Wow I have already survived the challenging task of interviews (about 50 of them!!!) along with about having my photo being taken about 1000 times!!!! I think I have now officially opened pandoras box! There is no turning back. I will use this power and time in my life wisely. Life is good.

Oh MY GOOOD! JCM, Stephen and I walked down the red carpet to FRENCH HOUSE music as we videotaped it!!!! I feel Like I have swapped Identities with someone like in Mullholland Drive or Three Women!!! I had to go back to the apartment and replay it through the viewfinder to assure myself that it actually happened. The French are wonderfull!!!

as in STANDING O

as in EXTENDED STANDING O

as in, the scene in Mahogony when Diana Ross presents her collection to the Italians and they all jump up screeching like stuck banshees

Except Diana's clothes were tragic and Tarnation was a triumph

Our premiere yesterday was attended by French people -- not cinephiles, not industry folks but French citizens who bought a ticket, stood in line and sat their asses down.

We have been told that the French are not exceptionally effusive people, especially about American films. They only give it up when they WANT to give it up and they only go nuts when they really feel like going nuts.

After Tarnation, they went nuts. The standing ovation went on and on and on. Brian Kates, JCM, I and many, many others wept tears of rapture watching Jonathan take his bow. This joy was all the more powerful because:

--my luggage had been lost and I had just gotten it today
--there's no internet access in our apartment so we're all feeling disconnected and a little lost
--there's no room number on our apartment or buzzer so we're always getting lost coming home
--everything at Cannes is EXPENSIVE AS HELL!

And also, the news came in that the 9ayem press screening was PACKED full of people -- no walkouts -- and the jury committee headed by Tim Roth were all there and appeared "deeply moved" according to our spies. Our main competition for the Camera d'Or it is rumored is a movie called Mean Creek. We met the director yesterday at Roger Ebert's Meet The Directors panel -- he seemed awfully sweet. Roger was again, the consumate host and all around great guy, giving Jonathan a rousing, warm intro along with Xan Cassavettes (whos HOT as hell -- total physical and spirituial combo of her folks), our dear buddy Nikky Kassell who's Woodsman party we are much looking forward to getting trashed at tonight, and Michael Moore who's bitter and chilling words about his Miramax censurship were augmented by the insane ruckus on the street outside y the french protestors. Even the protests in Cannes are fabulous as theyplayed delightful french disco and chanted while carrying brightly colored Yves St Laurent banners... okay, the banners werent YSL, but they were fabulous...

and Jonathan got a standing O

I love Cannes!

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/americas/05/11/mexico.ufos.ap/

We're about to fly to Cannes but in the meantime here is a CNN article on the UFO's recently caught on video by members of the Mexican airforce, complete with a fab photo! What with all the revulsion and brutality in the world right now, its nice to have a nice old fashioned Mulder & Scully moment make the news. Too bad the story was buried...

Tomorrow we take off with Tarnation into the wild French blue yonder for our euro premiere (Director's Fortnight) at the Cannes Film Festival! Wewatched our subtitled 35mmprint today and its BEAUTIFUL! Its gonna blow those French folks to PIECES! Absolute pieces! Jonathan and I are going to carry the print on the plane with us and its heavy as hell but the weight really makes one remember... we ARE film!

Some background on the festival: Director's Fortnight runs concurrently with the Cannes Film Festival but is technically, not an official section of the cannes film festival. it was created (1968 perhaps?) as a response to the formality (and overly commercial) aspects of the Cannes festival so more daring work from emerging film makers could be seen that were (then) mostly neglected by the then-establishment. that's not a dis; DF is highly respected and for all intents and purposes IS a part of the festival, 'cause it's lasted and shown some of the best movies on the riviera. (Jarmusch, Spike Lee, Goddard etc premiered early work there) The Director's Fortnight website is:

http://www.quinzaine-realisateurs.com

Wish us luck! More later