Melanie Laurent: The Cannes Film Festival has gotten ‘too crazy, almost vulgar’

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Can I just say? I’ve really been enjoying Vanity Fair’s Cannes Film Festival coverage this year. Props to them. VF has a piece about how this year’s Cannes seems extra, extra glam, like everything is especially over the top. You can read the full piece here. In the midst of the piece, they quote Melanie Laurent – a veteran of many Cannes film festivals – about the vibe this year. Her reaction was pretty interesting:

Earlier in the night, we asked Melanie Laurent, the French actress and festival veteran who has hosted the opening- and closing-night ceremonies, about the aforementioned surreal swirl at the festival. She told us that the flashy, energetic atmosphere around some of the Cannes proceedings this year was not always the norm.

“I think we are going a bit too crazy,” Laurent told us on Monday. “I remember 15 years ago, it was more charming. Less crazy. Less almost vulgar. More respectful.”

She paused, and then added, “But I feel the same way for any other subject in the world.”

She may have had a point. As with any multi-national film festival, where deals are made and buzz is the coin of the realm, there’s a fine line to walk between glamour and excess. Over the course of one week, we’ve seen adults get into heated arguments over who gets to take the next helicopter home from a party. (“This is like a valet line for rich a–holes,” a fellow journalist deadpanned while watching.) We’ve overheard publicists debate which yacht party they would attend that evening. We’ve been invited to a Benicio Del Toro-hosted domino tournament D.J.’d by Paris Hilton that benefited Nepal. We have, we confess, been poured champagne from a rapper’s $300 bottle while sitting in a villa that looked like it may have hosted a Bachelor hot-tub orgy. We’ve witnessed men and women in black-tie drop all social graces upon learning that they’d be unable to get into a beach party. And this was all on the Croisette, where electronic music is pumping at all hours. (Amy Poehler joked in an interview with us this afternoon that she would only do press if there was disco music playing throughout her interviews. “The only time it is quiet at Cannes is between 9 A.M. and noon when people finally sleep.”)

[From Vanity Fair]

Vulgarity? AT CANNES? While I never! It’s almost like the rich a—holes have taken over and all of the sheiks, Saudi princes, tech billionaires have invaded the South of France with luxury yachts, pillaging the film festival for nubile beauties willing to make some cash on the side. Oh, wait. That’s been happening for a while.

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Photos courtesy of WENN.

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83 Responses to “Melanie Laurent: The Cannes Film Festival has gotten ‘too crazy, almost vulgar’”

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  1. GlimmerBunny says:

    She’s so gorgeous and was so great in “Inglorious Basterds”. I like her a lot!

    • Naddie says:

      Yes, she was amazing, even better than Diane Kruger (who was great, to start). Her acting was outstanding.

    • Mata says:

      She was one of the best parts of that movie. I wish she did more English language films. In fact, I wish she and Christoph Walz would team up again for something. Their scenes together were mesmerizing.

      • Evelyn says:

        Mata, I don’t know if you’ve seen it, but she’s in a movie called “beginners” and she’s lovely, check it out if you haven’t!

      • Anon says:

        I absolutely love beginners. It’s one of my all time favorites.

      • Mata says:

        Thanks for the tip on Beginners! I’ll look for it.

    • Original T.C. says:

      Beautiful and a wonderful actress. Would have her on the Cannes jury any day over the likes of “sit and pose actresses” like Sienna Miller. Lost so much respect for Cannes.

    • Kitten says:

      She’s f*cking awesome. Love her.

    • Lori says:

      She was incredible in Enemy with Jake Gyllenhaal. Not a lot of dialogue but her face………Jaysus she is incredible.

    • Shambles says:

      Agreeing with everyone. Inglorious Basterds is one of my favorites, and she and Christoph Waltz were, hands down, the best parts of the film.

    • Tough Cookie says:

      Awesome movie and she was awesome in it.

    • minime says:

      really? I didn’t find her that good in Inglorious Basterds, specially comparing with Diane Kruger…but well, maybe I’m biased. I saw once one interview with her and she sounded so arrogant and uneducated…I wonder how much of her comment would actually apply to herself.

      She is surely pretty.

  2. paola says:

    I have no idea what Sienna Miller is doing in Cannes.
    And Kendall Jenner?
    Ugh.
    I miss the times where only true Alist celebrities were invited.

