May 20th, the day of departure.
Lyman packed his luggage, preparing to return to Cannes.
His companions for this trip were only Thomas and Hillary Swank.
René had initially wanted to join, but he had recently taken some time off and with the company's busy affairs, Lyman's departure meant a shortage of managerial support. Reluctantly, he had to stay back and tend to the "home". At this moment, he was probably in his office, sipping bitter coffee, attending to work, and signing budget approvals.
As for why only the female lead was accompanying Lyman, it was because this trip wasn't particularly significant. Furthermore, Mr. Eastwood had already gone to Cannes in advance. Hillary, having no work commitments at the moment, gladly accepted Lyman's invitation during her idle time.
As for what needed to be prepared, apart from a few changes of clothes, there was the copy of "Million Dollar Baby". This was the final version of the film, with the music, voiceover, subtitles, and everything carefully crafted by Lyman, Thomas, and René during that period.
Of course, the copy was in the hands of Warner Bros., and they were responsible for all matters related to the film's screening.
At one-thirty in the afternoon, the three of them took a flight to Paris International Airport and then boarded a car to reach their destination.
Arriving in Cannes, Lyman felt incredibly relaxed.
Everything before him was still so familiar.
Since coming to this side of the world, he had visited Venice, various cities in the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and other places for location scouting, but none of those experiences had left a significant impact on him. Only Cannes gave him a strange sense of comfort. It was inexplicable, but he felt an overwhelming familiarity.
Returning home, everything remained nearly identical to when he had left.
During this time of year, the town was bustling with tourists, and discussions were mostly about films. It could be said that the Cannes Film Festival had deeply influenced this seaside town, permeating into its culture and blood. There was no other place that could attract such a large number of visitors under a single title.
People from all over the world gathered densely here.
Ironically, despite everyone's passion and devotion to cinema, in the eyes of some, it was just business. After all, while Cannes claimed to have a fair selection process, there were generally only two types of people who could participate.
One type was the legitimate Cannes descendants, like Lyman.
The other type consisted of newcomers or films pushed by powerful production companies—alternative descendants, relying on connections, networking, or their influence.
In other words, without some form of insider connection, no matter how good the quality of a film or how innovative its approach, it would be nearly impossible to secure a slot. The Berlin Film Festival's stubborn judges might be slightly more open to "underdog" filmmakers.
But Cannes was a different story.
Looking at it purely from a data perspective, this year had over 1,300 films submitted for consideration. However, the final selection for the main competition, contending for the top prizes, would not exceed 60 films. This number included side awards like critics' awards and media compendium awards.
The Cannes organizers liked to maintain their own relevance.
To stay relevant, big directors and productions were essential. This was also why Cannes compromised with Hollywood. You could see that the Berlin Film Festival had failed to maintain its influence. In recent years, the winning films had hardly made a ripple and were quickly forgotten.
In contrast, Cannes and the Oscars, one was more sensational than the other. This was why they enjoyed their current prestige.
In a harsher perspective, the exhibition slots were virtually predetermined from the start. Before the film festival even began, they were already divided up among those who needed them. Occasionally, a few slots were left, usually reserved for local directors or newcomers recommended by established film industry figures. Where else could there be opportunities for newcomers to emerge?
Want to make a splash at a top-tier film festival? Got your accreditation, my friend?
For a director without much background, presenting an entirely unfamiliar work through the normal application process and expecting to be selected for the Cannes main competition was basically a dream.
Lyman had already awakened from this dream when he applied for Venice.
Even if he now occupied all four slots, he was thrilled not because he had a strong background but simply because he was back home.
He had already passed the stage of needing awards to prove himself.
...
Cannes in May had perfect weather.
The warm, not scorching sunlight made the Palais des Festivals shine even more brilliantly.
Seagulls flapped their wings and cast sidelong glances at the bustling crowds below.
In reality, today was the second day after the opening of the film festival.
Lyman had missed the opening ceremony, and he heard that the opening film was "Bad Education", directed by Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar.
Unfortunately, after the long journey by plane and car, he didn't have the energy to attend. Instead, he slept in his relatively small apartment.
The golden rays of light pouring in through the skylight gradually brightened the room.
This kind of light woke Lyman up.
He half-sat up, leaning against the head of the bed, looking somewhat dazed.
Jet lag was a headache-inducing thing. Yesterday during the day, he had been exhausted and had gone to sleep early. However, in the evening, or rather, in the early morning hours, he had been unable to sleep no matter what.
After tossing and turning for a long time, he had finally forced himself to sleep, only to feel like he had just lain down when it was already morning.
He scratched his head, rubbed his face, and looked at the clock on the wall.
The seconds ticked away, and it was already a little past nine in the morning.
At this hour, he should get up.
Although he felt terrible, Lyman forced himself to brush his teeth and wash his face.
After a hearty breakfast, he began to feel a bit better.
Cannes wasn't big, and the communities were concentrated. His apartment was only a little over ten minutes away from the Palais des Festivals.
After finishing breakfast, Lyman strolled leisurely toward the venue.
Warner Bros. was still negotiating with the organizers about the screening arrangements, primarily securing theaters and time slots.
In reality, this was quite similar to arranging movie screenings in regular cinemas. The theaters in Cannes varied in size and quality, with some having more seats and a prime location, while others were more modest and could accommodate fewer viewers. As for the time slots, they followed the same principles as scheduling screenings in cinemas, aiming for prime time.
Of course, Lyman didn't need to worry about these matters; it was the distributor's responsibility. Warner Bros. had a wealth of experience in this regard, and they were well-versed in the smooth operation of film festivals. Perhaps only EuropaCorp, which had the advantage of local connections, could rival them in Cannes.
Speaking of which, Lyman had also spoken to Luc Besson when he came over.
Luc Besson's "The Transporter " had brought in over $4.6M in revenue for Lyman. Perhaps he should say thank you.