Being able to watch films – any film – in the right, theatrical environment is a privilege that many are losing by the day, and the custom to celebrate cinema, let alone understand what that means, is being diminished perhaps by people and corporations that constantly pursue the bottom line in the name of dispassion and mediocrity. Especially after the pandemic that disturbed the film industry altogether, I have been feeling morose about the state of cinema more than ever. Although Los Angeles is still the film exhibition center, with ArcLight Hollywood’s death and the Landmark theaters’ impending doom, I keep watching films in theaters as if it’s the last time It’ll ever be this good on the big screen. Is it possible that the Cannes Film Festival, the world’s most important event to celebrate cinema, may also eventually succumb to this phenomenon? Maybe in a hundred, or fifty years. Nevertheless, I took this chance to attend the festival as if it’s the last time I will ever come close to experiencing and honoring cinema in the best possible way, before it slips away from all of our fingers.
I am extremely excited to watch the Cannes Classics lineup, as well as selected films in other programs. Just in Cannes Classics alone, we have films from Orson Welles, Satyajit Ray, Vittorio de Sica, Jean Eustache, and many other magnificent films waiting to be discovered! And yes, it’s exhilarating to be invited to be in the same place as Claire Denis, Kore-eda Hirokazu, David Cronenberg, or Park Chan Wook as their new films, the biggest in the world, are being premiered. In the grand auditorium, dressed in proper attire, not to mention…
– Min
Even as I’m in Cannes right now writing this blog, it’s still hard to believe that this trip is really happening! When I arrived at USC four years ago, I was merely a kid from Hong Kong who enjoyed watching films. Never had I thought of actually pursuing a career in this industry, and I definitely would not have imagined myself at the world’s biggest film festival right after graduation. It definitely was not an easy decision at all deciding that I do want to pursue a career in film, yet while looking at the Cannes Classics lineup, I felt so oddly reassured when I saw on the list Singin’ in the Rain—the first film that I watched at USC. Cannes seems to mark the most perfect end to my years as a film student and also the exciting start to my career. I’m most looking forward to the new films from Ruben Östlund, Park Chan-wook, and Cristian Mungiu, and am equally eager to see how I may feel about Singin’ in the Rain rewatching it for the first 4 years later, freshly graduated and never more excited!
– Natalie
The theater always brings a certain magic to the movie viewing experience. Cannes Film Festival takes this magic and extends it long after the credits roll. When I learned of the inaugural USC and Cannes program, I knew it would be an opportunity for growth, engagement, and deeper understanding of cinema. It is so exciting to be in this bustling hub of movemakers and appreciators alike.
I am looking forward to expanding my horizons and have made it a point to go outside my comfort zone when selecting films to view. Likewise, simply talking with others interested in film is sure to be an exciting time. I appreciate that we have traveled from all over the world to share in our love for the moving picture. May cinema continue to be a source of magic and inspiration for us all!
– Amaya