Fan Fare
Entertainment behind the scenes
Who said actors can’t direct ?
Many an actor has fallen by the wayside taking a shot at directing and with reviews still coming in, Vera Farmiga’s fate with her directing debut at the Sundance Film Festival is still unclear, yet promising.
The 37-year-old gained fans all around the world in movies such as “Up In The Air” and “The Departed” thinks acting can only be a plus when it comes to getting behind the camera for first feature “Higher Ground.”
“I don’t think it hindered. I haven’t gone to school for directing, but I did study theater and literature so I do know plot points and what makes a story move forward and I think it’s collaboration. You are not only thinking about your character, but you are thinking about everyone else’s character and how to push that plot along,” she told Reuters Television on the red carpet line for her premiere.
She is also clear about another thing. Her inspirations include classic directors she just happens to have worked with.
Martin Scorsese shifts from film to fragrance
Martin Scorsese has followed in the footsteps of Baz Luhrmann and Jean-Pierre Jeunet to shoot a commercial for Chanel, with a little help from his pals the Rolling Stones.
The 60-second spot for Bleu de Chanel, featuring French actor Gaspard Ulliel (“Young Hannibal”), kicks off the first major men’s advertising campaign and fragrance launch for Chanel since 2004. The campaign is due to be launched in September, with Chanel undoubtedly hoping the A-list ad gets plenty of social-media play.
Love and Marriage … the box office equation?
The top three directors at the North American box office have walked down the aisle a total of 11 times, leading to the decidedly unscientific conclusion that romantic comedies may be better for your marriage than heavy dramas.
Garry Marshall (pictured at left), the man behind last weekend’s champion “Valentine’s Day” as well as “Pretty Woman” and the sitcom “Happy Days,” let the team down by being married just once, to the same woman since 1963 (per Wikipedia).
Cannes’ famous Croisette lights up the night
Here at the Cannes film festival along the world famous Croisette, which is not unlike a seaside boardwalk in the U.S., a sort of circus atmosphere lights up the night as tourists stroll along the beachside walkway. Posh hotels, designer boutiques and restaurants border the Croisette and its adjacent boulevard. Artists and street performers work the crowds that come out to see film stars who are here to attend the festival. Movie companies advertise their upcoming films, and industry pros take a break from business to schmooze a little. A nighttime view is pictured above, and for a video look, click below:
And to read some of our early stories from Cannes, click below:
