The Greatest Showman #1332 - Internal Competition

After Andy left, Renly didn't get to work immediately. He spent the afternoon sunbathing on the balcony, and as night fell, things finally started to pick up.

Renly and Ryan Gosling attended a private party hosted by Cannes President Gilles Jacob, ahead of the official festival opening. The event was filled with judges from the Main Competition and Un Certain Regard categories, as well as early arrivals and celebrities from Cannes.

The party was vibrant, with flowers everywhere, and naturally, Renly was one of the key attractions.

The most amusing moment came when Renly, Ryan Gosling, and Leonardo DiCaprio, the three biggest stars of this year's Cannes Film Festival, came together. The three actors were the center of attention, not just for fans and journalists, but also for European filmmakers, who were full of curiosity and interest in their gathering.

Of course, Thierry Frémaux, the festival's artistic director, was also in attendance and could not be overlooked.

As the gatekeeper of the Cannes selection process, Thierry holds immense power in determining which films are shortlisted for the festival. He's one of the most influential figures in the industry, known for his strong, critical personality. Despite his role as the decision-maker, Thierry is often seen as difficult to work with. His critical nature has led to countless rumors and controversies over the years. However, his ability to uphold the festival's prestige and maintain the quality of the selected films has earned him respect.

An insider once revealed that 80% of the films selected for Cannes are based on pure quality, while the remaining 20% depend on connections, lineage, interests, and star power. This 20% is the most difficult to control. Thierry's influence over the festival is undeniable, and his work over the last decade has been pivotal in shaping Cannes' reputation.

The truth is, Thierry Frémaux is a figure that people love and hate in equal measure.

By the way, Gilles Jacob served as the chairman of the Cannes selection committee from 1977 to 2000, after which Thierry was invited to take over. Despite his tough reputation, Thierry's demeanor was not as harsh as people expected. His gray hair and crow's feet made him seem much older than his 53 years. In reality, he was 73, but his calm, artistically immersed presence gave him an air of wisdom and thoughtfulness.

If Renly had to describe him, he would use a term drawn from Eastern culture: "Confucian businessman." It's a fitting way to describe Thierry's personality—he combines the calculated precision of a businessman with the detached, cold temperament of an artist.

In truth, Thierry was much less of the "selection monster" that some rumors painted him to be. But Renly suspected that Thierry had two distinct personas: one for work and one for leisure.

"...Initially, I wanted to invite Gravity as the opening film," Thierry said, showing a rare moment of hesitation. "But Alfonso said that the film still needed a lot of work, and it might not be ready for Cannes, maybe even missing Venice and Toronto as well. Is that true?"

Renly was taken aback by the news.

Gravity and The Great Gatsby were both Warner Bros. productions, but Renly had never heard of such details, nor was there a need for Warner Bros. to update him on the situation.

Still, it was an interesting turn of events—if Gravity had replaced The Great Gatsby as Cannes' opening film, it would have been a huge deal.

"I'm honestly not sure," Renly replied with a smile. "When we were shooting, we faced a lot of technical challenges, and Alfonso has been tirelessly working to make it a unique film—a space movie with a visual experience. Post-production is always tough for such projects. But the specifics? You've got me there, I don't know anything about post-production."

That much was true.

Renly wasn't familiar with the intricacies of film post-production. But he knew that films like Gravity, with advanced computer effects, would undoubtedly need a lot of time, not unlike Avatar which took nearly three years to complete its post-production.

Renly had already moved on to Drunken Country Ballads after wrapping Gravity. Drunken Country Ballads ended up premiering at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, while Gravity remained in intensive post-production.

However, Thierry's response made it clear that he didn't fully buy Renly's explanation, though he didn't press the issue. "What a pity," Thierry said with a faint smile. "Seems like Alberto must be thrilled about it."

Alberto Barbera, the new president of the Venice Film Festival, was no stranger to the complexities of film festival politics. After taking over from Marco Müller, who had ushered in a new era for Venice, Alberto faced the challenge of balancing Venice's artistic reputation with the increasing dominance of rival festivals like Cannes and Toronto.

The three major European festivals—Cannes, Venice, and Berlin—were locked in a constant cycle of competition and mutual influence. Thierry's words were loaded with subtle, perhaps covert, attempts to probe Renly for information. He knew that if Gravity ended up at Venice instead of Cannes, it would sting.

Renly, however, wasn't interested in indulging Thierry's hints. Instead, he responded with an innocent-sounding statement: "I'm just hoping for the best. Warner Bros. wants to catch Venice or Toronto for the box office boost. Missing Cannes? It happens. But if we miss Venice and Toronto too... who knows?"

Thierry's eyes sparkled with a knowing look. Renly's words had cleverly implied that the post-production of Gravity was still behind schedule, making it likely that it would miss Venice and Toronto as well.

"Oh, poor Alberto," Thierry remarked with a chuckle, his face filled with a feigned concern. "I'm really looking forward to this year's Venice lineup. Alberto's artistic vision has always been impressive. I used to enjoy discussing films with him."

Renly shrugged with a playful smile. "Sorry, I can't join in that conversation. I'm sure there's an art-film exchange group between you two, but I'm not part of it."

Thierry laughed heartily at the teasing remark but quickly changed the subject.

As Renly walked away, Thierry was left reflecting on the conversation. At first, he hadn't realized it, but now it dawned on him that Renly had skillfully sidestepped his probing questions. He hadn't said anything that was not expected, but Renly had gently nudged the entire conversation to a close without so much as a touch on the matter at hand.

Thierry was surprised by this realization and couldn't help but smile. The actor before him was clearly more sophisticated and intriguing than he had anticipated—perhaps the title of hereditary aristocrat wasn't just a pretentious label after all.