Anouk Aimee. . . . . . Millie Marquand Maximilian Schell . . . Victor Kovner Greta Scacchi . . . . . ..Alice Palmer Zack Norman . . . . . . ..Kaz	Ron Silver . . . . . . . . . .Rick Yorkin Jenny Gabrielle . . . . . Blue Faye Dunaway . . . . . .. Herself William Shatner . . . . . Himself
Director : Henry Jaglom

This latest entry in movies about movies is a fictionalized account of deal making among actors, directors, screenwriters, producers, and wannabes at the Cannes International Film Festival. The year is 1999 and we see the elegant seaside French resort village brimming with filmmakers and spectators on hand for the annual glamour event. The plot is secondary to the characters and is a sadly accurate, if predictable, picture of what goes on behind the newsreel style photo ops.

Film award winners are not the focus here. Beyond the glimpses of La Croisette, the Palais, and the slick well-placed display ads for the current crop of nominees, a thin plot unveils. Alice (Greta Scacchi) is an actress who wants to direct her own screenplay. Kaz (Zack Norman) is the self-promoter who can get the right people to back her project. Rick (Ron Silver) is the big producer whose MO is winning through condescension and arrogance. Blue (Jenny Gabrielle) is the unknown actress who overnight becomes the darling of the fest. Millie (Anouk Aimée) and Victor (Maximilian Schell) are movie royalty and former lovers who have seen it all but still would love another shot in the limelight in the autumn of their careers.

The pitching and wooing as each one maneuvers to get what they want feigns a documentary feel and ought to be dismissed as nonsense. However, the more honest sentiment I felt was just plain enjoyment. Call it guilty pleasure. However, since this is the closest most viewers are ever likely to get to the Cannes festival, it is simply fun. All the cliches apply about the industry and its love affair with itself. Hollywood has quite a history making movies about its favorite subject. Consider Sunset Boulevard, A Star is Born, and The Player, to name but a few. Although not in the same league, Festival in Cannes is lightweight, but likeable entertainment.

With good intentions but mixed results, director Henry Jaglom clearly favors the women, who all are more sympathetic characters than the men. In many small ways, he empathizes with the females in this man's game. One way he shows a preference toward women is through Alice's screenplay, which is about a sixtyish woman who comes into her own. Alice and Millie share genuine enthusiasm as they discuss the project. Another is the small part of a woman reporter who interviews hot property Blue and is totally professional even with her children in tow. In contrast, Rick and Kaz say any outrageous or untrue thing that seems expedient to the moment. They are driven by the money and the ego.

Setting the tone of playfulness at the outset is the montage of stills and clips from past Cannes festivals, e.g. Grace Kelly, Cary Grant, Jeanne Moreau, Charlie Chaplin, Alfred Hitchcock and a host of others. The score effectively uses classic American and French standards including Cole Porter sung by Edith Piaf and Charles Trenet. Good clean fun.