In short
Thierry Frémaux, director of the Cannes Film Festival (79th edition) and the Lyon Film Festival, discusses his “treat” of boss-like filmmaking and his personal connection to Bruce Springsteen, framing Springsteen as uniquely American and unifying.
Guest backgrounds
Thierry Frémaux is a film director and runs the Lumière Institute; his newest film Lumière et Cinema is on the Criterion Channel. The episode also mentions Emmy winner Stephen Merchant and Oscar/Grammy winner Bruce Springsteen.
Key claims
Frémaux says Cannes brings the world together through intimate-but-epic work with an American perspective. He argues America is still a place that protects weak people, families, children, and migrants—echoing Springsteen’s onstage remarks.
Notable examples
Frémaux cites seeing Springsteen about 27 times, including Europe’s The River Tour and later the Born in the USA tour; he calls “Thunder Road” his favorite song and “The River” his favorite album.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOThierry Frémaux on Bruce Springsteen
0:56 to 3:00
Thierry shares his deep admiration for Bruce Springsteen and personal concert experiences.
“The winter's ice and cold down Nicolette Avenue.”
Reflections on America Through Music
3:00 to 4:04
Thierry discusses the significance of Bruce Springsteen's music in relation to American identity.
“With my job in Cannes, I talk a lot with American people, with my American friends of cinema and talking about films and talking about producers, distributors, people of studios.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00KCRW sponsors include Lionsgate, presenting Power Ballot, starring Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas, a feel-good comedy about a wedding singer and a pop star whose chance encounter leads to an unexpected hit. Directed by John Carney, in theaters Friday. Welcome to The Treat. I'm Elvis Mitchell. The recently completed 79th edition of the world's best-known film festival, Cannes, where I am as I write this, was brought together by its director, Thierry Frémaux, who also runs the Lyon Film Festival. He is also a film director, and his newest film, Lumière et Cinema, is now available on the Criterion channel.
0:39He's a lover of music as well. His treat is a boss whose work is intimate and epic, and whose uniquely American perspective brings the world together. I'm Thierry Frémaux from the Lumière Institute and the Cannes Film Festival. This is the treat. The winter's ice and cold down Nicolette Avenue. A city of flame fought fire and ice. Neat an occupier's boots. King Trump's private only... I would love to say that Bruce Springsteen is back on the road and Concert Hall for his new tour in the U.S. We had the chance to have it in Europe last summer, and after his street of Minneapolis, we can wait for big shows everywhere in the U.S.
1:39Citizens stood for justice Their voices ringing through the night And there were bloody photos My favorite song is Thunder Road, and maybe my favorite album is maybe The River because it was really my meeting with him.
2:09It was The River Tour in Europe and I saw him in a way here in Lyon but I was young and I went with my bicycle to the concert hall without any ability to be inside, but I wanted to be there. And then I think it was maybe two or three years later, he came back for the Born in the USA tour, and then my adventure with him started, and I've seen him like 27 times in concert. We go down to the river And into the river we dive Oh, down to the river we grind
3:00With my job in Cannes, I talk a lot with American people, with my American friends of cinema and talking about films and talking about producers, distributors, people of studios. And one of the questions for them is still, are you still loving us? Do you still love us? and I used to say, yeah, we still love you. And Bruce on stage, without mentioning the people he doesn't like very much in political sense, said America is still the land of protection of weak people, of family, of child, of migrants. And that was enough.
3:51And Bruce made that song about the John Stiebeck novel. And I think that, yes, this is still America we love. I can assure you we still love America.
4:19Born in the USA Now we got in a little heart Filmmaker and Cannes Film Festival director Thierry Frommel on Bruce Springsteen. Oscar and Grammy winner Springsteen is also appreciated by someone else from far away, Emmy winner Stephen Merchant. Hear that and other treats at kcrw.com slash the treat. The Treat is produced by Rebecca Mooney and mixed by Katie Gilchrist. I got a hungry heart. I'm Elvis Mitchell. It's the treat.
5:25I had a brother I can't stop Fighting off and with it gone But still there he's all gone
5:41He had a woman he looked inside gone I got a picture of a man I want to
5:56KCRW sponsors include Lionsgate, presenting Power Ballot, starring Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas, a feel-good comedy about a wedding singer and a pop star whose chance encounter leads to an unexpected hit. Directed by John Carney, in theaters Friday. What's up, LA? Want to hit LA's best live events for free? live now in the KCRW app. It's a dedicated tab for ticket giveaways. We're releasing new giveaways every day. And now you've got one tap entry to giveaways for concerts, festivals, talks, and more. Check the win tab to browse, enter, and win all from the KCRW app. Download it now or update in your app store.
From the publisher
The Cannes Film Festival recently wrapped up its 79th year celebrating films from around the world. Prior to the festival, its director Thierry Frémaux premiered his own film, 'Lumière le Cinéma!,' a look at the birth of cinema through the Lumière Brothers and their invention of the cinematograph. It’s now streaming on the Criterion Channel. For his treat, Frémaux celebrates an American singer-songwriter whose music doesn’t shy away from protesting the country he calls home.