    • Don't kill me I'm French says:

      Miller is a member of Cannes jury

    • Josephine says:

      I feel the same way about all of those model-types (but at least Sienna is an actress). To me, the models don’t belong there, especially since everyone seems to think they’re working the yachts like call-girls afterward. I truly hope that isn’t true but the rumors are highly persistent. I don’t understand when it became so acceptable for people to “date” for money.

      • Miss M says:

        I heard years and years ago that Cannes is THE place to be for C and D list celebrities because they ate hoping to make cash. Everytime I see someone who is not prolotjng a movie over there, i go hummmm…

      • Miss Jupitero says:

        I think that is precisely why they are there…..

    • ava7 says:

      Kendall Jenner is most likely there to…er….make money? In the worlds oldest profession that is. It’s a dirty secret that B list actresses and even top models make quite a bit of money on the yachts of billionaires. Most of them belonging to Arabs, but other belonging to very, very rich men who come from families so rich that the Forbes 50 richest lists are a joke to them.

      • paola says:

        That might be true for any model.. but I don’t think the Kardashians-Jenners need to make any more money through prostitution.
        If it was on camera maybe yes.. but behind closed doors and in secret definetely not. 😀

      • Josephine says:

        @ paola – you’re kidding, right? Kim has openly dated for money. There was some story about a year ago (after marriage and a kid) about her renting out. I also personally think that a lot of their lifestyle is paid for by the network and they seem the type to do anything for money.

      • paola says:

        Oh my god.
        I am THAT naive!
        I didn’t know she was giving herself out for rent.
        Sorry, I need a shower now.

        p.s. What did Kanye say about it? Surely he’s not happy his wife is a ‘high class rent’ hooker!!!

      • Dawn says:

        @paola Josephine is right and why would KanYe care? Look at the vulgar nudes she did, he was all in favor of it. Money is money and they make it anyway they can. And of course that is why Kendall was sent there, she needs to make money.

  3. Ms. Lib says:

    This is one of the few dresses I have seen that I could totally love! It is such a simple/classic design yet the fabric is so delicious with all of those sparkles and it is revealing but not. Very classy!

    • jugstorecowboy says:

      Yes! I love it.

    • Hautie says:

      This a lovely example of doing an illusion dress. With the sparkles on the thin mesh backing. But Miss Laurent does not look naked in her dress. There is a fine line between these illusion dresses being stunning (this one) and the ones that showed up at the MET gala.

  4. Jegede says:

    Errr…..reminds me of Gwyneth Paltrow’s almost exact complaints about the MET Gala!

    • Don't kill me I'm French says:

      You nail

    • Mia V. says:

      I absolutely dislike Goop, but they both actually have a point and in the past years everything is going a little too tacky. Like, the Kardashians are sitting front role in Chanel and Dior shows, can you imagine the reaction Coco would have if she ever met KK in one of her shows?

      • Virgilia Coriolanus says:

        I see Melanie’s point more than Goop’s……Met Gala is about fashion and anyone with the $$ to get in. Cannes should be first and foremost about the films. Then the fashion. I don’t think she’s advocating for all of the clist models to be shown the door, but I think she’s more po’d about all the billionaires coming on their yachts, and all the crap that comes with that. That’s not about art/the films……

  5. loud noises says:

    ok let’s try this again. europeans can make things vulgar all by themselves.

  6. Goats on the Roof says:

    She’s not wrong. I think she’s just so beautiful. Love her.

  7. Easi says:

    I thought it was common knowledge that if you aren’t there to promote a movie, you are making money as a yacht girl.

  8. GoodNamesAllTaken says:

    I don’t know about Cannes, specifically, but I agree with her that our world has become more vulgar. It used to be the norm to have or at least apire to have good manners, taste, character and reputation. Now, with all of these trashy reality “stars” getting rich from bad behavior, many people aspire to be rich, and that’s all. They want money so they can treat other people badly and do whatever they want. Not that people haven’t always lusted after money, but it has become the sole goal for so many, and the result is sad to me.

    • OhDear says:

      I feel the same way.

