At 52, the Russian filmmaker climbs the steps of the Cannes Film Festival for the first time to present his film Tchaikovsky’s wifewhile the 59-year-old American actor returns to the Croisette after a 30-year absence, to Top Gun: Maverick.
A red carpet but two atmospheres: the Cannes Film Festival will do the splits on Wednesday by welcoming Russian dissident Kirill Serebrennikov and Hollywood star Tom Cruise, for its first day of competition, placed under the sign of the alliance of politics and glamour.
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It’s a climb up the stairs that will make noise: for the first time, the terrible child of Russian cinema Kirill Serebrennikov, 52, known for his daring creations and his support for LGBT + people, will walk the red carpet and open the competition with Tchaikovsky’s wife. By presenting this film on the first day of the competition, after a remote intervention Tuesday evening by Ukrainian President Zelensky, the festival intends to send a strong signal against the Russian regime. Added to this is the programming of several Ukrainian films or evoking the fate of the country, including Mariupol 2 Lithuanian Mantas Kvedaravicius, killed in early April in Ukraine.
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The world cinema meeting refuses to welcome “Russian official representatives, government bodies or journalists representing the official line” Russian, but always said he was ready to welcome dissenting voices, starting with Kirill Serebrennikov. This is the second year in a row that the director of Leto is running for a Palme d’Or. Under house arrest in Moscow, last year he presented his feature film remotely Petrov fever. His actors had worn badges with his initials. In the Palais des Festivals, the armchair bearing his name had remained empty, as in 2017 during the presentation of Leto.
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Now based in Berlin, he explained to AFP at the end of April that he had left Moscow “for a matter of conscience”, even if he refuses the term dissident. In the running for the Palme d’Or, his film looks back on the brief and disastrous marriage of the composer of genius Piotr Ilitch Tchaikovsky, who was homosexual.
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On Tuesday, the president of the jury Vincent Lindon estimated, during the press conference, that it would be necessary “be careful to be dignified, respectful (…) just as a tribute to those who have days much more complicated than ours”, especially in Ukraine. This support is in line with the political tradition of the festival, which this year celebrates its 75and editing. As in 1968, in the midst of a protest movement, when the Festival was interrupted by François Truffaut or even Jean-Luc Godard. Or in 2010 when Thierry Frémaux and the Cannes Film Festival showed their support for director Jafar Panahi, by inviting him as a member of the jury while he was imprisoned in Iran.
Tom Cruise, flash pass
A few hours later, the cameras will heat up for another climb of the steps, that of Tom Cruise who will present at the end of the day Top Gun: Maverick , 36 years after the first opus. An arrival on the Cannes carpet which promises to be spectacular: according to several American media, the Hollywood star, used to blockbusters and a great fan of stunts, would arrive by helicopter.
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Long-awaited on the Croisette, the 59-year-old actor-producer has never donned a superhero cape in his 40-year career but is nevertheless called upon to become a savior of cinema while theaters are slow to regain their level. filler from before the global health crisis. With its passage on the red carpet, the Festival continues, here again, its tradition, claimed, of glamor, with a climb of the steps which has always seen film stars and fashion muses.
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