Cannes 2009 Starts Today
No animated pic has ever opened Cannes Film Festival before but at the opening ceremony of the 62nd edition of the fest on May 13, 2009 animated 3D comedy “Up” directed by Pete Docter will have its world premiere.
At the press screening this morning in Cannes, fest chief Thierry Fremaux stood on stage with a small digital camera to welcome critics and journalists and snap a photo of everyone wearing their 3-D glasses.
“The thing I’m looking forward to the most is seeing that great image of all these people tonight in their tuxedos, bow ties and gowns, wearing 3-D glasses in that big theater. That’s going to be a good picture,” Pixar Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter joked at a news conference.
“We’ve always made our films in 3-D, but we’ve just shown them in 2-D,” Lasseter proclaimed during a post-screening press conference today in Cannes. “ All our films will be made in 3-D in the future,” Lasseter added.
The 10th feature by Disney’s Pixar studios was warmly clapped at its press screening and it should get a similar welcome at the formal ceremony that opens the festival in the evening.
The red carpet was unfurled and the 3-D glasses were at hand as the 62nd Cannes Film Festival opened Wednesday. A host of celebrities have jetted in to the French Riviera for the gala opening of this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Stars including Brad Pitt, Quentin Tarantino, Penelope Cruz and Johnny Depp are expected to attend while promoting their latest films.
Cannes Film Festival 2009 – Animated Up Opens Festival
“Up,” directed by Pete Docter, who also directed the animated hit “Monsters, Inc.” and developed the story and characters for “Toy Story,” will be shown at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival opening ceremony on May 13, 2009.
The first time an animated film has opened the world’s biggest cinema competition, organizers said on Thursday.
Several animated films, from the Israeli drama “Waltz with Bashir,” shown at last year’s competition to “Shrek” in 2001 or the 1947 classic “Dumbo” have featured in the official selection but so far none has ever opened the festival.
“Up”, from the Disney Pixar studios, tells the story of 78 year-old Carl Fredricksen who sets out to fulfill his lifelong dream to see the wilds of South America by tying thousands of balloons to his home. Right after lifting off, however, he learns he isn’t alone on his journey, since Russell, a young wilderness explorer, has inadvertently become a stowaway on the trip.
The 62nd Cannes Film Festival will run from May 13 to 24, 2009 and “Up” will be released in US theaters on May 29, 2009.
Isabelle Huppert To Head Cannes Film Festival 2009 Jury
French actress Isabelle Huppert will head the jury at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, the organizers said.
“Cannes is the open door to all the new ideas of the world. I am thrilled at the idea of being a privileged spectator in it.” Huppert said in the statement that announced her appointment.
Huppert has become something of a fixture at France’s premiere film event, appearing in Cannes 25 times in various roles, including as a jury member and master of ceremonies.
She has won the festival’s prestigious best actress award twice, the last time in 2001 for her part in “La Pianiste” by Austrian director Michael Haneke.
It will be the second year running that the Cannes jury will be headed by an actor. In 2008, Sean Penn was President of the Jury of the 61st Festival de Cannes.
The 62nd Cannes Film Festival will run from May 13 to 24 2009.