    • littlemissnaughty says:

      I think it’s a matter of appearance over substance. The vulgarity is out in the open, so to speak. Social media and tabloid culture have gone nuts and it’s more difficult to stand out and be noticed but at the same time, it’s much easier to make a quick buck in that world. Or maybe not and we simply didn’t know about this before. Money has been the sole object for many people for as long as it has existed but the way people go about getting it has become more publicized. And you could argue that at least now it’s right there for everyone to see while before it was merely hidden behind “manners” etc. The public behavior was a lot more repressed but behind closed doors…

      • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

        You may be exactly right, but I preferred the appearance of civility, in some ways. I’m so tired of bad manners everywhere you go – waiters, grocery store personnel, strangers in line. It makes the world seem a much harsher place than it needs to be on a day by day basis. And yes, I realize every crotchety old bag in the history of the world has lamented the loss of civility in the new world. Lol get off my lawn.

      • littlemissnaughty says:

        Oh please don’t get me wrong, I’m the same way and I feel like a crusty old bitch sometimes but I simply feel that it makes everyone’s day – and life – a little easier when people are polite and friendly to each other. I just think that in this case, no matter how polite someone is, it would only mask (as it did in ye olden days) the true horror beneath the surface. And I like my vulgarity right where I can see it because it shows you who that person is right away. I don’t mean appearance or anything but behavior. Don’t hide your f*ckery behind manners, only be nice and polite if that’s who you are. I’d like to know what I’m dealing with. 😉 And yes, that’s a bit of a contradiction if I also want everyone to be friendly and polite to make my day easier but when it comes to the truly vulgar and idiotic people? Show me.

      • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

        Ok, I get what you’re saying. I guess I want it both ways, too.

    • ISO says:

      It’s so french to lament and complain. I can’t imagine the 1970s or 80s as a “more respectful” era. Puhleeze. I like her styling but not this critical whiney atteeetude.

    • maria81 says:

      It’s kardashian’s world, we just live in it.

  9. Dhavynia says:

    Just because you’re rich doesn’t mean you have class. Ask any Kardashian

    She does have a point the same way Redford has a point about Sundance. The whole substance sort of washes away when you start getting all these non event related people in there. I’m not saying only the film industry should be there but they should be a little more exclusive IMO otherwise it just becomes another event where rich people gather and make asses of themselves

  10. INeedANap says:

    She looks like Cressida Bonas right?

  11. Sisi says:

    As far as know Cannes has always been a gauche mess where c and d listers do stupid tacky stunts for attention, while the a and b listers pretend pretend that the unclassy part of the festival doesn’t exist.

    • Boston Green Eyes says:

      I’ve always seen the south of France as a bit of a garish mess. It has always been a bit tawdry – with all the nouveaux riches, movie stars and “models” congregating there.

      • Mary-Alice says:

        That’s a very limited perception of avery very tiny part of Provence. It’s worth knowing the place before naming it. The vast part of Provence is not inhabited by any of those types and has much beauty to offer.

  12. LAK says:

    Oh please. Does she recall how this festival started?

    • maria81 says:

      enlighten me, please?

    • manta says:

      This festival started because some French politicians, at the end of the1930s were appalled by the fact that the Fascists and Nazis basically took control of the Mostra. Hitler in 1938, threatened the jury to get the top rize for Leni Riefenstahl? Goebbels opened it 1939.
      They thought it necessary to counter this. They organised the 1st edition for 1939, with Louis Lumière for President. Cancelled because the Wehrmacht entered Poland.

      Jean Zay, the french minister for Education at the time is generally considered the creator of the festival.He was jailed during the war for refusing the capitulation, the collaboration and incidentally for being a Jew. The Milice executed him.

      His story, the way he fought for this festival is very present in the news in France in the past weeks since his remains will enter the Pantheon at the end of the month.
      So I fail to see what seems so deserving of eyeroll or contempt in the way this festival started.

  13. eowyn says:

    Many seems to forget that L’OREAL is one the main sponsors of the Festival of Cannes.
    Most of the models and actresses on the red carpet works for them .
    I am talking about Julianne Moore, Doutzen, Fang Bingbing, Eva Longoria… these are some of the most know.
    Others are also there to promote others brands like Ester Lauder with Joan Smalls, Kendal Jenner… those are others examples.
    L’OREAL’s workers are providing most of the products used by the actresses/actors’s or their make up artist.

    P.S: This doesn’t mean they will not participate in shady things while in Cannes.

