"So, the 3S that Cannes always emphasizes—two of them need to disappear before you can see the third S. I get it now," Anson remarked.
Scarlett paused for a moment, taking a second to catch on. Anson was poking fun at the fact that the daytime sea views in Cannes weren't that special—you had to wait until the sun and all the "sexy" scenes faded away to truly appreciate the Mediterranean's beauty.
What a jab. Really sharp.
A smile fully broke out on Scarlett's face as she joked along, "But that's exactly why the beach screenings at night are so romantic."
Following Scarlett's gaze, you could see a large screen set up on the beach not far away. A black-and-white movie was playing, and there was a neat row of beach chairs in front of it. This was a whole other kind of experience.
Anson said, "Look, that's the destination. I planned for us to come here from the very start. No one should miss a beach screening when in Cannes."
Scarlett looked surprised. "Really? The beach screening was your original destination?"
Anson, full of seriousness, replied, "Of course. Why don't we buy some food, find a spot a bit further back, and have a picnic while watching the movie?"
Watching a film on the beach, because of the open-air setting, had a completely different vibe. It was like a drive-in theater, and enjoying it with a picnic was a whole new level of fun.
Scarlett was about to joke, but her stomach betrayed her with a loud growl—
Grumble, grumble.
It was almost thunderous.
Scarlett looked a bit embarrassed. She glanced up and met Anson's eyes. Quickly shifting her focus to hide her embarrassment, she mustered the courage to make fun of herself. "Tired and hungry... look what Cannes has done to me."
"Tom Sawyer's Adventure?" Anson suggested.
Scarlett laughed, "Hahaha, thanks, thanks for not saying Castaway."
Anson looked around, trying to find a place where they could grab some takeaway food.
Ever since arriving in Cannes, Anson had been swamped with work, running around non-stop. It wasn't until now that he finally had the chance to embrace the film festival mode. So, this was his first time seeing Cannes at nightfall.
The restaurants were mostly closed, the luxury stores along the promenade were dark, and the town was quickly slipping into sleep mode.
You had to wonder, where could you grab food at night?
Was the nightlife here just all about parties?
Scarlett eyed Anson. "Dinner?"
Anson shrugged, "Yep, I'm starting to worry we might starve."
Unlike Anson, Scarlett had been fully enjoying her time in Cannes over the past few days, immersing herself in the festival atmosphere. She'd gotten familiar with the town. "We just need to leave the promenade."
Anson slapped his forehead. "Ah, I forgot! Cannes isn't just the promenade."
Scarlett laughed, "It's normal. People come to Cannes, and they just stick around the promenade. All the festival venues and equipment are concentrated here, so it's easy to stay in this area. But the locals? They keep their distance."
Anson nodded, "Kind of like Las Vegas."
Scarlett paused, unable to hold back a smile, "Yeah, exactly, like Las Vegas."
"But we'll need to retrace our steps and pass by the Riviera Palace again. That's okay?"
Anson waved his hand, "No worries. Even if we're spotted, it's fine. Worst case, I'll argue with them again. Let's see who wins this time. I'm not losing."
"Ha!" Scarlett burst out laughing, but couldn't hold back, "This place feels a bit different though."
Anson looked confused, "What part?"
Scarlett clarified, "I mean the atmosphere for discussing films. In Hollywood, I've attended similar gatherings—not premieres or PR events, but fan parties. And there, when people talk about movies, it's all compliments and flattery."
Anson laughed out loud, "That's Hollywood for you."
Scarlett asked, "Is that some kind of secret code?"
Anson shook his head, "No, no. I'm talking about real film buff discussions, not the PR stuff. Hollywood—or rather, Los Angeles, and California in general—they believe in praise. They think that by encouraging people, they can help them improve."
"So, even if you didn't do a great job, they'll find some silver lining in the trash to boost your confidence and make you believe you're capable."
"But Cannes—or Europe in general—is different. Here, they believe in constructive criticism. They think that's the only way to get to the truth and the best way to grow and improve. So, when people talk about movies here, you'll hear countless opinions, and everyone has their own."
"Are they right?"
"Not necessarily. Art doesn't have a hundred percent correct answer. Even I might change my opinions. The ideas I stand by now, I might reject in a few years. But the key is putting different views out there, exchanging, debating, and eventually forming your own perspective."
"So, when it comes to discussing art, even ordinary people here in Europe have a much deeper cultural foundation than in North America. They aren't surrounded by constant praise. They don't think they're geniuses waiting to shine. They're willing to get real about art."
It turns out that behind such a simple phenomenon lies an entire cultural and social value system.
Scarlett lifted her chin slightly in realization. "No wonder Europeans always look down on Americans for having no culture."
Anson spread his hands, "Can't argue with that."
Scarlett laughed, "Hahaha." After a brief pause, she couldn't help it, "Hahaha."
Anson smiled as well. "So, what do you think? You've been really quiet."
Scarlett waved her hands, "No, no, don't worry about me. I'm just a little amazed."
After a moment, she decided to be honest.
"Honestly, I can't keep up."
"I started acting really young, so I didn't experience much school life. Forget art, even my knowledge of common sense and academics is pretty limited. I've always dreamed of being part of discussions like these."
"You know, like those romanticized college days people talk about. I've always had unrealistic fantasies about it, hoping to experience the same as regular students."
"But today, when I actually took part, I realized my thinking process and my knowledge base just can't keep up. I don't even know how to think about these things."
A touch of bitterness, a hint of sadness.
Growing up as a child star under the spotlight, others always envied them. But the price was they had to sacrifice their childhood—and the time to accumulate knowledge to understand the world.
Anson joked lightly, "Don't worry, if we were in the U.S., university discussions wouldn't be this high-level."
"Hahaha," Scarlett laughed out loud, "Thanks for that."
"But."
Scarlett thought for a moment, her smile growing brighter.
"Actually, I love it. Even though it makes me realize how small and ignorant I am, I love this kind of atmosphere."
"It's simple and pure, with no pretense or ego, just everyone wholeheartedly focused on the movies."
"I really enjoy it."