The Cannes Film Festival itineraries of leaders Thierry Fremaux and Iris Knobloch are understandably jam-packed with events, so when they stand in the spotlight together, and the former says “this is one of the best evenings of the festival,” chances are it’s going to be a good night.
The two joined Chopard’s Caroline Scheufele at Carlton Beach Friday night for the luxury jeweler’s Chopard Trophy gala to fete two actors hand-picked as “next generation” talents in the presence of a godmother tasked with presenting the trophies. This year, that honor went to French film icon Isabelle Huppert, who took her time in handing over the awards to Odessa A’zion and Connor Swindells.
Prior to reading her speech, the actress, in Cannes for the world premiere of Asghar Farhadi’s Parallel Tales, said she took the gig “very seriously,” and it showed. “The Chopard Trophy does not simply reward talent. It recognizes a movement, a promise, something that is already there yet still in the process of becoming,” she said. “Perhaps that is what it means to be an actor, to always be becoming. There are many actors in this room, and I’m sure they agree with this.”
There were many actors and industry insiders in the room, including jury members Chloe Zhao, Demi Moore, Stellan Skarsgard and Ruth Negga as well as guests like James Franco, Andie MacDowell, Dylan Sprouse (with pregnant wife Barbara Palvin), Riley Keough, Nicky Hilton, Xavier Dolan and others.
