Cannes: Hollywood celebrities arrived in Cannes on Tuesday as the renowned film festival commenced amidst dramatic events, including a daring escape by a director from Iran and a looming cloud of new #MeToo allegations.
The festival officially begins in the evening with an honorary award for Meryl Streep, attracting a plethora of international A-listers to the sun-soaked Cote d’Azur.
Legendary directors George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola are among the VIP guests, with Coppola’s long-awaited epic “Megalopolis,” a saga inspired by Ancient Rome set in a corrupt modern city, generating the highest anticipation for this year’s Palme d’Or.
“Megalopolis” is among the 22 films vying for the favor of a jury led by “Barbie” director Greta Gerwig. Richard Gere stars in Paul Schrader’s “Oh Canada,” Emma Stone reunites with Yorgos Lanthimos in “Kinds of Kindness,” and Demi Moore ventures into horror with “The Substance.”
Beyond the Palme d’Or competition, George Miller’s latest “Mad Max” installment, “Furiosa,” will have its world premiere on Wednesday, while Kevin Costner returns to the Western genre with “Horizon, an American Saga.”
However, off-screen dramas have emerged on the eve of the festival’s 77th edition. In a last-minute twist, director Mohammad Rasoulof, also competing for the Palme d’Or, revealed on Monday that he had secretly escaped from Iran, just days after being sentenced to eight years in prison on security charges.
Rasoulof had faced pressure from Iranian authorities to withdraw his latest film, “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” from Cannes.
Expressing gratitude on Instagram, Rasoulof thanked those who assisted him in his perilous journey to safety. His lawyer, Babak Paknia, confirmed that the director intends to attend the festival for the premiere next week.
“Judith Godreche Presents #MeToo Short Film ‘Moi Aussi’ at Cannes”
Amidst a delayed #MeToo reckoning in France’s film industry, there have been numerous accusations against prominent figures like Gerard Depardieu, with rumors swirling about more to come during Cannes.Â
Actress Judith Godreche, who accused two directors of assaulting her as a teenager, will present a short film titled “Moi Aussi” (Me Too), aiming to encourage more women to speak out. Recently, nine women accused major French film producer Alain Sarde of rape or sexual assault.
 Camille Cottin, known for “Call My Agent!” and a vocal feminist, will host the festival and plans to address various issues in her opening speech, albeit constrained by time.
Additionally, festival employees are threatening a strike over pay and conditions, potentially disrupting the event, though festival head Fremaux emphasizes cinema as the primary focus, aiming to avoid controversies.
