The 77th Cannes Film Festival was held from May 14 to 25, 2024, in Cannes, southern France. The jury was chaired by Greta Gerwig, the director of the 2023 American hit film “Barbie.”
The jury members were Turkish screenwriter and photographer Ebru Ceylan, American actress Lily Gladstone, French actress Eva Green, Lebanese director and screenwriter Nadine Labaki, Spanish director, producer and screenwriter Juan Antonio Bayona, Italian actor Pierfrancesco Favino, Japanese director Kore-eda Hirokazu, and French actor and producer Omar Sy. 日本語
The 77th Cannes Film Festival Opening
Table of Contents
- Social media influencers appears on the opening day
- “A Bridge Between Japan and the World” – JAPAN NIGHT
- A Special Delivery from Official Partner BMW
Social media influencers appears on the opening day
Many famous actors and directors from all over the world gathered in Cannes, a beautiful city located on the Mediterranean coast of southern France. On the opening day, Meryl Streep, known for her role in “Mamma Mia!” and French actress Lea Seydoux, famed for her portrayal of the lead in the “007” series, made notable appearances. Meryl Streep’s return to Cannes after 35 years was met with enthusiastic applause from attendees both domestic and international.
Famous Chinese actors Gong Li, Tong Liya, and Peng Yuyan also made public appearances. However, to the surprise of many, they were not prominently captured by the cameras. Instead, a certain popular Chinese social media influencer, Wan Qianhui, who is a well-known TikTok influencer, caught the spotlight and became the center of attention.
Wang Chenhui’s presence was highlighted with extended close-up shots on the big screen, lasting over 90 seconds. She also dominated a one-minute close-up shot on the second day. In addition to her influence on social media, Wang is also a stage actress, having appeared in numerous stage productions since 2014. After launching her TikTok account in 2021, she quickly rose to fame, achieving a staggering 30 million RMB in product sales within just three months. This success cemented her status as a prominent figure in China, leading to invitations to various international events.
Her stylist, who also styles the renowned Chinese actress Fan Bingbing, meticulously prepared her look for the event. This attention to detail paid off, as her appearance on the red carpet and the subsequent close-up shots significantly boosted her popularity. It will be interesting to see what changes will occur at next year’s Cannes Film Festival.
“A Bridge Between Japan and the World” – JAPAN NIGHT
Every year in Cannes, in addition to the traditional red carpet and various award ceremonies held at the main venue, each country hosts individual ceremonies at different locations to showcase their films and culture. In the past, events such as “CHINA NIGHT,” “BEIJING NIGHT,” “HONG KONG NIGHT,” “TAIWAN NIGHT,” and “KOREA NIGHT” have been held.
This year, for the first time, “JAPAN NIGHT” was held during the Cannes Film Festival on May 17th (local time in France) to promote Japanese films and culture to the world. The event was organized by MEGUMI, an actress and producer who has been expanding her career. Approximately 700 film industry professionals, including directors and producers from around the world, attended the event, which was a great success. Hirokazu Kore-eda, who is serving as a juror in the competition section this year, was also in attendance. MEGUMI expressed her hope that this event would encourage Japanese filmmakers to look beyond their own country.
right: Thierry Fremaux
(Photo: Kicky Co., Ltd.)
The “JAPAN NIGHT” venue (projected images are works by renowned photographer RK)
Appearing on stage at “Japan Night” were directors Takumi Saito, Koji Fukada, Taichi Kimura, Tetsuya Chihara, and Producer Ryota Koide. Film-related attendees included directors Yuriyan Retriever, Miwa Nishikawa, and the cast and production team of “My Sunshine”. During the event, each director presented their own work.
Works presented at “JAPAN NIGHT” (right photo: MEGUMI and Director Takumi Saito)
A Special Delivery from Official Partner BMW
The official partners of the 77th Cannes Film Festival included AIR FRANCE, Brut., J.P. MORGAN, L’OREAL PARIS, MASTERCARD, MICROSOFT, NESPRESSO, and TIKTOK. The hotels where celebrities invited by L’OREAL stayed were decorated with signs of L’OREAL and CHOPARD.
This year as well, BMW, an official partner of the 77th Cannes Film Festival, supported the transportation of famous actors to various venues. Attendees were able to use the shuttle service in BMW’s latest model.
In addition, BMW unveiled a special show car for this year’s Cannes Film Festival. This show car, a one-off model of the “XM Mystique Allure”, was presented at BMW’s private party. It was a special edition of BMW XM, dressed in velvet and sequins instead of standard paint. The event was hosted by British supermodel Naomi Campbell and German composer Hans Zimmer, who won the Academy Award for Best Original Score for film “DUNE” in 2021.
This show car was born from a collaboration with Naomi Campbell, who has been the face of BMW XM promotion since 2023.
Photograph 京聯栄GT株式会社
Editor 京聯栄GT株式会社