The Cannes Film Festival has begun its 77th edition featuring a host of stars from the film industry, including Hollywood legend Meryl Streep, who is 74 years old. Streep is one of the most famous actresses in Hollywood history, with three Academy Awards from 21 nominations. Her career is filled with numerous successful works, including "The Deer Hunter," "Out of Africa," and "Kramer vs. Kramer," as well as beloved family films such as "The Devil Wears Prada" and "Mamma Mia!" Interestingly, she has only participated in the Cannes Festival once, winning the Best Actress award for "A Cry in the Dark" in 1989. Streep will reunite with Greta Gerwig, who starred alongside the Hollywood icon in "Little Women" in 2019. Gerwig, who became the first female director to gross over a billion dollars with "Barbie," is stepping into her role as the head of the Cannes jury on Tuesday, signaling a shift in the balance of power in the film industry.
**Meryl Streep's Palme d'Or**
After being introduced by French actress Juliette Binoche, Streep received a standing ovation from the creators at Cannes, who applauded for a full ten minutes. Despite Streep's attempts to stop the applause, the Cannes audience insisted on continuing. Juliette told Streep through tears, "You represent the timeless model of acting for all generations; we learn from you and will continue to learn from you. You have provided a beautiful image of women portraying different characters in various dialects." Streep addressed the city and the festival, saying, "I have been absent from Cannes for 35 years, and I return now while it celebrates cinema," thanking the festival administration before Binoche presented her with the Palme d'Or, together announcing the opening of the 77th edition.
The jury also includes other notable names, such as French actor Omar Sy and American indigenous actress Lily Gladstone, who drew attention last year at Cannes for her role in Martin Scorsese's film "Killers of the Flower Moon," as well as Lebanese director Nadine Labaki.
**Red Carpet**
Stars from the opening film "Le Deuxième Acte," directed by Kantan Dubio, also walked the red carpet, including French actors Léa Seydoux, Louis Garrel, Vincent Lindon, and Raphaël Kinnard. The festival's opening brought good news for cinema lovers, as Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof, recently sentenced to five years in prison in Tehran, announced he would secretly leave Iran for the festival. Thierry Frémaux told reporters that "the French Foreign Ministry is helping us ensure his transport to the Cannes Festival, and we hope that his film will be shown with the presence of its director." His film "The Seed of the Sacred Fig" is scheduled to be shown on the last day of the competition on May 24, just before the awards ceremony.
**Sexual Violence in Cinema**
This year's discussions also prominently featured the issue of sexual violence in cinema, seven years after the exposure of scandals surrounding American producer Harvey Weinstein and five months after French actress Judith Godrèche spoke out against sexual assaults in French cinema. The festival's General Delegate, Thierry Frémaux, emphasized that "Judith Godrèche is making her fight a cinematic gesture, not a personal battle." One hundred public figures, including famous actresses such as Isabelle Adjani, Émmanuelle Béart, and Juliette Binoche, have called for comprehensive legislation against sexual violence in France.
**Notable First for Saudi Cinema**
A significant number of filmmakers from around the world, including directors, actors, and producers, are competing in this edition, where 22 films by major directors are set to be showcased, including Francis Ford Coppola, who returns to this cinematic event with his controversial epic "Megalopolis." This edition marks a notable Arab presence, particularly the debut of Saudi Arabia with the film "Noura" in the "Un Certain Regard" section, with the film crew present to be celebrated after the screening this coming Friday by French and international filmmakers.
This edition is taking place under unusual circumstances due to the ongoing war in Ukraine and Gaza, as all international community efforts have so far failed to transition from this tense phase to one of peace and cooperation. This situation explains the festival's decision to adopt an official poster inspired by Akira Kurosawa's film "Rhapsody in August," which carries a lot of symbolism through a poetic visual language, somewhat reflecting our international reality.
