Bonjour, Cannes!

0:01Hi, I'm Rebecca Ford. And I'm John Ross. We're the hosts of Little Gold Men from Vanity Fair. And this week we're recording from the Cannes Film Festival on the French Riviera. So if you love film or want to know what's happening on the ground at the most glamorous film festival of the year, follow along. We're going to be giving you an inside look at parties, premieres, press conferences all week, and talking about some of the films that you may see on your Oscar ballot next year. Find Little Gold Men from Vanity Fair wherever you get your podcasts.

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1:55Hello and welcome to Little Gold Men, Vanity Fair's podcast for film, TV and awards lovers. I'm Rebecca Ford. And I'm John Ross. And welcome everyone to our first Cannes Film Festival Dispatch. We're here. John and I have been in Cannes since earlier this week, and we're going to be sharing three bonus episodes throughout the next week or so to talk about what we're seeing, what we're hearing on the ground, and what the mood of the festival is. We're also contributing to Vanity Fair's live blog every day, and you can find the live blog on the Vanity Fair homepage at vanityfair.com. I think that's all our business.

2:34So, John, I mean, I see you every day out here, but how would you say your can is going so far? Well, I've now settled into it. Yeah. I had taken a two-year hiatus from attending, and I had forgotten how chaotic the first two days of the festival are in terms of navigating all the stuff that you have to do, getting tickets and the time difference and how much happens in the first two days, like almost news-wise with the various different press conferences. Yeah. And now I feel like a real Parisian in Cannes. I am one of them. They are me. Although we don't speak the same language and they remind me that at every moment.

3:27Every moment of your existence. it's so funny because I think it was on the podcast that you were like the first day every year is so rough and I was like I also took two years off so I was like I don't really remember that and the first day here when we got stuck in the palais and could not find where I needed to go to pick up this ticket that was it I was like yep this is right the feeling of being lost in this building is coming back to me so quickly and yeah I agree that it's just like the adjustment period's a little tough, but like once you're in the rhythm, it just feels so much easier.

4:01And I think we're hitting our stride here. Yeah. One thing I will say is that is so surprising is the sheer amount of staff at this festival is incredible. Like they must have like something like over 500 just staff members at all times, like moving you about or telling you where to go. And that's unlike any festival I've been to. Yes, Sundance has the volunteers, but we're talking about like all the different like areas of the building and they're all dressed in the can uniform. Yeah. It is pretty impressive. Well, I think we should get into what we've done so far. The Festival kicked off on Tuesdays, so we've been at this for a few days.

4:52Do we want to start with opening night? Sure. You should go over your opening night. Yeah, so I went to the opening night ceremonies, which I had never actually done before and was prepared for it to be kind of a long night. So this is the first red carpet. It's always traditionally a French film that opens the festival that's not in competition. And then before the screening, there's the opening ceremony. The jury is introduced on stage. There's a French host who does little like speech sort of. This year it was like a speech but to music. There was a musician on the stage. But it's all in French.

5:31So you have to get these headphones that translate everything for you if you're American like me, which is helpful. But it's a very strange experience because you're listening to the headphones, but you can still hear them talking. But then after the jury comes on, there is another musical performance. And then they give out an honorary Palme d 'Or, which they gave to Peter Jackson this year, which was very sweet. Elijah Wood was here to present it to him. And so then you watch the whole movie. And then after that, you get on a bus and go to the opening night dinner, which is a really nice event.

6:08Have you been to that dinner before? You must have, John, by now. No, I actually haven't. Oh, really? I hadn't been either. And it's really nice because the press is just mixed among the tables and the tables are all mixed up. So it's not like people sitting with their films. It reminds me of the Academy Luncheon in that way. So like you have actors from different films sitting together or filmmakers and the food is incredible, but the dinner doesn't start till like 1230. So it's a super long night, but it was really nice to be in that room because it's like celebrity guests at the festival there.

6:40I was talking to Guillermo del Toro for a while. Like, the Academy president, Lynette Howell-Taylor, was there. And so was Bill Kramer, the CEO. So it's like a really fun room and a beautiful room and a long first night, but I had a good time. Yes, I was working. We are throwing our party on Saturday. You know, everyone's like, throw a party in Cannes. It'll be easy. They did not say it'll be easy. No, they didn't. I just forgot how much happens on the ground. So my first day was a little different, but now everything has come together and we're super excited for our party on Saturday. I will say the big thing was the jury press conference.

