This year I arrived on the Cote D'Azur on day six of the festival. I was not the only one, however. Actor Matt Dillon was fetching his luggage at the Nice Airport off the same carousel. Loved you in "Tex," Matt.
But, despite our tardy arrivals on the Riviera (Matt was filming a movie; I was attending college graduation ceremonies), neither Matt nor I missed out on much during the 51st festival. All of the early buzz centered around events that happened stateside - Cannes watches the "Seinfeld" finale live, Cannes mourns the Chairman of the Board's passing, Cannes whispers about the impending Seagram's buyout of Polygram.
In fact, the only festival buzz that had anything to do with the festival surrounds the lack of buzz about the festival. That's right. Coming off the chaos that was the 50th Anniversary Cannes Festival last year, this installment seems relatively calm. No lineup of star directors, no Spice Girls or Howard Stern, not even a hot movie notwithstanding the controversial "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas."
The gifts, however, have been superb. A Barry Diller-sponsored QVC beach party yielded complimentary pairs of Killer Loop sunglasses and Nolan Miller-designed cubic zirconia jewelry, among other tchotchkes.
Sounds more like a trade show than a film festival, but I'm not
complaining.
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