Films of the day

There were two films in competition, yet it was the out of competition film Entrapment in homage to Sean Connery that took the stage. The special screening of the famous Scottish actor's latest thriller film (he is both leading actor and producer) was directed by Hollywood filmmaker Jon Amiel and cast young and quickly rising in fame leading-lady Catherine Zeta-Jones.

The UK was further under the spotlight with Michael Winterbottom's official selection feature: Wonderland. Last year he was on the jury and this year in the competition. This one weekend story in the life of a British family in South London, filmed with mostly hand-held equipment in Super 16 which was blown up to 35mm, has received good reviews as a realistic approach to storytelling and strong actor performances in an original Winterbottom style.

The Director' Fortnight also featured another UK film East is East as well as the Certain Regard section with Ratcatcher by young director Lynne Ramsey who won the Short Film Award at Cannes in 1996. The Iranian film in competition was actually three short films by three different directors with one common thread: the way off-the-beaten-path Isle of Kish in the Persian Gulf. Press feedback seemed to wonder why such a collection of shorts made it into the official feature competition.

Parties

The most unusual was apparently the after-the-screening party of Pola X. The guests were brought to a disinfected hangar/garage in the industrial zone. Covered with graffiti and car wreckage strewed about, the location provided a complete contradiction to the red-carpeted Palais.

Double hats

Young French actors Guillaume Canet, who recently shared the best actor award at the Paris Film Festival, and Virginie Ledoyen, who won Best Actress at the same festival last year, are both to co-star in Danny Boyle's new film The Beach starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Both are also in Cannes wearing another hat. Canet is promoting a short film he made while Ledoyen is a member of the short film jury.

Cinema Against Aids

The sixth annual event which gives the proceeds to the American Foundation for Aids Research will be hosted by Elizabeth Taylor. The gala dinner and auctions will be held next week at Le Moulin de Mougins. Up for the bidding are a dress worn by Princess Diana, a 1952 Mercedes Benz, a one-hour tennis lesson with John McEnroe, Pete Sampras, Stefi Graf and Monica Seles. Last year the charity event raised over $1.2 million for the fight against aids.