‘Cannes’ offers a unique insight into film

Festival in Cannes is a clever film that takes place in the center of the world’s most coveted film festival. But don’t let the beautiful images of the French coast fool you; the festival merely serves as a background for the story.

This is a film about film, which usually poses a problem because it’s not really life imitating art or art imitating life. It’s a bunch of writers, directors and producers making a film about themselves, which is in some cases neither art nor life.

The film does a decent job of making the chaotic world of movies come alive. Director Henry Jaglom shot the movie during the 1999 Cannes Film Festival.

At times, this makes for awkward moments, but at other times it gives the film a real-life element.

The film follows three sets of characters, shifting the pace with no central protagonist. This adds spice and allows the plot to breathe. It holds the audiences’ attention until the anticlimactic ending.

The characters are thrown together with two common denominators – film and the desire to work, not only in the movie business, but also in love.

Festival in Cannes‘ clever dialogue and beautiful imagery all set the stage for a somewhat dynamic film that delves into the many different notions that come along with filmmaking.

The characters include an aspiring filmmaker, a wannabe, a fast-talking producer, his assistant, an aging French actress, her old lover and a blooming star who questions what it is to be famous.

The characters combine in a way that gives the film rhythm. Each character scurries around to get what he or she wants, sometimes no matter what the price – be it by backstabbing, brown-nosing or good old-fashioned lying.

Whatever the case may be, showbiz is just that, a profitable business that affects both professional and personal relationships.

The film emphasizes outcomes, or the lack thereof. The audience spends the entire movie figuring out what will happen next.

At the same time, the film makes it a point to let us know that the outcome is not what’s important, neither in film nor in life.

The ending is ambiguous and it alludes to the fact that no one can be completely trusted, leaving us with a vague sense of insecurity and doubt for the future of those involved.

Festival in Cannes is an interesting film that’s worth seeing. It provides insight into the hustle and bustle of the entertainment industry while captivating its audience with the humanity of its characters.