Getting chatted up by a man with a big cigar

by Grainne Harrington

Article published on the 2008-05-18 Latest update 2008-05-22 08:29 TU

Mike Tyson & James Toback

Saturday, 17 May

Last night’s big premiere was the Mike Tyson movie – a documentary about the boxer. Tyson himself is present and the movie is meant to be worth seeing. It’s the first of two sports documentaries at the festival.

The second is about Argentinian footballer Maradona, directed by Emir Kusturica and premieres next week. They’ve both been hyped up by the press, and everyone wants to be at tonight’s premiere. I run over to the Palais with another journalist, but the barriers are closed – half an hour before the screening, and the enormous auditorium is already full.

 Around the front on the red carpet, Tyson makes his entrance amid great excitement. We’ll have to try and catch the re-run tomorrow, but for now we need another plan. I look at my phone and notice a text message from a friend: “At the Romanian film board party – Abu Dhabi next – come over!”. We have no invitations but decide to chance our luck. It‘s on the beach and we can hear the music pumping out of the white tent way before we reach it. My friends attempt to talk me in, but the humourless Romanian on the door is having none of it: “NO. IS FULL. NO MORE.” There’s no point in trying any harder.

We head to the terrace of the Carlton hotel, where a ridiculously tall, perma-tanned Californian at the next table seems determined to make friends with us. He tells us he’s an advisor to Arnold Schwarzenegger. After he leaves, we discuss whether we believe him or not. We decide that he looked pretty important, but it may just have been the metre-long cigar he was smoking.

Later, we go to the Martinez Hotel, where the Palme d’Or jury is staying. French actor Vincent Cassel is at the next table, joking around with friends, but we pretend we’re too cool to notice. It’s the kind of place where you feel they’ll kick you out at any moment if you look anything but perfectly nonchalant. But it’s where all the stars are staying, so walking round the bar feels a little like a trip to the zoo. You just can’t help staring sometimes.

This morning, Woody Allen’s new movie is showing out of competition. Vicky Cristina Barcelona stars Penelope Cruz, Scarlett Johansson and Javier Bardem. It’s the story of two young women who take a break from New York to spend a few months in Barcelona, which leads to lots of amorous Catalan adventures. It’s not half as sharp or funny as his usual fare, but gets a rapturous reception anyway. Cannes still loves Woody.

After that, we get to see one of the hot favourites for the Palme d’Or, a Chinese film called 24 City. The red carpet is out and is surrounded by huge crowds. Music is pumping for the montée des marches – the moment when the stars come up the steps and pose for the hundreds of cameras. The cameras are trained on the steps, and the pictures of the red carpet are already live on the massive television screens around the Palais entrance. Suddenly, I feel a little nervous walking up here. “Don’t trip up, don’t trip up…”. I repeat the mantra in my head as I walk up the steps is front of the crowds and the cameras. I turn and have a quick look at the audience behind me as I get to the top of the steps. I doubt anyone actually saw me walk up here in all the excitement, but it’s still a pretty amazing feeling. I think I could get used to this…