"Chairman Patrice Chéreau praised the film "Miscreant", describing it as stunning at Cannes."
"Tom Cruise's performance was acclaimed, earning the praises of numerous international film critics. In "Miscreant", the emotional outbursts and meticulous attention to detail in his performance were remarkably precise."
"The reputation of "Miscreant" stands tall, its screening impressive. According to the president of EuropaCorp, Luc Besson, the distribution rights for the film have been pre-sold to over 20 countries and regions."
"Tom Cruise and Nicolas Cage, two A-list actors, join forces in this new creation that conquers Cannes. The on-site screenings are explosively popular, and tickets are scarce."
"Members of the jury panel have expressed their support for "Miscreant"."
"..."
These reports made their way back to the United States, causing quite a stir.
While Hollywood had often remained somewhat dismissive of the so-called Big Three International Film Festivals, largely because these festivals didn't focus on American films and had limited American participation, the situation was changing. Paramount Pictures, through active promotion and strong connections, was acknowledging the prestige of these festivals. The news dialogues that unfolded during the Cannes screening were all being reprinted in the U.S.
With the endorsement of two top-tier stars, there was no shortage of news value. Capitalizing on this, major news outlets featured "Miscreant" as the entertainment headline, creating a wave of attention-grabbing publicity. This further fueled the curiosity and eagerness of many seasoned film enthusiasts to see the movie.
"Lyman Lattes, Tom Cruise, and Nicolas Cage—any of these three names appearing in a movie would prompt me to willingly contribute a movie ticket."
In the movie discussion section of IMDb, a user named "Atlanta Hawks" excitedly wrote, "Not to mention that they're all together now. Oh my God, I really want to watch it. Unfortunately, I don't have the money for a plane ticket to Cannes."
"Same as the previous comment. I've been looking forward to it ever since I watched the trailer. And since the movie is a crime thriller, which suits my taste, I've been eager. After reading some news reports about the Cannes Film Festival, my anticipation has grown even higher. Anyone else feel the same? But I have to admit, I initially rejected the idea of Tom Cruise's role. I never understood why the handsome Tom wasn't showing off his looks in movies. Is he still himself? Now it seems like this movie is going to prove me wrong."
"Whether it proves you wrong or not, I don't know, but I'm surprised Tom could play such a tragic character. His performance even earned the approval of critics. Before this, those people used to mock handsome Tom, saying he was just a pretty face among men, or the biggest and most expensive one. Haha, why does this feel so amusing?"
"I'll add to that amusement. Critics are like a bunch of clueless Muggles who have never had sex but want to teach others how to do it."
"An odd analogy, full marks for perspective. Are you the Supreme Elder's hair in human form?"
In a discussion titled "Spectacular Cannes Screening of "Miscreant", Does This Increase Your Anticipation for Its Release?" on the forum, a few experienced movie fans who frequented IMDb fervently replied to the post. These individuals weren't driven by mere fandom but rather looked at the situation from the perspective of the film's performance and acting.
For them, critical acclaim was the primary factor in deciding whether to watch a movie. Some fans shared full excerpts of reviews from Cannes, which was enough to fuel their imagination.
"I think Tom's performance has been steadily improving. That shot of him smoking and overlooking the city in the trailer was truly eye-catching. Compared to his raw performance in "Interview with the Vampire", he's definitely transformed. I've always believed that handsome Tom has quite a bit of talent, but he's been typecast into roles that make him look silly, focus on his looks, or show off his physique. These roles were too limiting. Now he seems to have awakened, there's a sense of untapped potential being unleashed, and that's truly heartening," a user named "Lakers Champion" posted.
"I don't care about all that, I just want to know if there will be a premiere for "Miscreant". I want to snatch a ticket."
"I'm curious too. I'd love to see those key creators at the premiere."
"No need to wonder, I have a friend who works at Paramount, and he says the company's CEO, Sherry Lansing, decided on a direct release. It's as the latest trailer says, the nationwide release will be on May 27th."
"Upstairs, don't tell me you're making things up."
"I swear I'm not. Just wait another week, and you'll see whether I was telling the truth or not. Cannes has already had its premiere, and the film's reputation is established. There's no need for further fuss, you get me?"
As the lively discussions about the release of "Miscreant" continued on the IMDb movie forum, the momentum generated by Tom's fan forum grew even more significant.
With a new project from Handsome Tom, was there really a need to ask? Most fans were unanimous in their support.
