The Greatest Showman #1362 - Inconclusive

With less than three hours to go before the closing ceremony and the award presentation, the rumors surrounding the Palme d'Or and the recall of various crews are intensifying. Updates are frequent, and the award speculation shifts with every passing moment. After days of anticipation, Emily couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement. It felt as if she were part of the jury.

Imagine being invested in a movie or a work you dislike, and then seeing it take home an award. After twelve days of watching, the feeling of participating firsthand was overwhelming—uneasy, restless, and full of anticipation. She couldn't shake the feeling that the awards ceremony was already underway in her mind.

The reason the annual Oscar ceremony garners such widespread attention is the careful build-up during the awards season. It gradually heightens everyone's sense of involvement, as if they were following these works from their release to their reception and eventual win.

The same holds true for the Cannes Film Festival. For twelve days, rumors and gossip have been circulating, making the excitement palpable, as if everyone had experienced the journey of the films firsthand—from release to public reception, and finally, the selection and success.

This is the most thrilling and tense part of the film festival's closing day. No one wants to miss out.

This is Emily's third time attending Cannes, but it's her first time being directly involved in the "selection" process.

Rumors circulating on closing day generally fall into two categories:

The Crew Returning to Cannes: Some crews, who had already left the festival, are now seen at the airport, almost confirming their participation in the ceremony. It's rare for anyone to return to Cannes just to attend the brief awards ceremony, so the arrival of the crew at the airport is practically a solid clue. This happened last year at the Berlin Film Festival when Renly was recalled at the airport on his way home and ended up winning the Silver Bear for Best Actor.

Crews Who Stayed in Cannes: Some teams stay in Cannes, either for leisure on the Côte d'Azur or because their films were released in the final days of the festival. These crews are still hopeful for an invitation to the awards ceremony.

Reporters are more confident in identifying the former category, while the latter is far less certain. With so many possible winners, speculation is rife.

The media center is on edge, eagerly awaiting the recall list. The uncertainty is palpable—films like Adele's Life and Drunken Country Ballads, which garnered high scores in official reviews, are still in contention, but the list of invited crews is the key to making a prediction.

Among those still in Cannes is the Drunken Country Ballads crew. However, they remain a mystery, showing no clear signs of being chosen.

Both Renly and the Coen brothers, passionate movie enthusiasts, have been spotted frequently in the main competition unit and other sections of the festival, eagerly engaging in discussions. It was as if they were not just participants but true film lovers.

Other crews who premiered their films in the final days include Hurley, The Beauty of Flowers and Moon, City of Absolute Beauty, and Venus in Fur. Venus in Fur's director, Roman Polanski, has remained nearby, making it easy for him to attend the ceremony.

The rumors were incessant, adding to the excitement.

As the evening approached, the news became clearer.

"'Adele's Life,' 'Drunken Country Ballad,' 'The Past,' 'Father Like Son,' 'Nebraska,' 'Doomed'..." Emily began counting on her fingers.

There were already six works confirmed, but more names were being tossed around: "'Beautiful Beauty,'" Mark added.

Others around them chimed in, "'Hali!' 'A City of Absolute Beauty!' 'Venus in Fur!'"

Emily shook her head, surprised. "That's already ten!"

"Well, there's no choice. The last few films premiered in Cannes this year have a strong chance," a reporter who had just entered the media center said, shrugging. "I heard the latest rumor is that City of Beauty is set to win the grand prize."

Everyone gasped. "City of Beauty?" someone repeated.

The film, directed by Paolo Sorrentino, had already garnered some buzz—five years ago, Big Star won the Jury Prize at Cannes, and his 2019 film Vengeance for Father had been well-received. This new work had been highly anticipated, but it was met with mixed reviews: British and American critics praised it, while European and Asian critics were less enthusiastic.

The official ratings were lukewarm, so no one expected City of Beauty to be a serious contender. But now, rumors were circulating that it could win the Palme d'Or?

"I can't believe this," Emily whispered. "Could it really happen? What if Drunken Country Ballads ends up being completely overlooked?"

Mark's face showed the same disbelief. "Why do I have a bad feeling about this? What if they don't even win Best Actor?"

Emily, stunned, replied, "But Renly's performance this year was extraordinary! No one else even comes close to him. If he doesn't win Best Actor, that would be unbelievable!"

Mark nodded. "But the entire Drunken Country Ballads production is strong—director, script, everything. They might win collective awards, but Best Actor could slip away."

The discussion continued, filled with uncertainty about which film would take home the Palme d'Or.

"Honestly, Adele's Life and Venus in Fur are also strong contenders," Mark added. "But Drunken Country Ballads is my pick."

Emily agreed. "I feel the same way. If I had to choose, it would be Drunken Country Ballads. What about you?"

Mark didn't hesitate. "Same here. And honestly, I hope Renly wins the Palme d'Or, more than I care about him getting Best Actor. His performance is so perfect, the Palme d'Or would be a better reward."

Emily smiled. "I agree. But what do you think Spielberg will choose?"

Mark shrugged, grinning sheepishly. "I'm not Steven Spielberg, so I guess we'll just have to wait and see."