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Long long article, good read. Few tidbits of interest

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peggy-siegal/bonjour-cannes_b_111994.html

1.
10 p.m.: Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen's party
Paul Allen and his sister Jody Patton invite me to an evening of Arabian pleasures on his 301-foot yacht, M.Y. Tatoosh, at anchor off Gare Maritime. Paul's other boat, the 416-foot Octopus, comes complete with a helicopter, and a submarine is elsewhere.

Photo ID, a hard copy of the nontransferable invitation, flat "nonmarking" shoes, and no interior photography are the unenforced party instructions. It's raining, and a large ferry takes me to the mother ship.

Once aboard, the crush of celebrity is very reassuring and Paul graciously greets everyone. Unfortunately, I can't talk about the rest of the evening (except that the fireworks in the harbor were amazing and the party went until dawn). Suffice it to say I want to be invited back again next year.

As I'm leaving I bump into jury president Sean Penn, who arrives with model/former fling Petra Nemcova after a screening of the film he produced, The Third Wave. Sean moves on to huddle with Brad Pitt and the people paying homage to him -- Brian Grazer with his girlfriend, concert pianist Chosan Nguyen, as well as Ed Norton, Salma Hayek, Dennis Hopper, Adrian Brody, and Natalie Portman.


2.
Tuesday, May 20, 7:30 p.m.: Changeling premiere at Palais/Grande Theatre Lumière and private filmmakers' dinner at La Palme d'Or in the Martinez Hotel.

Of the 22 films in competition, three are by Americans -- Changeling, Che, and Synecdoche, New York. The speculation about who will win the coveted grand prize Palme d'Or is mounting.

The press suggests potential favoritism by Sean Penn for Clint Eastwood's Changeling because Sean himself won the Oscar for best actor in Clint's Mystic River, a film that was also launched at Cannes in 2003. Sean replies he's "insulted" by the innuendo and insists his fellow jurors will arrive at an honest "consensus." Adding the notorious Penn edge, he says that if Eastwood's Changeling is "a film worth rewarding, we're going to f***ing well reward it!"

Snarled traffic and red-carpet hysteria anticipates the arrival of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. She's radiant and huge (they're twin girls!) in a taupe chiffon jeweled neck caftan. The press is taking bets she will deliver within days.

At 78 years of age, Cannes "God" Clint Eastwood makes his fifth trip (in competition) up the red staircase to cinema heaven with wife, Dina Ruiz, his film's producer Brian Grazer, and Universal brass Ron Meyer, David Linde, and James Schamus.

The back story is that no one except Angelina wanted to make this film because of its disturbing nature -- an adult nightmare. Angelina ultimately convinced Eastwood, Meyer, and Grazer to produce it. They realized Angelina (mother of many) is a publicity magnet, and having her play a mother whose love for her child is the whole driving force of the film is a perfect fit. (Mark my words: Her determination to get the film made will resurface in her Oscar acceptance speech.)

Angelina stars as a Prohibition-era defiant single mom in Los Angeles whose young son is abducted. The fact-based 1928 period drama opens in November. The film lives up to the hype and the audience jumps to an eight minute standing ovation. Clint, who scored the film, too, is in the running for the coveted Palme d'Or. Traditionally, directors leave town and are notified if they need to come back for the closing night awards.


3.
10 p.m.: Synecdoche, New York dinner in the Garden of the Villa De Mai
Marina Zenovich and Polanski producer/friend Andrew Braunsberg and I are driven into the hills to this hidden villa. I immediately start to chat up Catherine Keener and fail to notice a tall guy next to me who introduces himself by saying, "Hi, I'm Brad Pitt."

I reply, "Helen Keller knows who you are." He's caught off guard and lights up. I comment that it's my lucky night because there are no CAA agents around to protect him from me, cracking him up. I press my luck and proceed to charm and amuse him with my best analysis of Angelina's chances for an Oscar nomination.

The bearded Brad is thrilled I know all about his Christmas Oscar shoo-in from Paramount, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, based on the story by F. Scott Fitzgerald and produced by my friends Kathy Kennedy and Frank Marshall. The press will have a feeding frenzy if both Angelina and Brad both get nominated this year.

We chat about the festival, "I haven't seen Synecdoche, New York yet," he tells me. Regarding the paparazzi, "We have a much better relationship with the paparazzi in Europe -- they're more respectful and leave our kids alone." Real estate: "We're spending the summer at our house. It's very private and secure." (He just purchased an estate nearby for an estimated $70 million). On politics back home, "I support Obama." Art, "I'm headed to Basel [Art Fair] after this." And George Clooney, "We're going to visit him in Lake Como in July."

I tap dance until we're both exhausted from my rat-a-tat conversation. This bonding with Brad has got to be the highlight of my week.

/b][b]Brad has now retreated to a dark secluded area under a tree to eat with Catherine, but is good-natured every time I approach with another idiotic story.

So that's a wrap. I had the time of my life. Nothing makes me happier than going to the movies and hanging out with filmmakers, especially in the South of France.

Originally published in Hamptons Magazine.