CANNES: The 69th Cannes Film Festival opened amid stormy skies, heightened security and the premiere of a new Woody Allen film that prompted a letter from his son Ronan Farrow questioning the festival’s and the media’s continued embrace of the 80-year-old director.
Allen brought his 1930s Hollywood romance “Cafe Society,” starring Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart, to Cannes on Wednesday. But just minutes before Allen and his cast congregated for a press conference, a column by Farrow was posted online by The Hollywood Reporter in which he reiterated sexual abuse allegations against his father and chastised silence over the issue as “dangerous.”
No reporters asked Allen about Farrow’s column at the press conference and Allen’s publicist didn’t return an e-mail.
Allen has previously denied molesting his adoptive daughter Dylan.
The event has heaped pressure on French authorities already on high alert six months after terror attacks left 130 dead in Paris.
Before his film premiered, the Hollywood veteran admitted that the terror threat was playing on his mind. “I’m hypochondriacal when it comes to terrorism,” Allen told Variety, “the world’s biggest worrywart.”
Hundreds of extra police officers have been deployed, however, with daily bomb sweeps of the main venue — the Palais des Festivals — and long queues at checks to get inside.
Festival director Thierry Fremaux told AFP that despite the terror threat which prompted the French interior minister to visit the town Monday, this would be a “normal year I dare to say,” and that it was important that Cannes “is there to defend (global) cinema.”
This year is one of the most star-studded in recent times, and “Twilight” megastar turned indie darling Stewart as well as Blake Lively and Steve Carell were among those appearing on the red carpet Wednesday for the “Cafe Society” premiere.
Allen also narrates the movie — his 46th — which he describes as “like reading a novel on my life” with the actor and writer Jesse Eisenberg, of “The Social Network” fame, playing the Allen character.
Nearly 90 feature films from all over the world will be shown in this year’s official selection.
These include 21 which are in the running for the Palme d’Or main prize, such as “The Last Face” by actor-director Sean Penn featuring his ex-girlfriend Theron and the latest offering from French Canadian wonderkid Xavier Dolan of “Mommy” fame.
Allen brought his 1930s Hollywood romance “Cafe Society,” starring Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart, to Cannes on Wednesday. But just minutes before Allen and his cast congregated for a press conference, a column by Farrow was posted online by The Hollywood Reporter in which he reiterated sexual abuse allegations against his father and chastised silence over the issue as “dangerous.”
No reporters asked Allen about Farrow’s column at the press conference and Allen’s publicist didn’t return an e-mail.
Allen has previously denied molesting his adoptive daughter Dylan.
The event has heaped pressure on French authorities already on high alert six months after terror attacks left 130 dead in Paris.
Before his film premiered, the Hollywood veteran admitted that the terror threat was playing on his mind. “I’m hypochondriacal when it comes to terrorism,” Allen told Variety, “the world’s biggest worrywart.”
Hundreds of extra police officers have been deployed, however, with daily bomb sweeps of the main venue — the Palais des Festivals — and long queues at checks to get inside.
Festival director Thierry Fremaux told AFP that despite the terror threat which prompted the French interior minister to visit the town Monday, this would be a “normal year I dare to say,” and that it was important that Cannes “is there to defend (global) cinema.”
This year is one of the most star-studded in recent times, and “Twilight” megastar turned indie darling Stewart as well as Blake Lively and Steve Carell were among those appearing on the red carpet Wednesday for the “Cafe Society” premiere.
Allen also narrates the movie — his 46th — which he describes as “like reading a novel on my life” with the actor and writer Jesse Eisenberg, of “The Social Network” fame, playing the Allen character.
Nearly 90 feature films from all over the world will be shown in this year’s official selection.
These include 21 which are in the running for the Palme d’Or main prize, such as “The Last Face” by actor-director Sean Penn featuring his ex-girlfriend Theron and the latest offering from French Canadian wonderkid Xavier Dolan of “Mommy” fame.