  14. Chrissy says:

    She talented, classy and beautiful. Love her and especially that dress. She’s understated elegance personified.

  15. Kara says:

    its not that new though. in my eyes Cannes is more about the parties and prostitution on the yachts than about the movies.

  16. maria81 says:

    she is unfortunately right. cannes is kardashian territory now.

  17. Saks says:

    I agree. Yet, I think the reason is the media coverage. There have always been a**holes but now the media is mainly covering the nouveau riches and reality nobodies antics and behaviour. Also, I think Cannes has become to be perceived more of a red carpet event than actually about the films, and even the judges have been dowgrades recently (e.g. Sienna Miller).

    But my main ‘problem’ with recent editions of Cannes, since about 4-5 years, are the movies. More Hollywood releases which result in less international projects picked for premieres and competition. I’m not saying ones are better than others but one of Film Festivals’ main functions is supposed to be that they give smaller films the opportunity to film distributors/budget, etc. I know at end this a business and it’s all about the money, but still…

    • InvaderTak says:

      Titlly agree with you about the content. I thought Cannes was supposed to be about indie and artsy not Mad Max. Maybe that’s really where the new wave of vulgarity comes from.

      Also really disappointed that my beloved SXSW is that way now too.

      • Trillion says:

        I never missed a single SXSW in the 90’s and early aughts. I’d run away from Austin at that time of year, these days. Oh well. At least we knew it when…

    • manta says:

      But the last Palme d’or is a 3hour-long turkish film which make more than 300 000 entries in France last year.
      This year, between the main competition and Un certain regard, we’ve got a great come back from Asian directors (Kawase, Weerasetakul, Kore-Heda, Jia Zhang-Ke, Brillante Mendoza to name a few). The ACID (association pour le cinéma indépendant et sa diffusion) offers premieres and visibiity for small budget movies.

      I feel the indies and small films are still there, they’re coverd by medias and journalists really interested in movies though (at least the ones I read or listen to). Maybe the fault lies with media outlests who chose only fashion or celebs specialists to cover Cannes and forget to appoint cinephiles, you know, the ones who will actually stay in the theater after the red carpet is done.

  18. meme says:

    The entire world has gotten more vulgar, not just Cannes. Our culture makes huge stars out of trash like The Kardashians, thinks wearing LOOK AT ME I’M ALMOST NAKED dress are acceptable, break the law on a regular basis and nothing happens (hello Lohan). Cannes has always had its seedy side but it was sort of hidden.

  19. Ellie says:

    She’s very beautiful, I like her natural look.

  20. Kristen says:

    I love Melanie. She was absolute perfection in “Beginners”. That’s one of the few films I’ve seen maybe a million times.

  21. Lucy says:

    Amazing actress, beautiful woman.

  22. livan says:

    I really love her music!

  23. Scarlet Pimpernel says:

    She’s the spitting image of Cressida Bonas!

  24. Brittney B says:

    A whole article about Melanie Laurent, and no updates or comments about her role in By the Sea! Damn it.

    She’s gorgeous, and she’s right about Cannes… but you’re right too. It’s been this way for a long time. It’s just not a secret anymore.

    • lisa2 says:

      There is an interview she did. She talks about Angie and Brad and working with them. It was long so I didn’t want to go off topic. The link is too long to post. Just google and it is out there.

  25. Katie says:

    She has a point about Cannes. You don’t have to be an just an actor anymore but a celebrity. The same goes true about the Met Gala. I still remember when only high society, old monied types who actually supported the Met attended. And the Vienna Opera Ball. Remember when the chairman invited a young well known hooker to attend? Kim Kardasian also attended one year.

  26. Adrien says:

    So Cannes is like Coachella now? Vapid celebs and fashion people intermingle with art/film people. Lots of events are hosted by luxury brands. It’s the only time people like Chloe Sevigny, Charlotte Gainsbourgh, Gael Bernal get to be in the limelight and these popular celebs are taking over their turf. Go be seen somewhere else.

  27. Jenny says:

    She’s not wrong

  28. Jellybean says:

    That was her?… She was magnificent !!!

  29. Jellybean says:

    As in… Inglorious bastards!!!

  30. emma says:

    In the header picture, Melanie Laurent looks sort of like the love child of Daphne Oz and Renee Russo.