7:27Demi Moore talked about AI. She gave, I think, a really interesting measured approach about how it was sort of inevitable that it's going to be a part of our industry and we should learn how to use it. She said something along the lines like art is about embracing change. I thought it was a very smart answer. Guillermo del Toro, also, he had, you know, his anniversary screening of Pan's Labyrinth, and he was a little different. He was like, fuck AI. Yeah, that's been his response for a long time. And we also, Vanity Fair hosted a luncheon at the Carlton Regent Hotel, which is the famous hotel on the Quasette.

8:13And it's been very windy here, but they had like a beautiful setup where we got to like be outside on the dock overlooking the Riviera, but then like not have to sit outside in the wind. and there were some cool people there. New couple alert, Mary Beth Barone and Lucas Bravo from Emily in Paris. I feel I can say that now because they've been photographed together a thousand times since they've been here. But when she introduced him as her partner, I didn't know. I didn't know. You're literally informing me of this news because I missed it. She was like, oh, my partner is an actor, Lucas. He's French.

8:54And like then I was like it was one of those like you know that meme with the woman and like it's like a math like equation over her. I was like, huh? If anyone wants to see how you do red carpet interviews, her Golden Globe. She's so good. It was spectacular. I know. She's really good. I want her to do more of that. Yeah, yeah. And then Micah Bonroir was there. I mean a bunch of people were there. And it was really nice and beautiful. It was a really nice way to start the festival. So thank you, IHG Hotels, for hosting us. It looked, I didn't make it to that one, but it looked really beautiful and very Cannes-esque.

9:34Yeah, you were running around interviewing people the first day. I was. And then as far as interviews, I have an interview with Jordan Firstman up. His movie Club Kid is premiering today, Friday, but I got to talk to him before that. And we had a nice sit-down lunch, and he shared, I think, pretty openly about a really tough breakup he had that sort of inspired his story. I mean, it's about a party guy who discovers he's a dad, but then it's also sort of about abandonment and some really big themes. So I think it's going to be one of the breakouts of the festival. So if you want to get to know him a little bit more before you see the film, that's up on VanityFair.com.

10:13We've had some pretty good red carpet moments, I think, so far. I mean, thank God Demi Moore is on that jury because she is bringing it to every carpet. We were at a premiere last night and she walked the carpet right before us. And so we got to see her up close in this incredible red dress. But I feel like what would we do without her this year? Because I think all of the biggest red carpet moments have involved her so far. I mean, we're only on, you know, day three here, but I feel like she's really bringing it in a way we really needed from this festival. Well, she's changing outfits maybe on an hourly basis.

10:53Like, she's not being photographed in the same outfit for more than a second. Yeah. And I love that for her. And for us. Yeah, I love that for her and for us, yeah. I will say, though, Isabel Huppert last night wore a custom Gucci by Denma red dress that matched the carpets red. And it was pretty spectacular. But, I mean, yeah, Demi's been bringing it. Also, so has Ruth Nega. Yeah. Her fashion has always been awesome. And I love what she's been doing. But, I mean, Demi Moore is really bringing it. on every single red carpet. So that's been cool to see. There's been a little bit of online discourse about her.

11:37Our colleague Jose Crealis Unzueta wrote a column about it that I think everyone should read this up on Vanity Fair.com because he had some really thoughtful things to say about it. I also loved Sandra Huller last night. She wore a Chanel feathered look for the premiere of Fatherland. And that's the thing with the canned carpet is you can have a lot of fun And there's so much glamour to it that I feel like you can take a little more risk or be a little more playful. And I thought that was a really great one for her. And then I do want to talk about my highlight of the festival so far, which was the Fast and Furious 25th anniversary screening, which was a midnight screening and really exceeded all my expectations.

12:25Because I'm a big fan of that franchise. I never thought I'd get to see one of those movies at the Cannes Film Festival. But they... Yeah, this is actually like your two... My two loves in one place. Like your two loves in one place, yeah. Really a dream come true. But it was, you know, Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordan and Brewster all came for it. Vin Diesel is like the ultimate showman. Like he signed a million autographs. He did all this like funny, really hamming it up on the carpet. it. You know, it was a lot of young fans just like losing their minds when he came into the theater. And then he, it's not traditional to speak before the screening, but he did.

