Wait, hold on—wait a minute, something doesn't seem right.
According to Emmanuel, the "Elephant" crew canceled all their interviews and were supposed to leave Cannes this morning. There was no need to stick around and occupy space any longer.
The town, tiny as it is, has limited space. After screenings and promotions are done, crews typically leave to make room for the next production team.
That's the norm.
So, if the "Elephant" crew is leaving Cannes, why is Anson still here?
It must've been an illusion.
Emmanuel shook her head. She had been obsessively tracking every bit of news about Anson and the "Elephant" crew these past few days, so much so that she must've been hallucinating, seeing any tall figure and assuming it was Anson.
She needed help. This was getting bad.
Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Emmanuel reminded herself to focus on the "Dogville" crew. She couldn't just leave her spot; otherwise, she'd have to line up all over again, and the red carpet would be packed by then.
Calm. Focus. Steady.
But that was easier said than done—her thoughts kept drifting back.
Before she could make a rational judgment, her body had already acted on instinct. She turned around and started following that figure—
That silhouette...
Tall and slender, standing straight, wearing a mint-green tennis shirt with dark green shorts, a straw sunhat, sunglasses, and carrying a beige canvas bag. Even though she couldn't see his face, her gaze was drawn to him.
Honestly, the first person who popped into Emmanuel's mind was Anson.
She... just couldn't help it.
Taking quick steps, she caught up and called out, "Anson!"
The figure actually stopped and turned around to look at her.
Emmanuel: ...
Her eyes nearly popped out of her head—it really was Anson?
With sunglasses covering half his face and the hat hiding the rest, he was almost unrecognizable. But that slight smirk? That was unmistakable.
Emmanuel couldn't believe her eyes. She glanced around at the passersby. "What are you doing here?"
Anson chuckled softly, "Watching a movie."
...That's it?
Anson didn't say anything more, placing a finger to his lips in a "shh" gesture as his smile spread wider.
Then he turned and left.
This time, Emmanuel didn't follow him. She just stood there, dumbfounded, watching his back as the early morning sun bathed Cannes in golden light, outlining his tall, graceful figure. There was an effortless elegance to his movements that made every passerby steal a glance. Her heart suddenly began to race.
Watching movies. Yes, it was that simple and sincere of an answer.
Unbidden, Emmanuel recalled the last conversation between Anson and Nicolas in that interview. Anson had said he needed to check out a few movies, and so—
Anson had come.
It was all so simple.
Without realizing it, Emmanuel's mood had brightened.
The morning just became that much better.
Standing still for a moment longer, watching Anson's retreating figure, she didn't say anything else. Instead, she turned and headed back to the line at the red carpet entrance.
...
Anson was serious.
It wasn't often that he came to Cannes. If he just promoted his own movie and then left, the film festival wouldn't be any different from other premieres or award shows—it'd just be another job. Anson didn't want that.
Genuinely, Anson wanted to experience the film festival's atmosphere.
So, he even went out of his way to find out how one could attend the festival.
Unlike Berlin or Venice, Cannes is a festival designed for professionals.
What does that mean?
Simply put, in Berlin or Venice, anyone can attend. Cities set up screenings of the festival's films, including main competition and other sections. You just buy a ticket and walk in.
For movie fans, planning their schedules and scrambling for tickets is part of the fun of a film festival.
But Cannes is different.
Though in later years, Cannes opened up a viewing application process for young film enthusiasts under the age of 29, Cannes has always been a festival for professionals.
These professionals include, but are not limited to, film media, distribution companies, and brand sponsors' private screenings. Most attendees are journalists, critics, film bloggers, and so on.
Of course, the bar isn't as high as you'd think. Even a film student with a blog that has gained some attention could apply for media credentials to attend Cannes.
But one thing's for sure: Cannes is not a festival for the general public.
Still, the Cannes Film Festival draws in 300,000 to 400,000 attendees each year, proving once again the French people's love for film and art.
At other festivals, you just buy a ticket and go; but not at Cannes.
So, for Anson to attend the festival, there were two ways:
One, through a brand sponsor, allowing him to attend special screenings. Actors and directors usually watch films this way while in Cannes—
Dior was more than happy to provide Anson with an invitation.
Two, attend the market screenings, joining buyers and producers from distribution companies worldwide to watch films from the various festival sections—
He could easily apply to Cannes for this.
However, the catch is that these screenings are limited, and if you miss one, you're out of luck. Plus, the venues are small, often seating fewer than 100 people, so there's no film festival atmosphere to speak of.
Then, of course, there's the most straightforward option:
The premiere.
With Anson Wood's status, he could walk the red carpet as a special guest, joining the media and critics to witness the film's debut.
The downside? Standing under the spotlight, with every move scrutinized.
For Anson, this wasn't a problem.
But the point was, if he wanted the authentic film festival experience, he had to do it like everyone else and feel the true atmosphere.
Besides, having just toured with a band from the north to the south of the country, performing on street corners, stepping away from the spotlight and becoming just another moviegoer wasn't a big deal.
So.
Anson chose the most ordinary way:
Like every other attendee at Cannes.
With Nicolas Flynn's help, Anson got himself a media pass.
Then, he lined up at the Palais des Festivals, just like everyone else.
From a distance, he could already see the long, winding line stretching like a giant dragon next to the Palais, leaving him awestruck.
During the premiere of "Elephant," Anson had been curious:
What was all the commotion on the right side of the red carpet?
Now he knew. It was the media lining up for the screenings.
"The more popular the film, the earlier you have to arrive, or you might end up waiting in line for two or three hours, only to be turned away if the Lumière Theatre is full," Nicolas had advised Anson.