An apartment in the Carlton, now owned by Qatari capital, ranges between 1,200 and 50,000 euros per night.
Cannes -Like the Champs Elysées in Paris, the city of Cannes is also renewing its buildings. This Festival witnesses profound changes in some of its most emblematic hotels, beginning with the Carlton, owned by Qatari capital, which was built over a hundred years ago (in 1911) and originally designed by the architect Charles Dalmas. Those who take over a century later are Tristan Auer and the architect Richard Lavelle, also responsible for the restoration of the famous Hotel Crillon in Paris. Among the most profound changes, the disappearance of the rear parking lot deserves special attention, now replaced by a space for amenities, which includes a modern swimming pool and modern gardens. Two new wings have been built with a total of 37 apartments, whose daily rent ranges from 1,200 euros to 50,000 for the suite (penthouse).
Walking along the Croisette you can also see the renovation of the former Grand Hotel, now called the Mondrian Hotel, a place where Argentine distributors used to meet. Entering the Festival Palace, where the “Marché” works, it was possible to attend the inauguration of the Fantastic Pavilion on Wednesday the 17th, with the presence of Guillaume Esmiol, the new Executive Director of the Film Market, accompanied by Bernardo Bergeret, also director of South Window, and Nicolás Batlle, head of Incaa. This pavilion will have the visit of Alex de la Iglesia tomorrow, as godfather, of a site that brings together the main fantastic film festivals such as Sitges and BIFAN, the largest Asian event of its kind, which takes place annually in Bucheon City (South Korea).
Moving on to the Festival itself, it is worth noting something common that in 2023 is accentuated: the presence of numerous filmmakers, whose names have been repeated over the years. Of the 21 films in the Official Competition, close to fifty percent are directors who can be considered veterans, not only because of their age but also because of how long they have participated. Whoever takes the cake (not necessarily the Palme d’Or, the biggest prize) is Ken Loach, with his eighteenth film on the Côte d’Azur. The popular British director, according to his own statements, estimates that this will be the last time he presents a film in Cannes. Other notable repeat offenders are Marco Bellocchio, Wim Wenders, who has two films of which the second, out of competition, is a documentary on the painter Anselm Krieger. Other “veterans” are the Finn Aki Kaurismaki, Nanni Moretti and the Turk Nuri Bilge Ceylan.
This kind of nostalgic current is not only limited to the filmmakers as it also reaches several actors such as Michael Douglas (Honorary Palm), Harrison Ford and Liv Ullman.
From the point of view of journalists, there is a noticeable reduction in regular services. For the second year in a row, the almost one hundred computers and printers for the press are no longer available, nor are the lockers where daily newsletters were received for each of the films in the various competitions: Official Selection, Un Certain Regard and the Fortnight Directors, renamed “Quinzaine de Cinéastes”.
Finally a few words about the films already presented. The one that inaugurated the Festival (“Jeanne Du Barry”), with Johnny Depp and its director and also an actress (Maiwenn) was for most of the international critics a great fiasco, despite its cost that exceeds 20 million euros. On the other hand, in the parallel section Un Certain Regard, the Argentine film “Los delinquents” was well received by the press, with great applause in its first presentation yesterday. Its length of three hours made it possible to verify that almost no one left before, being ponderable the direction of Rodrigo Moreno, the soundtrack that closes with a song from the album Pappo’s Blues and a remarkable photograph, which alternates images of Buenos Aires and a place lost in the mountains of Córdoba.
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