13:06He gave like a very nice, excited speech before it started. And then the movie played great. Love that movie. I had a lot of fun. But then after the credits were rolling and I was sitting a couple rows in front of them. And so I turned around and Vin Diesel is like frozen and he doesn't take his eyes off the credits. And the credits are long because there's a billion, you know, stunt people in this movie. And I keep looking at him and he hasn't moved. And then the lights come up and they give him the mic to talk again. And he can't talk. He's like so emotional. He's, I think, crying, if not crying, like holding back crying.

13:44And the silence went on for really, I mean, there was applause, but he was supposed to start talking and he couldn't, his voice started breaking when he started talking. Then he spoke really beautifully about losing Paul Walker. And, you know, I can't imagine how hard it is to watch that film. You know, they were so young. This movie launched all of these people's careers, but they also suffered such a huge loss. So it was, it went till three o 'clock in the morning because he talked for a long time and then the audience just like kept applauding. It was, wild. Just like so emotional and crazy and unexpected, I think.

14:20Yeah. It's interesting. That film has created a mythology all its own, which is very hard to do. Like, it's very hard to launch a franchise and have it actually feel like a real franchise. And, you know, studios are constantly trying to do that. And, you know, not everything can be Star Wars, but somehow Fast and Furious like is, listen, I'm not you, I'm not a devotee, but I've seen a lot and the whole like concept of like family in it sort of has like permeated into the fan base, which is fascinating. And also I think amazing for Universal because Donna Langley was there, right? Yes, yeah. She was there.

15:14And a lot of credit for this franchise because it shouldn't have worked on paper. It was a street racing movie with a super diverse cast. Those things 25 years ago would not say this is going to be a$7 billion franchise same day. So what a crazy success story. And Vin Diesel was wearing a black jacket that had Fast Forever, like, bedazzled or, I don't know, on the back because that's the next movie that's allegedly coming out in 2028. He's just such a smart promotional man. So that was really fun. I really had a good time. Any other highlights? I mean, my greatest highlight is that I won over the woman at the Cannes ticket office.

15:58You did. You will remain unnamed for her security. It wasn't easy, but I got there. Well, I learned something new about you, I think, being at this festival with you this time, because you love the hunt for tickets. Like, tickets are hard to get in Cannes in a way I think they aren't at any other festival. Like, if you go on Twitter, you can see so many people saying they can't get tickets for the day on the ticketing site and stuff. And we need to see these things for work. And so it's very important for us. But you enjoy the hunt. And I am glad that that is now your responsibility because you're doing a great job.

16:36Yeah. Well, I have some tricks up my sleeve. And, John, we've got a big weekend planned, don't we? Yeah. Our party on Saturday, we talked about it a little. But we're hosting a really nice dinner with our global editorial director, Marc Caducci, and the other global chiefs of Vanity Fair, France and Italy. And then it's going into a proper cocktail party. And we're super excited. So we'll have reports about that after it's happened on Saturday night. Yeah, people are excited. Everyone I've been running into is like really excited that we're back with a big, big, nice party. So I'm excited for it, too.

17:19All right, let's take a break. And when we get back, we'll talk about some of the films that have premiered so far. Don't go away.

17:35Hi, I'm Nicole Phelps, the global fashion news and features director and co-host of Vogue's podcast, The Run Through. Each week on the show, our listeners get an all-access pass to the world of Vogue with the latest fashion news and the most exciting voices in the industry. On Tuesdays, join me to hear interviews with influential leaders in the industry like Calvin Klein, Daniel Roseberry, and Jonathan Anderson. On Thursdays, join Head of Editorial Content at Vogue, Chloe Mal, and Head of Editorial Content at British Vogue, Chomenati, as they explore style and culture through the lens of fashion with guests like Martha Stewart, Kamala Harris, and Tracee Ellis Ross.

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19:38Welcome back to Little Gold Men. So the festival isn't all parties and carpets. We're here to watch some films, a lot of films, actually. Should we start with the good? Start with the good. Okay. So of the things that have premiered, I really liked Fatherland, which I saw last night. That's Pavel Pavlikovsky's film. He did Cold War, which I also really loved. And this film follows the relationship between Thomas Mann and his daughter, Erica. The daughter is played by Sandra Huller, who's like already one of my favorites. And she again proves that she's just the most dynamic performer. Like you can't take your eyes off her.

