The 56th Cannes Film Festival officially kicked off the day before yesterday in 2003.
This annual film extravaganza draws global attention, with all eyes on the event.
On the red carpet at the opening ceremony, the jury for the main competition made a dazzling appearance.
This year, the jury president is French director Patrice Chéreau. Back in 1994, he won the Cannes Jury Prize with La Reine Margot and is highly respected in France. In 2001, his film Intimacy took the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, and earlier this year, Son Frère earned him the Best Director award at Berlin once again, proving he's still at the peak of his career.
Thus, Cannes invited Patrice Chéreau to preside over this year's jury, which includes many familiar names: directors, writers, and actors from around the world.
Among them are Chinese actor Jiang Wen, American director Steven Soderbergh, and American actress Meg Ryan.
The red carpet sparkled with stars.
This year's host, Monica Bellucci, stole the show. The actress, who charmed European cinema with Malèna, was in her prime, and everywhere she went, she became the absolute focus of attention.
Monica appeared in a moon-white, form-fitting lace gown, embodying both the elegance and poise of a Greek goddess, while exuding a ripe, peach-like allure. Her mix of different styles sent the red carpet into a frenzy.
If Cannes wanted to create buzz with Monica's presence, they definitely succeeded. Not only did she shine on the red carpet, but her appearance during the opening speech at the Palais des Festivals also received a standing ovation. The applause thundered through the room.
It was an unprecedented spectacle.
In comparison, this year's opening film Fanfan la Tulipe seemed a bit underwhelming.
This French film was written and produced by the famous Luc Besson. After making a name for himself on the international stage with films like Léon: The Professional, The Fifth Element, and The Big Blue, Besson announced he would only direct ten films before retiring, causing a wave of sighs and regrets.
In recent years, Besson founded his own film company and didn't rush back to directing. Instead, he focused on writing and producing. The success of the Taxi series at the box office brought him even more attention, and Fanfan la Tulipe was one of his new projects.
The film's lead actress was Penélope Cruz, who had been rising rapidly in both Hollywood and Europe in recent years. Due to rumors involving Matt Damon and Tom Cruise, Penélope temporarily left Hollywood and returned to Europe. Even though she hadn't yet turned 30, she remained one of the top young actresses.
Having a Penélope Cruz-led film as the opening movie at Cannes was yet another big opportunity for her.
On the red carpet, the competition between Penélope and Monica was undoubtedly a hot topic. Unfortunately, the film itself didn't live up to the hype.
Fanfan la Tulipe was met with a wave of criticism, if not outright ridicule.
Many questioned why Cannes would choose such a film to open the festival.
While last year's opening film, Hollywood Ending, wasn't exactly brilliant, at least director Woody Allen knew how to make fun of himself. Its light, artsy tone was passable, but this year's film was nothing short of a farce.
However...
This is Cannes—
It's all about the movies.
No hiding, no sugar-coating, no polite chit-chat. If it's good, it's good; if it's bad, it's bad. Praise is given generously, but criticism is just as brutal. The sharp reviews from the media ensure that, for ten days, this small town oscillates between heaven and hell.
At the very least, the buzz, the spotlight, and the heat are there.
Cannes has already won half the battle, proving once again why it's the best at generating excitement among Europe's top three film festivals, especially in this age of information overload.
However, after the opening ceremony, the entire Cannes crowd was talking about one person—
Anson Wood.
Even the well-traveled Emmanuelle had to admit that Anson came prepared.
Even though anticipation had already peaked before the festival opened, and despite Anson having wowed audiences at various premieres before, this time at Cannes was still different.
Emmanuelle could still recall the moment with crystal clarity when her breath was taken away.
Dressed in all black, Anson donned Dior's spring/summer collection. But the black was far more than just black.
A black shirt, black pants—tailored to perfection. Too loose would be sloppy, too tight would be suffocating, but the soft, delicate fabric wrapped his body perfectly, revealing his sleek figure while maintaining clean, sharp lines.
He paired this with black military boots and a black leather jacket, shattering the formal restraint of the shirt and trousers and showcasing a bold, wet, and bloody sensuality with a rebellious edge.
Finally, a silk rope cinched into a unique belt, subtly accentuating his physique, pushing his proportions to their absolute peak. He didn't just look like a vampire; he resembled a dark angel drenched in blood.
It's hard to believe, but even though he wore only black, there wasn't a single monotone. Instead, it created depth and dimension, evoking endless possibilities and imagination. The only highlight was his bright, slightly curled, golden hair—wet, loose, and lazy, concealing the dangerous glint in his eyes.
"Lethal."
That was the only word Emmanuelle could think of, smashing through all logic and willpower, leaving her easily lost in his mysterious, seductive gaze, with her heart shattering into a million pieces.
No wonder!
No wonder Anson had been hiding under various hats since arriving in Cannes. It was all part of a secret—a secret that shocked all of Cannes.
Stunning? That doesn't even begin to describe the impact and awe of his red carpet appearance.
In one moment, he effortlessly stole all the focus, as if a god had descended.
Maybe he was Lucifer, maybe Apollo, or perhaps Icarus.
But that didn't matter. What mattered was that Anson took everyone's breath away.
Monica Bellucci? Penélope Cruz?
All faded into the background.
Even Meg Ryan and the jury led by Patrice Chéreau were overshadowed. No one could compare. No one even came close.
Bold enough, daring enough, and arrogant enough, yet undeniably lethal, Anson hijacked the entire Cannes conversation in true Hollywood fashion.
And even now, thirty-six hours after the opening ceremony, the buzz remains the same.
Listen.
"…My God, I still can't believe Anson."
"How would I describe him? Handsome? No, I think he's beyond that. Even charm doesn't quite capture his uniqueness."
"I thought Alain Delon was the peak of beauty, but clearly, I was naive."
"Anson… is just Anson."
"Wow, that outfit—I can't imagine anyone else pulling it off."
The whispers won't stop.
Even the festival has become secondary.
But Emmanuelle doesn't blame her colleagues or the other attendees. It was the same for her. Anson's appearance…
It was disruptive.
Yes, disruptive—Emmanuelle couldn't think of a better word.