Bienvenue au Festival de Cannes. Fasten your seatbelts

Finally, Southern Sun.

I am sitting at the Martinez, one of th most exclusive hotels during the Festival in Cannes, with my South African friends from the acclaimed local film 'Bunny Chow' and Nadia from 702 who is covering each day of the festival through radio broadcasts. There is boisterous laughter in the a corner as several scantily clad young women stand around someone who just has to be famous. Di Caprio maybe? Jake Gyllenhaal? George Clooney? No. Think real Hollywood. Think of the men who shape the industry, not just grace the tabloids. It is Tarantino. Quentin Tarantino. Writer and director of cult classics such Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and the Kill Bill Duo. So we are all somewhat starstuck and Nadia has to remind me not to stare, and though I feel somewhat embarassed nothing would compare with the embarrassment local comedian Kagiso Ledige would feel the following morning.

John Barker and the Bunny Chow Boys

With his wits a bit beyond his grasp, and champagne in its place, he walks over to Tarantino's table in a manner that is inapproprately non-chalant. He stands there for a while chatting away, wokring his charm no doubt. Reminding myself not to stare I glance in the other direction. IT is Roasario Dawson and though she is enchantingly beautiful in person my gaze is broken by Tarantino's thunderous overhear him scolding Kagiso - ' Thats really inappropriate. You are bringing us down." Director John Barker intervenes and soon a night of hollywood glamour looks like it has turned into lunchbreak o the playground with Quentin in one corner, Kagiso on the other and John trying to keep the peace interbetween. Tarantino is not impatient and walks off only he walks straight into my chair and I find myself in an unthinkable position - receiving a sincere eye to eye apology from one of the most influential men in Hollywood. At which point I can only utter that ' It's ok. I love your films.' and as he walks off' ' you can bump into me anytime.' His manner is surprisingly down to earth and approachable.

Joey, Dave and Basement Jaxx.

The night is only beginning for these big boys as Tarantino heads over to another table and sits down with his good friend and Hollywood heavyweight, Robert Rodrigues. The rest of our South African crew arrive outraged about the event and Anne Roberts of Terraplane entertainment takes i on herslf to iniate damage control. The story goes that Kagiso walked over to Elli Roth and proceeded to insult them both, after which he asked Tarantino if he is he was a racist due to the the portrayal of violent black characters in his previous films. everyone is outraged and embarassed. Anne decides to smooth things over with a feminine touch by ordering a bottle of thousand rand champagne and taking it ove to their table to apologize. She does this with more charm and finesse than we could imagine as Tarantino stands up to give her a hug. By the time we leave the Martinez the incident has turned into an occasion we will remember for the rest of our lives as it gave us a point of reference to engage the stars.

In retrospect Cannes will always be a magical time in my life. A fusion of glamour and hype, good friends and laughter, dancing all night and watching films all day. But most of all, demystifying the idea of Cannes, which is more a business iniative with endelss oppurtunity, so that I know what to expect when I return ;)


The festival pretty much dies down by the last weekend so it was at that time that we decided to hit Monaco and possibly fish for tickets for the Grand Prix. Ah, sweet success. Cheap last minute tickets and the oppurtunities of a lifetime in close sucession. The Cannes Film Festival and the Monaco Grand Prix in the space of two weeks, both of which are equally prestigious events in their own right. I managed to squeeze my way close to the track and while it was a terrific sight my ears were not so grateful afterwards. Wow, C'est vraiement la vie.