Cannes premiere

May 18th, the weather was clear.

After an in-depth discussion last night on how to halt the intense battles between men and women, it wasn't until the late hours that Lyman finally reached an agreement with Eva Green.

Consequently, in the morning, Lyman couldn't help but linger in bed.

His eyes opened slightly, still a bit drowsy.

Observing Eva beside him, who was meticulously combing her hair as if nothing happened, he couldn't help but marvel at how aptly women seemed to understand the intricacies of the physical differences between the sexes.

Perhaps she was overly excited; after finishing her hair, she promptly urged Lyman to get up.

Was today the premiere of the movie "Miscreant"? He hadn't forgotten.

But it was only in the afternoon, so what was the rush?

He sluggishly climbed out of bed, donning a rather formal black suit.

After splashing his face with cold tap water, the sensation woke Lyman up a bit.

Carefully brushing his teeth, as he stepped out of the washroom, Eva handed him a light blue tie and skillfully tied it for him.

"How's my outfit today?"

"No problem."

With their attire for the premiere settled, they stepped out of the door.

Eva was genuinely excited; as they walked along the road, one could sense the exuberance in her heart.

This was her first time attending the Cannes red carpet, and as a French actress, nothing made her happier.

Walking along the path, they soon arrived at the Cannes Film Palace.

Inside the main venue, numerous movie posters were hung, all representing the official competition entries.

By the way, there were a total of twenty films competing this time, hailing from thirteen countries worldwide.

Glancing at the poster for "Miscreant", it was done remarkably well, with a finely detailed image. However, the words "Director Lyman Lattes" on it were quite prominent.

Wasn't this making the director appear rather vain?

Although Lyman understood Europa Pictures' intention to promote him more on his home turf, it still felt rather embarrassing. Several words took up one-fifth of the poster's space, and they were positioned prominently in the middle, slightly below.

Very meticulous.

The two entered the exhibition hall, noticing that Luc Besson was chatting with an elderly man with graying hair.

Seeing them, he waved and called Lyman over.

"This is Mr. Garrett, he's been working at the film festival for many years and is a committee member."

Oh, turns out he's a member of the festival planning team, which explains the introduction.

"Hello, I'm Lyman." He extended his hand, a warm smile on his face.

"Hi, nice to meet you. I really enjoy your work." Mr. Garrett was genial and even kindly patted Lyman's shoulder, radiating goodwill.

He had many responsibilities, not just selecting films but also frequently acting as a judge at major film festivals; he was seasoned in the field.

And he was in charge of planning this afternoon's opening ceremony.

After a brief chat, Lyman felt it was about time to leave and bid his farewells.

After all, presentation mattered not only in China but also in France. Currently, he was here just for a glimpse, as he would have to walk the red carpet later with the main cast.

Although he found this process to be somewhat cumbersome, seeing Eva's delighted expression made him feel that it wasn't a big deal.

...

As the clock neared 4 PM, the opening ceremony of this year's Cannes Film Festival's red carpet began.

Patrice Chéreau, the chairman of the jury, along with the other eight members of the judging panel, were the first to step onto the red carpet.

Among these nine individuals, three were from France, and two were from the United States. Such division among the members already hinted at some aspects of the film festival's selection criteria.

In fact, the Cannes red carpet wasn't particularly long, not even as lengthy as the ones at the Oscars or Golden Globes.

However, it was still a splendid platform for celebrities to display their charm. After all, at this very moment, the press seats below were filled with media personnel from around the world.

Each member of the judging panel said a few words, posed for a customary photo, and then ascended the grand steps of the festival palace.

Following the instructions of the organizers, Lyman and his group were assigned to the second wave of the red carpet.

After the main cast of "Elephant" walked ahead, it was their turn.

Neither Nicolas Cage nor Heath Ledger were present. The former wasn't keen on the weariness of long journeys, while the latter had a role commitment - Ang Lee's directorial project "Brokeback Mountain".

He found the role quite challenging and had willingly accepted a lower fee to join the cast.

He had discussed this matter over the phone with Lyman.

In fact, after collaborating with Heath, Lyman had somewhat changed his life trajectory, even causing Heath's ex-girlfriend to slip through his fingers perfectly.

Yes, that movie "Ned Kelly". If Ledger hadn't taken on "Fury", he might have developed feelings due to the role and begun a "May-December romance" with Naomi Watts.

In "Brokeback Mountain", if everything went as expected, a similar case of romance due to the role might occur with Michelle Williams, who portrayed his character's wife.

