Robin Hood opens Cannes

The Australian star, Russell Crowe is in Cannes with Robin Hood, which opens the festival this evening.

Day1 in Cannes. I spent most of it on the top floor of the Carlton Hotel waiting for face time with Russell Crowe. The Australian star is in Cannes with Robin Hood, which opens the festival this evening. The film is a portrait of old school heroism. It does not have the propulsive power or emotional heft of Gladiator but it comes together nicely as a traditional epic.

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Crowe, who is known as Hollywood’s Bad Boy, was charming and chatty. His long answers delayed the interviews by four hours. But I did not hear any one complain because the wait was worth it.

The festival kicks off tonight, but the Croisette is buzzing already. The registration line is long, the cafes are filling up and photographers have already taken up positions in front of the red carpet.

There has been some criticism that this year’s selection isn’t as solid as last year’s, which was dubbed the auteur smackdown. But there is plenty to choose from — you can see the new Godard or Spider in 3D, which screens at the film market.

Cannes has a film for every taste, which is why it remains the world’s pre-eminent film festival! Let the fun begin.

The writer hosts Picture This on NDTV 24X7.