Feeling Festive In France

The folks in charge of this year's Cannes Film Festival are finalizing plans for the anual event. A slew of Variety reporters have the details

"The Golden Compass," U2, the Coen Brothers and Martin Scorsese have joined the festivities at the 60th Cannes Film Festival, while "Zodiac Movie" could be the closing-night film.

Fest kicks off May 16.

After New Line's big success with its "The Lord of the Rings" preview in 2001, "Compass," selected scenes of which will be shown, brings the cachet of star Daniel Craig and director Chris Weitz. (Nicole Kidman may not be making the trip since she'll be filming in Australia.)

Scorsese will be the guest of honor. "He has a long history with the festival, and we want our friends with us to celebrate the 60th anniversary," festival artistic director Thierry Fremaux said Wednesday.

Helmer, winner of the 1976 Palme d'Or for "Taxi Driver," will multitask during his sojourn on the Croisette, presenting the fest's Cinema Lesson, handing out the Camera d'Or for first film, and launching his World Cinema Foundation for the preservation of classic pics from around the world.

In addition, Catherine Owens and Mark Pellington's U2 Concert Doc (will be for sale at the market and there will be an out-of-competition showing of 20 minutes of Scorsese's documentary on the Rolling Stones...

Films confirmed before Wednesday include "Ocean's Thirteen" (Daily Variety March 15th, 2007 ) and "Death Proof," Quentin Tarantino's contribution to "Grindhouse"...(Robert Rodriguez may present a midnight showing of his half of "Grindhouse," "Planet Terror.")

The rest of the lineup is a guessing game at this point...

Fremaux said Scorsese's presence as guest of honor was a one-off initiative.

"He's a very special guest. He is also attached to the transmission of knowledge to the next generation, which is why we are so pleased that he will give the Cinema Lesson and hand out the Camera d'Or to a filmmaker of the future."

Scorsese was the festival's jury topper in 1998.

There's much more in the entire report....

I'll have more to say about Cannes at 60 as the event draws near...