Since he had already let someone's girlfriend slip away, he naturally couldn't let love slip away again, although Lyman always felt that getting too deeply involved in a role leading to romance was quite unreliable. Experience had shown that such a path didn't usually lead to a lasting relationship.

But life was one's own, wasn't it?

Tom Cruise, on the other hand, did attend, accompanied by a female companion named Sofía Vergara, who was a part of the American modeling scene.

The group steadily proceeded.

Eva followed behind Lyman by about half a step, and their pace was leisurely. Out of necessity, Lyman slowed down to accommodate her.

The local French journalists seemed to hold their group in high regard, cameras and flashbulbs continuously flickering.

After finally completing the red carpet walk and entering the interview and photo area before the festival palace, a large group of journalists who had been waiting for quite some time quickly surrounded them.

Of course, they were within the designated perimeter.

Most were from France, with occasional representatives from the United States, Italy, the United Kingdom, and other places.

With a smile, Lyman listened to their questions and answered a few by choosing selectively.

"...Do you have confidence?"

"Yes."

And it was done.

Approaching the jury section, Lyman greeted M. Chéreau and the other three French jury members with a few courteous words before slipping into the innermost exhibition hall.

After the red carpet came the opening ceremony.

Lyman sat in the front row, chatting with Eva and René, occasionally paying attention to the surroundings.

Perhaps the events outside had concluded, as more and more audience members began to enter.

As the premiere time drew nearer, the crowd grew denser.

The auditorium, accommodating around two thousand people, was nearly filled.

Of course, the first few rows were occupied by film critics, media guests, and directors from various countries participating in the competition.

It seemed that the time was almost ripe when a staff member walked over holding a microphone.

Seeing him approaching him, Lyman instantly understood.

Alright, Cannes also enjoyed the practice of pre-screening speeches.

At this moment, the main lights in front suddenly brightened, illuminating their section.

Surprisingly, the temperature seemed to rise a few degrees.

Lyman received the microphone, delivered a brief opening statement, and then proceeded to introduce his fellow actors.

Eva stood beneath the lights, uncertain about where to place her hands.

Facing the gaze of a thousand people before her, her body grew increasingly uneasy.

If Lyman had noticed this scene, he would surely have said, "Don't worry, being stared at so much becomes habitual."

Thinking back to his time at the Sundance Film Festival, wasn't he also nervous and unsure what to do?

Tom once again showcased his signature "Tom Cruise" smile, provoking cheers from the audience.

Observing this, a few Italian directors seated in the front row appeared somewhat uneasy. Their works didn't even make it to the competition; they awkwardly received an opportunity for limited screening, in a small theater capable of accommodating only a few hundred viewers. While works with performances by stars like Tom were able to compete at Cannes and were even selected for the opening film, they couldn't help but feel a sense of discomfort.

"I don't understand why an idol actor's work can participate in the Cannes Film Festival alongside ours?"

"Exactly, no wonder Cannes is becoming increasingly commercial. It's because of people like this, and that director with that name who casts idol figures in roles. How can the audience not be disappointed? It's a lack of respect for the art of film."

A few directors from the artistic genre next to them nodded in agreement.

However, their bitterness couldn't prevent the unfolding of these events.

Amidst the applause, Lyman led the main cast back to their seats.

Soon, the lights on the ceiling began to extinguish row by row, and the bustling noise of the hall gradually subsided.

In the darkness, Eva blushed and glanced at René, who sat to Lyman's left. She then looked at Sofía, seated to her right.

Taking advantage of everyone's attention focused on the gradually illuminating big screen ahead, her small hand instinctively reached for Lyman's and clasped it.

"Um."

Lyman was currently watching the opening animation of his studio's butterfly. He turned his head and glanced at Eva.

He didn't say anything, merely reached out and gently clasped the hand she extended to him.

Eva's fingers were long and soft, smooth to the touch. It felt rather pleasant.

The familiar blue butterfly emerged from its cocoon, fluttering its wings.

Flying toward the familiar light spot, it dissipated into nothingness.

The screen darkened once more, but didn't light up again.

The audience remained calm, quietly watching.

The Cannes Film Festival was never short on manipulating cinematic techniques.

Sure enough, before long, a delicate, fragmented sound began to resonate.

Upon closer listening, the sound was intermingled with the lapping of waves.

"Boss, how should we handle this person?"

Jason Statham's deliberately lowered voice slowly unveiled the story.

Using sound to create imagery. A simple technique, yet it immediately captured the audience's attention.

"As per usual, sink him."

The screen lit up, revealing Heath's character, the second-in-command, smoking a cigarette as he stood in a place resembling a dock.

Beside him was a large iron drum, the lid still unsealed, and one could vaguely see a crouched figure within.