'Best Of' Students' Photos

I (creepily?) pulled all of these off Facebook. As you can see our students were in the right place at the right time throughout this year's Festival.  Enjoy...

Alec Baldwin after he popped in the American Pavilion

Ben Stiller after the "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted" press conference

Bill Murray heading into the "Moonrise Kingdom" after-party

Brad Pitt at the "Killing Them Softly" red carpet premiere seemingly posing for our students' lenses

Bruce Willis heading into the "Moonrise Kingdom" after-party

Chris Rock leaving the "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted" press conference

Clive Owen arriving to this year's MasterClass featuring Phil Kaufman

The cast of "Cosmopolis" on the red carpet before their premiere

(Including: David Cronenberg, Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche, Paul Giamatti)

David Schwimmer after the "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted" premiere

Jury Judge, Diane Kruger, and beau, Joshua Jackson, heading into a premiere

Eva Longoria posing right in front of our students on the red carpet

Jury Judge, Ewan McGregor, leaving a premiere

Frieda Pinto after the "Moonrise Kingdom" premiere opening night

Frieda Pinto going in to the "Rust and Bone" premiere

Gael Garcia Bernal heading into a morning screening in the Debussy Theatre

Gerard Butler after the "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted" premiere

Heidi Klum heading into "The Paperboy" premiere

Jackie Chan speaking on a panel at the American Pavilion

Jessica Chastain heading into the "Moonrise Kingdom" after-party

Jessica Chastain after the "Lawless" press conference

John Cusack after "The Paperboy" press conference

Kanye West and Kim Kardashian deboarding a yacht in the Cannes harbor

Kirsten Dunst after the "On the Road" press conference

Macy Gray after "The Paperboy" press conference

Martin Short after the "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted" press conference

Matthew McConaughey catching our students snapping his photo in the posh Majestic Hotel Bar

Matthew McConaughey after the "Mud" press conference

The cast of "Moonrise Kingdom" entering the theatre before their Festival Opening premiere

(L-R: Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, two kids in movie, Bruce Willis, Ed Norton, Wes Anderson-front)

The cast of "Mud" exiting their premiere

(L-R: Reese Witherspoon, Matthew McConaughey, the two kids in the movie, Jeff Nichols, Festival director Thierry Fremaux)

Nicole Kidman after "The Paperboy" press conference

Nicole Kidman arriving to this year's MasterClass featuring Phil Kaufman

P.Diddy (or whatever he's called now) heading into the "Killing Them Softly" premiere

Cast of "The Paperboy" entering their premiere

(namely from bottom to top: Nicole Kidman, John Cusack, Zac Efron, Matthew McConaughey)

Paul Giamatti after the "Cosmopolis" press conference.

Reese Witherspoon after the "Mud" press conference

Robert Pattinson signing autographs in the Palais after his morning press conference for "Cosmopolis"

Sean Penn leaving a premiere

Tilda Swinton after "Moonrise Kingdom" premiere opening night

Tye Sheridan after the "Mud" press conference

Viggo Mortensen leaving the "On the Road" press conference

Wes Anderson heading to the "Moonrise Kingdom" after-party

Zac Efron in the Palais after the morning press conference for "The Paperboy"

[Photo credits / future TMZ photogs:
Hilary Beth Allen, Laurie Costarides Liz Egan, Erin Jackson, Kara Maltby, Raines Plambeck, Sara Porch]

Marilyn & Macy

Ran into Macy Gray after the "Mud" premiere. 

"Beasts of the Southern Wild"

...is fantastic. Much like I reminisce about the exponential build of sound that seems neverending in the final scene of "Melancholia" that I experienced last year in the Salle de Soixantieme and the unrelenting roar of applause and ovations after the red carpet premiere of "Drive" in the Lumiere Theatre last year, the opening first few minutes of the "Beasts of the Southern Wild" has become another Cannes moment for me that I will remember fondly forever; its booming crescendo blasting through the Debussy Theatre speakers and pounding my chest as I sat in my center, orchestra seat today.

Beautifully shot on location in southern Louisiana, "Beasts" is insanely realistic in its portrayal of this rogue backwoods lifestyle you can almost feel the sticky humidity in which the characters' adventures in daily life unfold.

The main character, 'Hushpuppy,' is played by an intimidatingly talented six-year-old girl, Quenzhane Wallis, who is not only beautiful but she has a stare that can slay you. She is just the best thing ever!

The score is incredible and moving. The characters force you to engage emotionally despite a lack of dialogue as the film is more heavily filled with narration and playful games between father, daughter, and rough neck neighbors. It is just one of those movies I am SO glad I saw in a theatre so big with an audience so happy to see it. This film is a cinematic journey that reminded me of how fun good movies can be. I think it'll do big things in its Un Certain Regard competition here at Cannes (and potentially beyond)...  Enjoy it --- I did!