20:20The film is quieter. It's pensive, I think. It's very quiet. And it's only an hour 20. It's quite short, but it has some scenes that are so beautifully done. So I think that's probably my favorite thing that I've seen that has debuted. Yeah, I think it makes its point in An Hour and 20, and I appreciate that. Like, it's a pointed film about a period of time in history and how people are reconciling their past in post-World War II. It's a small film. It's about these two characters. They go on this quasi, I guess, road trip around Germany. And it never expands beyond that in a good way. My overall theme the first couple of days of the festival is actually, like, it's a reminder of great performers.

21:16Because Sandra Huller, you are right. Sandra Huller is, I can't describe what it's like. She's just so... real. It's an incredible thing to watch. It just feels like she is this woman. You never feel like, oh, she's acting. Yeah, that's a good way to describe it. There's just something about her, and she's able to get a lot of meaning and intention across with just a line or even just to look. You just can read her face. I found that to be similar to Barry Keoghan in Butterfly Jam, which was the opening night film for director's fortnight, which had a very long opening ceremony entirely in French.

22:06And at one point I thought I was in the wrong place. I know because he texted me. They gave an award to the director, Claire Denis, and I understood that that was what was happening because they came up on stage. They had like a crown thing. You didn't have the headphones? Everyone was lining up for headphones. And I was like, huh, like, that's weird. Like, I didn't understand. I didn't know that this was happening. And so then I had sat and I realized, oh, they're going to do this award ceremony. But then for a second, I thought that maybe we were going to be seeing a retrospective of her work and that this wasn't the Butterfly Jam screening at all.

22:44But lo and behold, after 45 minutes, they did show the film. Butterfly Jam is a film directed by Kantamir Bagladov. It stars Barry Keoghan. He's incredible in this film. It's been a while since I've seen him on screen, and it was like a reminder. I'm like, oh, that's why he's a star. Like, he's so charismatic. It's about this small community in Newark, New Jersey. The Cersassian American community. And Barry is a father. His son is a championship teenage wrestler. They have a really beautiful relationship. He works at a restaurant in Newark as a chef. It's a small family film, and then stuff happens.

23:35The director doesn't knock it out of the park. It sort of goes off the rails in the last third. However, similarly with Sandra, I was like, oh, wow. Like, when Barry is on screen, you can't take your eyes off of him. That's true. That's sort of a through line with the two of them. Yeah. This director was heavily influenced by, it's like the Safdie brothers, if the Safdie brothers slowed it down, plus Andrea Arnold, plus a little James Gray. So he's an interesting director, was beautifully shot. Like I said, there's kind of this thing that happens two thirds of the way through. That's a little like, huh?

24:15But I liked it. I actually have to say, I think I kind of liked it more than the general audience. But also it was my first film at the festival. And I always like when I first see a movie at a film festival, like I'm always like all in. Like I went to Toronto and the premiere was Dear Evan Hansen. And it was my first festival after COVID. Right. I mean, the lights came up and they were like, it's the worst movie ever made. And I was like, I don't know. I liked it. I was like, just to be here with all of us watching a movie. And a warm hug of a film festival. Yeah, and everyone was like, it's crazy.

24:50He's way too old to play that role. And I was like, I didn't mind. So maybe there was a little bit of that bias watching this, but that's how I felt. I think it's similar with another film we've both seen, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, which has great performances in it. Hannah Einbinder, I think it's a smart thing to do after Hacks. She really is very commanding. She's playing a filmmaker who's had her breakout film and now is like trying to make her next project and really wants to make a remake of this film that she was a huge fan of. And she goes to track down an actress from the franchise.

25:34And she's played by Gillian Anderson. And Gillian is also really great in that role. And they have great chemistry together. So I loved the performances. I had a harder time with the film. To me, it didn't exactly work. But a lot of people at the festival really like it. I think it has a lot of strong buzz here. Yeah. Actually, some of those scenes stayed with me. Mm-hmm. And I found it more, like it moved more than I saw the TV glow, which, listen, I didn't see that in theaters, so it's a different experience. The director, Jane Schoenbren, has a lot of ideas. Yeah. But I found that this one had a clippier pace and the ending was fun.

26:21This sort of, you know, way that they recreate the late 80s, 90s slasher films and, like, the finer girl trope. I had fun, especially Hannah Einbinder getting to sort of dip her toes in being a subversive version of a final girl. I don't want to give anything away. Trust me, I'm not giving anything away by saying that. You'll still be surprised. There's a lot of different ways this movie goes. But I had fun. Yeah, I think you're right. There are a couple scenes in there that I think really show Jane's filmmaking abilities. The premises are a little too similar for me of like the way, you know, media bleeds into life.