The director explained the new (debatable) protocol in an interview with a french magazine
Director Thierry Frémaux disclosed a new protocol for the 71st edition of Cannes Film Festival: he decided to outlaw red carpet selfies and to eliminate press screenings. As expected, cinema fans and press professionals have been shaken up by the news.
In a recent interview with Le Film Français, Frémaux said he finds the practice of taking selfies “ridiculous and grotesque” and, in an attempt to restore red carpet prestige, he and the President Pierre Lescure decided to forbid them. Frémaux added: «At the top of the red carpet the triviality and slowdown of flow provoked by the disorder of selfies ruins the quality of the red carpet, and thus the festival entirely.»
The plan also includes a new policy regarding press screenings: Cannes director decided to cancel morning screenings to increase the significance of the gala premieres. The reason behind this new approach is that professionals, who watch the films in the morning, often post reviews before the official world premiere. At the upcoming festival, journalists and critics will watch competition films (in a neighboring theater) at the same time as the gala audience; for the world premieres scheduled after 10 p.m. the press will have to wait until the following morning for a screening.
The 71st edition of Cannes Film Festival runs May 8-19 and the official selection will be announced on April 12.
