As the Cannes Film Festival prepares for Indiana Jones & the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, which premieres on Sunday, there is a question that begs asking. Why did Steven Spielberg and George Lucas decide to bring this ‘popcorn movie’ to face the jaded industry types and elite critics on the French Riviera’
As the 300 guests at the Salon des Ambassadeurs dined on a Mediterranean fish plate with assorted mushrooms, Piper-Heidsieck champagne and a Palme d'Or strawberry delight, the 54th Cannes International Film Festival handed out its top honors Sunday.
Jodie Foster, who bowed out earlier this year as jury president, fulfilled her obligation as the closing ceremony's host. The awards were characterized as oddly conventional, with the 10-member jury sticking to more established filmmakers rather than the fresher talent from the 23 films in competition. In contrast, last year's jury came under fire for giving the top prize - the Palme d'Or - to Lars von Trier's controversial and divisive Dancer in the Dark.