Zelenskiy appeal at Cannes
CANNES: The Cannes Film Festival has opened with crowded red carpet arrivals, a starstudded ceremony and a call from Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for the world of cinema to speak out against the war.
``We need a new [Charlie] Chaplin to prove that today cinema is not silent,'' Zelenskiy said, referring to Charlie Chaplin's satire of Adolf Hitler at the outset of World War 2 in 1939.
``We must be victorious. We need cinema to guarantee this ending, that each time it will be on the side of freedom,'' the Ukraine leader said through a live video link from Kyiv during the opening ceremony, marking a sombre note in the otherwise festive proceedings.
Event organisers had rolled out the red carpet earlier in the day, as cinema stars, festivalgoers and oglers gathered for the 75th anniversary event, bringing buzz and glamour back to the French Riviera resort, as well as discussions about the role of cinema during times of conflict.
In the opening ceremony, festival president Pierre Lescure handed Forest Whitaker an Honorary Palme d'Or for lifetime achievement, prompting a standing ovation. — Reuters