Cannes opening live on TV5 Monde

TV5MONDE USA, America’s only 24/7 French language channel, currently, will be the sole channel in the U.S. to air live coverage of the opening and closing ceremonies at the 60th annual Cannes Film Festival.  Didier Allouch, the Los Angeles-based film correspondent for Canal Plus, will be reporting from the Festival as part of TV5MONDE’s coverage.

On May 16, 2007, TV5Monde will broadcast the opening ceremony live via satellite from Cannes.  Red carpet arrivals will commence at 12:45 pm EST, followed by the ceremony at 1:15 pm EST. 

Live coverage of the closing ceremony will be carried by TV5MONDE on May 27, 2007, beginning at 1 pm EST.  Following the red carpet arrivals at the ceremony, the Official Jury presents the prizes for the films in the competition.  Prizes include: The Palme d'Or, The Grand Prix, The Best Actress Award, The Best Actor Award, The Best Director, Award, The Best Screenplay Award, The Jury Award, The Short Film Palme d'Or and The Caméra d'Or Prize, awarded by the President of this Jury.

Also in May, in celebration of this year’s Festival, TV5MONDE will be airing seven significant films that were showcased at the Cannes Film Festival in the previous years.  Six out of the seven films were honored at the festival in the past.  They include:  “La Dentellière”  was presented the Ecumencial Jury Award in 1977; “Travaux, On Sait Quand Ça Commence,” which was presented the Quinzaine des Realisateurs (Directors’ Fortnight) section of the festival in 2005; “Peindre Ou Faire L’Amour” was selected at the 2005 official competition; “La Raison Du Plus Faible” was selected at the 2006 official competition; “Nouvelle Chance” was also an official selection, presented out of the competition in 2006; and “Ça Brûle” was presented at the festival in 2006, in the framework of the Directors’ Fortnight.