Some of the more enthusiastic fans even started organizing discussions about whether they should rent out entire theaters. The power of true fandom was formidable. After this suggestion, some fans even considered gathering to rent out theaters on the release day. If the theaters weren't filled to capacity, it didn't matter; they saw it as an extra contribution to the box office. The audacity and initiative of these fans made one think that perhaps some other fandoms, like that of a certain deer character, should learn a thing or two.
As for fans who weren't as active online, many learned about the upcoming film through TV broadcasts or news columns and were quietly preparing to watch it.
However, regardless of how fervently and curiously fans and cinephiles reacted, what truly mattered now, while the film was being screened at Cannes, were the voices of the film critics and the jury panel members.
For those in the industry, professionals always had a good grasp of what quality works were produced globally each year.
Furthermore, "Miscreant" was designed to chase after awards to secure better publicity as part of its plan.
This made it even more necessary to make a positive impression on these individuals.
Some critics who hadn't seen the film were already feeling a bit envious of their colleagues' praises.
Such is the nature of circles; one inevitably needs to fit in.
"M. Besson, are there any tickets left? Give me one."
"George, how about arranging an internal screening?"
The PR team of "Miscreant" was kept incredibly busy with calls from all sorts of people. This also served as ample evidence of the film's reputation taking off and the increasing attention it was garnering.
In this context, on May 21st, the third day of the "Miscreant" screening at Cannes, the organizing committee announced the final nominations for all the films in the main competition unit this year.
Due to its favorable circumstances, "Miscreant" became the top seed with five nominations at the Cannes Film Festival.
These nominations were for: the Palme d'Or, the Jury Prize, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Screenplay.
For a time, it stole the spotlight.
...
"I just received the news." George's voice sounded joyful over the phone. "During this afternoon's screening of "Miscreant", there were over 4,000 people in line. The last two theaters had to screen simultaneously, and there are still a few hundred people waiting to enter. The organizing committee suggested that we continue to increase the number of screenings. Also, regarding the jury panel, we've managed to secure several of their votes after initial discussions. At the very least, we should be able to grasp the Jury Prize."
"Are there still so many people?" Lyman was a bit surprised.
"Yes, many fans came from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany. With the word of mouth already out there, many people are eager to see it."
The affluent, it seemed, would even charter flights just to watch a movie.
"What's your suggestion then?" Lyman inquired further.
"My idea is to keep increasing the scale of screenings. In this regard, we won't lose out, and we needn't worry about releasing the film's promotional potential too much. Compared to other considerations, the better the screening's momentum, the better our promotion will be."
Lyman understood all of this. If they were to increase the number of screenings, there would likely be a flood of advertorials in newspapers in both places.
Just conventional means to heat up the premiere of "Miscreant".
After all, in a few more days, once the Cannes Film Festival concluded, the film would immediately start screening simultaneously in both locations. There wouldn't be as much effort needed to dig deep into promotion. They could focus on doing as much as they could in the earlier stages.
"You handle it as you see fit," Lyman responded.
"There's a reception tonight. Will you be attending?" George asked.
"No, I need some rest."
After hanging up the phone, Lyman stretched lazily, feeling rather at ease.
Staying in Cannes gave him a sense of indulgence, as if a dragon had returned to the sea.
In just a little over two years, he found himself growing fond of this small town.
This was probably what people called a sense of belonging to one's homeland.
Certain people or places could make one feel comfortable both mentally and physically.
The houses weren't tall, mostly two or three stories high. Bakeries and cafes were the main attractions here. Tall trees lined the streets, casting a blanket of green shade. The feeling of towering skyscrapers that densely populated typical big cities was absent, and so was the sense of oppression they brought.
Moreover, with the strong momentum of "Miscreant" at the film festival, Lyman was becoming more recognized within the geographical area of Cannes.
Especially among the locals, even if he didn't show up often, people were familiar with his appearance.
Sometimes while walking on the streets, he would encounter French girls asking for his autograph. When he went out to eat, people would greet him, and the restaurant owners were willing to offer him discounts.
All of this made him feel at ease, a pleasant sensation of his vanity being modestly satisfied.
Humans are social animals; this is a truth I cannot deny.
So, a sense of belonging within a group is something people enjoy pursuing.
With the film's release, Lyman's life became much easier. As long as he avoided unnecessary social obligations, his days were mostly filled with outlining new scripts and spending time with Eva Green. It was a relatively leisurely life.
Indeed, life often seemed to be at its best in such moments.