When Anson met Cannes, it was like falling in love.
Anson seemed to truly fall in love with Cannes, not as an actor, but as a regular audience member, completely immersed in the atmosphere of the film festival.
So, rather than saying Anson fell in love with Cannes, it's more accurate to say he fell in love with cinema. His behavior mirrored that of a die-hard movie fan, indistinguishable from the countless other spectators at Cannes.
Moreover, most of the audience at Cannes are "working folks," attending screenings not just for fun but also with the burden of writing articles. But not Anson—he was free to fully dive in and enjoy himself.
Karl still remembers that day when they left the Debussy Theatre on the first floor of the Palais. He spotted Anson and instinctively called out, ready to chat about the film they had just watched in the Un Certain Regard section.
Unexpectedly, Anson apologized, explaining he was in a rush because there was a masterclass happening in the Buñuel Theatre on the fifth floor, and he didn't want to miss it. He said this while dashing off, not even waiting for the elevator, bursting through the fire exit and running up the stairs.
Karl was left standing there, dumbfounded.
A few hours later, Karl heard the follow-up: Anson, drenched in sweat, had made it to the masterclass in time. However, halfway through, he left early because he had to catch a screening of Mystic River in Studio 13.
Busy, fast-paced, nonstop, and full of passion.
In this sense, Anson was just like everyone else, rushing from one venue to the next, snacking on sandwiches, discussing films while barely finding time for a drink of water. He'd wake up early to head to the Lumière Theatre to catch the main competition screenings or plan his other viewing schedules.
Fully packed! Hectic!
Anson admits that this was his first film festival, and he was a bit greedy—wanting to see everything. Ultimately, he sacrificed sleep.
"After all, it's only a few days."
One sentence resonated with everyone—
They couldn't help but recall their own first film festival experience. Exactly the same!
Sighs of nostalgia naturally flowed, "Ah, youth... youth is wonderful."
It wasn't just Karl who heard the stories; Emmanuel also caught wind of the rumors on the streets, making her realize that maybe she could continue her original project idea.
So, Emmanuel gave up on most of the red carpet premieres. After all, the red carpet photographers were everywhere, capturing those classic moments from all angles. Her presence wouldn't make much difference. Instead, she focused on her own project idea:
Anson-Wood.
Unlike the red carpet or the endless flashes of paparazzi, what is Anson like in his everyday life, stripped of the Hollywood superstar aura?
What are his fashion choices, his outfits, his casual looks?
It was just like the stunning moment Emmanuel had captured on the train to Cannes. She wanted to see the Anson behind the spotlight.
Of course, Emmanuel knew she was taking a risk by skipping the red carpet and focusing on one person—it was a gamble.
But it didn't take long for Emmanuel to be confident that she had made the right decision—
Shirts, short sleeves, polo shirts, jackets, windbreakers, cardigans, hoodies, casual blazers—simple styles that he combined in different ways to create a unique charm. No flashy or overly complicated pieces, just a youthful energy in a clean, elegant look that turned heads.
Under the spotlight, Anson always commanded attention, effortlessly drawing all eyes to him, making people want to worship him.
But in everyday life, words like casual, simple, sporty, and stylish came to mind. He exuded a youthful, sunny charm that made people want to be his friend.
Last year, the American edition of Vogue launched a column titled "How to Dress Like Anson," focusing on his style choices, sparking widespread discussion.
Now, Emmanuel thought they could launch a "casual edition," focusing on affordable, accessible clothing that anyone could buy, yet when paired like Anson does, they exuded personal flair without chasing trends.
Especially that effortless French charm Anson seemed to embody, glowing under the sun of the French Riviera.
Whether they admitted it or not, Anson was the biggest highlight of this year's Cannes Film Festival.
Emmanuel was satisfied with her work. Even if the theme failed in the end, she felt she had gained plenty.
In fact, it didn't fail—
Her concept was successfully featured in the Italian edition of Vogue, expanding on the red carpet fashion to create a whole new theme:
"Anson-Wood: Day and Night."
The Italian Vogue issue was inspired by the classic film La Dolce Vita, showing not only day and night, black and white versus color, but also the contrast between the spotlight and behind the scenes, revealing two distinct sides of Anson.
It was a reminder of Anson's versatility, his ability to project different styles and personas, uncovering new possibilities in his acting career, much like what he had showcased in Catch Me If You Can.
This issue of the magazine became a huge hit in Europe.
In Italy, it sold out, prompting the magazine to reprint three times to meet demand. It also flew off the shelves in France, Spain, the UK, Germany, and elsewhere, becoming the highest-selling issue of Vogue Italy in Europe since the millennium.
The sparks between Anson and Cannes were undeniable, and thanks to the buzz generated by August 31st Band, Anson had become a dominant force in Europe, even more so than during the frenzy of Spider-Man or Catch Me If You Can.
And this wasn't the end.
Two months later, the Italian Vogue wave crossed the Atlantic, stirring up another wave of excitement in North America, triggering a new buying frenzy.
However!
The Italian edition was no longer being reprinted, leaving North American demand unmet. Prices on the black market skyrocketed to $600 per copy, yet it was still hard to find one.
Because of this, Emmanuel's fame soared.
But none of this was something Emmanuel could have predicted.
As she reflected on her time in Cannes, it felt like an indescribable dream, especially the last few days.
Day after day, time passed in a blur of busyness and running around. Before she could even collect her thoughts, ten days had flown by, and the Cannes Film Festival reached its final day, with the closing ceremony and award announcements.
Tonight, the jury would reveal the Palme d'Or and the other awards.
The Cannes Film Festival was about to reach its climax and bring another year of cinematic celebration to a close.