The China Mail - Cannes highlights as film festival wraps up

- 'Fast' emotions -

Although there was no Hollywood blockbuster launch in Cannes and some festival-goers reported fewer American film execs in town than usual, the cast of the original "The Fast and the Furious" provided some US sparkle.

Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster and the daughter of late co-star Paul Walker reunited for a midnight screening to mark 25 years since the car-racing blockbuster, with their smiles, tears and tributes to Walker providing a moment of raw emotion in the packed main cinema.

- Ovation clockwatch -

Standing ovations at premieres are a serious and competitive business in Cannes, with reporters timing them as an indicator of how well a film has been received.

This year's winner appeared to be Spain's "La Bola Negra" ("The Black Ball"), a sprawling gay-themed drama set partly during the country's civil war, that was awarded a hand-aching 16-minute round of applause on Thursday, according to industry title Variety.

- Bardem unfiltered -

Spanish superstar Javier Bardem, many people's tip for the Cannes best actor award for his turn in "The Beloved" by Rodrigo Sorogoyen, is known as one of the industry's most outspoken figures on issues from Gaza to violence against women.

In an expletive-laden outburst at a press conference on Sunday, he slammed the "toxic masculinity" of US, Russian and Israeli leaders Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Benjamin Netanyahu and accused them of being obsessed with the size of their manhoods.

- Travolta honoured -

Plane-mad John Travolta showed his directorial debut in Cannes with "Propeller One-Way Night Coach", a largely forgettable personal project based on his memories of his first flight on an airliner as an eight-year-old.

His genuine surprise and gratitude when he was honoured with a Cannes lifetime achievement award -- perhaps making up for the fact that he has never won an Oscar? -- was memorable for all those present.

- Red carpet -

Demi Moore fully embraced the vibe of her Oscar-nominated role in "The Substance" to push the boundaries of what a 63-year-old woman can look wonderful in, from a silvery Jacquemus bustier dress on opening night to figure-hugging sheer lavender Gucci gown.

Supermodel Bella Hadid arrived in a show-stopping Schiaparelli dress at the premiere of the Charles de Gaulle biopic "De Gaulle: Tilting Iron".

- AI debate -

The film industry remains opposed to artificial intelligence on the whole, fearful of its potential to kill off jobs for animators, scriptwriters and eventually actors.

"Lord of the Rings" director Peter Jackson, a special effects specialist, struck a dissonant note by saying that AI was "going to destroy the world" but when it came to film "I don't dislike it at all".

- Buzzy titles -

Every year in Cannes, a few titles emerge with rave reviews and an unexpected buzz around their directors.

"Club Kid" about a New York party promoter by first-time director Jordan Firstman landed a $17-million deal with top studio A24, while genre-defying comedy-horror "Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma" by Jane Schoenbrun wowed many critics.

- A Russian returns -

For lovers of independent Russian cinema, which has been stifled since the Kremlin's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the sight of director Andrey Zvyagintsev walking the red carpet was a cause for celebration.

The "Leviathan" director nearly died during the Covid pandemic and now lives in exile in France, but his ability to tell a story with rare subtlety and beauty remains undimmed, with his "Minotaur" a frontrunner for the best film prize.

- Ball skills -

Football and arthouse movies rarely mix, but French legend Eric Cantona has helped build bridges between the two since hanging up his playing boots at Manchester United and embarking on an acting career.

The enigmatic striker appeared in a movie, "Les Matins merveilleux" ("Marvellous Mornings"), and was the subject of an entertaining documentary "Cantona" that sees him explore the "demons" that made him such a combustible player.

- Live music -

One of the joys of Cannes is seeing sometimes little-known directors from across the globe finding themselves on one of the biggest cinema stages on the planet.

This year's edition featured a rousing first film about the war-torn Central African Republic -- "Congo Boy" -- with its nerveless director Rafiki Fariala showcasing the catchy soundtrack he wrote by breaking into song at the end of the premiere.

E.Lau--ThChM