Cannes.
Out of competition, Terry Gilliam has arguably the biggest movie in Cannes. "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" is the late Australian actor Heath Ledger's final screen role, which had to be completed by Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law.
Hundreds more movies are shown outside the main competition, many of them on the market which runs throughout the festival and reinforces Cannes' importance in the world of cinema.
The deal making will go on, as will the parties, but market players expect the mood to be more subdued than recent years.
On the plus side, Hollywood studios are enjoying a bumper box office in 2009 despite the global recession and the dollar's relative strength will boost purchasing power.
But the prospect of a protracted credit crunch, added to slowing DVD sales and depressed advertising will cast a shadow over Cannes, both its business and pleasure.
There is also less of a big studio presence this year, with Hollywood choosing to launch its summer blockbusters elsewhere. Continued...
View article on single page
Share:
Del.icio.us
Digg
Mixx
Yahoo!
Facebook
LinkedIn
Next Article:
Alternate Miss California named as Prejean awaits fate
also on reuters
Blog: “Insult to injury” for retailers
Destination weddings see growth despite recession
Video
Video: For Sale: The Berlin Wall 20 years after the fall
More Entertainment News
Alternate Miss California named as Prejean awaits fate
"Star Trek" weekend box office nudged higher
Singer Yusuf Islam plays first U.S. show in 33 years
"Titanic" stars donate to final survivor
Gaudy and glitzy, Moscow hosts Eurovision contest
More Entertainment News...
Related News
"Oldboy" director brings new-look vampire to Cannes
7:47am EDT
Film executives cast hopeful eye on Cannes market
7:47am EDT
FACTBOX: Films in main competition at Cannes festival
4:49am EDT
FACTBOX: Cannes film festival
5:12am EDT
Editor's Choice
Slideshow
A selection of our best photos from the past 24 hours. Slideshow
Most Popular on Reuters
Articles
Video
Hands on: Windows XP Mode works -- but is it worth the trouble?
Toilet snake attack: urban legend comes true?
Pakistan soldiers swoop on Taliban stronghold | Video
California shortfall $21.3 billion if measures fail
HEADLINE STOCKS-U.S. stocks to watch on Tuesday
"Star Trek" weekend box office nudged higher
KFC cancels free chicken deal after Oprah promo
Could Android explode?
New virus could still mutate, spark pandemic: WHO
Accused Nazi guard arrives in Germany to face charges | Video
Most Popular Articles RSS Feed
Video
U.N. urges Israel on settlements
Glow in the dark puppies debut
Green living with rooftop turbine
Sikhs flee Pakistan violence
Chocolate-powered racing car
Change of command in Afghanistan
Suspected Nazi guard deported
Bomber strikes in Pakistan conflict
Obama pushes for health overhaul
U.S. "heartened" by Saberi release
Most Popular Videos RSS Feed
Reuters Deals
The global destination for corporate leaders, deal-makers and innovators
Knowledge to Act
Reuters.com:
Help and Contact Us |
Advertise With Us |
Mobile |
Newsletters |
RSS |
Interactive TV |
Labs |
Archive |
Site Index |
Video Index
Thomson Reuters Corporate:
Copyright |
Disclaimer |
Privacy |
Professional Products |
Professional Products Support |
About Thomson Reuters |
Careers
International Editions:
Africa |
Arabic |
Argentina |
Brazil |
Canada |
China |
France |
Germany |
India |
Italy |
Japan |
Latin America |
Mexico |
Russia |
Spain |
United Kingdom |
United States
Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests.
NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.