And then we got stuck in an elevator...

Yes, the rumors are true. Immediately following the joyous 'Welcome Dinner' nine of us got stuck in the teeny tiny elevator of our Residence. For an hour.

*It should be noted that while only eight people can be depicted in this photo there is in fact a ninth person - she was having a panic attack next to me in the corner on the floor - from the moment the doors closed. Such a dramatic scene!

The ridiculousness of this situation is heightened by the Frenchiness we encountered throughout: no one coming to our rescue even though we were four inches off the lobby floor and the front desk night watch man could no doubt hear us calling for help and repeatedly buzzing the black call button. It was only until I used my French cell phone to call the the Residence's front desk that he acknowledged our situation - and even then - shat on it with a big pile of French poop.

Front desk man: (in French) "How many of you are in the elevator?"

Me:  "Nine."

Front desk man: (in French) "Well the limit is eight people. You shouldn't get in with more than eight people."

        Me: (mentally) Of course it is... If I had said there were 8 of us he would have said the limit was 7. I love the French, but for real - F them sometimes, too.

What happens next is him telling me that they have called "the technician." Good, I think, he'll get here lickity split since this is a sensitive situation. Ohhhh no. The unhelpful Frenchie at the front desk proceeds to tell me this "technician" is coming from Nice as he was attending to another elevator disaster (what the hell kind of elevators are these that break all the time?!) and it will take at least 45min. Fantastic. Great. Katio (that rhymes with 'patio') has been crouched in the corner for 10min already crying and shaking. I tell him his time estimate is "too long" for us to wait, but alas, his unhelpful nature is unwavering. I get the sense he may even be smirking. Awesome.

Frustrated, I call Namita (the HBIC) and think for sure she will make something happen. In the very least she can call the local fire department (assuming there is a local fire dept --- in four years I can't say I've ever noticed one...) and they can come axe us out or something. She calls me back and says the fire department says to rely on the "technician." Wait, what?! The FIRE DEPARTMENT said, "No"?!?! Is that even legal?! Firemen get cats out of trees for christsake - that surely seems less urgent than 9 people, 1 mid-panic-attack, being stuck in a small metal box hovering two stories over the underground parking deck. What the hell?

Realizing this situation is going nowhere fast, I begrudgingly begin to accept our fate and focus my energy on the others in this shoebox with me.

We laughed, we cried, we shared water (thank god Sophie had grabbed an extra bottle from the welcome dinner), and we shared Xanax (thank god Sophie had flown in that evening and still had her plane aid in her purse). It was a tumultuous hour, but we all made it out alive and bonded together.

It is no coincidence that NO ONE has ridden in that elevator since then and that most students are getting far more exercise than usual on this trip as most opt to take the stairs given our elevator incident.

2012 Cannes Film Festival "Welcome Dinner" for Students

In most other years of our program's existence we have hosted the kickoff "Welcome Dinner" on the rooftop and adjoining solarium of our Residence.  However, after 3+ years on the French real estate market, the rooftop solarium has been sold to a private owner and is now being transformed into a penthouse suite.  Thus, we were forced to venture out to an alternate venue this year.  Luckily, our France-based coordinator, Namita, was able to strike a deal with one of the local bocce ball private clubs that I've mentioned in years past here on this blog.  (*It should be noted that 'Bocce' is what this game is referred to by Italians - and most Americans I know - but in France the game is called 'Petanque'.) Finally, my longing to be inside one of these exclusive boy clubs (and by "boy" I mean "old man") would become reality. 

Although there was no 'petanque' playing during our time within the club's walls, the Club President and his wife - two hilariously adorable Italian expats - offered a free one-time lesson to our students OR, for 5 euros, our students can come play at their club on any Monday, Wednesday, or Friday afternoon throughout our month in Juan Les Pins.  They even suggested that for our "Closing Dinner" we come back and grill out on the club's barbecue grill and simultaneously host an inter-program Petanque Competition as entertainment.  Apparently they would even try to call the Cote d'Azur publication, Nice Matin, to come photograph and report on our American student Petanque tournament that would run in the famous newspaper.  Too funny!

Our students enjoying one another's company and the cuisine.

After only 2 days of the program, I've taught them so well already. Ziploc Baggies to take leftovers back to their apartments!!

The President of the Petanque Club's wife explaining the "Fannie." Anytime a petanque team loses to their opponent 13-0 they must kiss this statuette's fannie as a form of public humiliation after the Club President rings a bell to alert everyone's attention to it.

"Fannie"

The 2012 group along with Mr. and Mrs. Le President featured in front.