Cannes 78: Palme d'or to Robert de Niro !!!

 Such are the moments of Cannes !

Honorary Palme d'Or to Robert De Niro !!!

At the peak of the evening, a standing ovation greeted Leonardo DiCaprio’s entrance. The American actor, who owes his breakout and his encounter with Martin Scorsese to Robert De Niro, expressed his admiration before presenting him with an Honorary Palme d’or:

 

“Tonight, I have the immense honor of standing before you to pay tribute to someone who is our model. Robert De Niro’s legacy lies in how he inspired actors to treat their craft not just as solo performance but as transformation. Robert De Niro is not just a great actor—he is The Actor. With Martin Scorsese, they told some of cinema’s most legendary stories, uncompromising stories. They didn’t just make movies—they redefined what cinema could be. They elevated the actor-director relationship into a crucible of risk-sharing.”

 

In response, the cinema legend addressed the Grand Théâtre Lumière with a call to action—for freedom and democracy, without delay:

“My sincere thanks to the Festival de Cannes for creating this community, this universe, this ‘home’ for those who love telling stories on the big screen. The Festival is a platform for ideas, a celebration of our work. Cannes is fertile ground for new projects. (...)

In my country, we are fighting tooth and nail to defend democracy—something we once took for granted. This concerns everyone. Because the arts are, by nature, democratic. Art is inclusive; it brings people together. Art is a quest for freedom. It embraces diversity. That’s why art is a threat today. That’s why we are a threat to the autocrats and fascists of this world.

We must act—now. Without violence, but with passion and determination. The time has come. Everyone who believes in freedom must organize, protest, and vote in elections. Tonight, we reaffirm our commitment by honoring the arts—and liberty, equality, and fraternity.”

To conclude this opening ceremony and launch twelve days of screenings for the 78th edition, American director Quentin Tarantino took the stage and, with full voice, declared: “IT’S MY HONOUR TO DECLARE THE 78TH FESTIVAL OPEN!!!”

Mimì - Il principe delle tenebre (2023)

Mimì - Il principe delle tenebre / Mimi-Prince of Darkness is the debut feature film of Brando De Sica (Italian film Royalty, son of Christian-De Sica and nephew of il grande Vittorio), which was shown in the competition of Dracula film Fest last October in Brasov, Romania. It also won in Sitges. The premiere was in the Locarno film fest in the summer of 2023. Other awards followed.

It's a very spcial film, in the vein of  George A. Romeo's Martin, Nick Cage's Vampire Kiss,  a bit of Les Morsures de l'aube, a bit of  Låt den rätte komma in, etc. The genre he proposes is self-titled Napoletano Gomhorror neomelodico. A very specific Napoletan (including lots of pizza) film, very stylish with nods to the vampire genre, Nosferatu F. W. Murnau film, Hammer pics, giallos.

It's a combo of comedy, drama, doomed teenage love story and  coming-of-age horror. The protagonist Mimi is a misfit with a  handicaped foot, a (Tim) Burtonesque character,  coming straight from Tod Browning's Freaks box (here a Pizza box ;) mixed with Italian realism and mostly surrealism. And pizza ;) 

Great sound design by the director himself. And score (by Pasquale Catalano) and soundtrack (songs from Fabrizio de Andre to Four Tops, Halloween House, etc) . Reminded me a bit of the feel of the new horror wave by Tilman Singer, Cuckoo, from last year fodder.

It streams now on MAX worldwide. Also in Romania. 

4 out of 5, 8 out of 10 !!!

Sinners (2025)

"Dance with the Devil"

Sinners is an unexpected mix of black Americana, Southern Gothic horror, vampire fare, legends and racial tale told on Blues rhythms and chords. With a twist of folk-lore, religion and superstition. And Blues. Did I say Blues ?

It's also an epic western (epic on scope and duration, 2hr. 17 min.), the deal with the devil, Robert Johnson's style, KKK and moonshine in 1932's Louisiana.

Shades of Walter Hill (stylistically lots of his films, his style -think Last Man Standing, and major plot point: Crossroads), Tarantino & Rodriguez (From Dusk' Til Dawn and Coogler says The Faculty was an inspiration), John Carpenter (The Thing, Vampires), Kathryn Bigelow (Near Dark), 

Beautfully shot in Super 70 Panavision by Autumn Durald Arkapaw (Wakanda Forever) and presented in IMAX (shot on a ratio of 2.76 : 1), Sinners is acted with intensity and seriousness (Michael B. Jordan in a dual role, Delroy Lindo as Delta Slim,  Hailee Steinfeld as the white hottie, brit Jack O'Connell as Remmick) and scored magnificently by  Ludwig Göransson in his 4th collaboration with Ryan Coogler (after Black Panther, BP: Wakanda Forever and Creed).

Miles Caton mesmerizes as Sammie Moore, the made-up kid musician played in his old age by none other than Mr. Legend, Buddy Guy. Reason enuff for any blues aficionado to see the film !!! On the BIG Screen, brother, and if you live close to an IMAX environment, pls. go there !

Add to this a grand soundtrack companion.

And a pulsating original score by  Ludwig Göransson-who admires the blues since a kid in Sweden, did his homework seriously and this represents a tribute to his father. His credits are on banjo / music / musician: banjo / musician: resonator guitar / resonator guitar / score producer.

The Sinners Band:

Cedric Burnside -drums

Lester Snell-piano

Lars Ulrich-drums

Eric Gales-guitar

Alvin Youngblood Hart-guitar

Christophe "Kingfish" Ingram -guitar

Bobby Rush-harmonica

Buddy Guy-resonator guitar

Miles Caton-resonator guitar

Rave reviews, powerful BO, makes this a rare bird. Act one is slow, so give it time to warm up, it'll stay with ya afterwards. 

4 out of 5, 8 out of 10 !!!

RIP James Foley

New Yorker James Foley started in the Biz with Reckless, a rom com, in 1984. Sean Penn takes him to direct At Close Range in 1986. Great noir drama, featuring a magistral Chris Walken part. Penn, then Madonna's husband, tintroduces him to the music diva. He directs music videos for her, then he directs Madonna in Who's That Girl, a catastrophy. 

Then Foley does another film noir, based on the book by Jim Thompson, After Dark, My Sweet in 1990, one of his best flicks.

Then in 1992 came the adaptation of David Mamet's play, Glengarry Glen Ross, with a superb cast of actors, from Al Pacino to Alec Baldwin, Jack Lemmon, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin, Kevin Spacey and Jonathan Pryce, as an all male ruthless salesmen in an existential piece. Unebeliavable, the film was nominated for only One (!) Academy Award. 

Pacino gave him his next project, Two Bits, in 1995. 

Next on, Fear and The Chamber, with Gene Hackman, after John Grisham's novel, both in 1996.

And Confidence, a flawed con men movie in 2003.

Then nothing much, routine thrillers, a lot of TV. Like he lost his enthusiasm for good projects. 

James Foley died on May 8th, 2025. He was 71. RIP. 

Obit in Variety here.