It's the second day of the 64th Cannes Film Festival and Chris Sullivan is checking out one of the hotly tipped contenders for the prestigious Palme d'Or, Sleeping Beauty...
It’s the premiere of Sleeping Beauty, the hugely anticipated new film from Aussie novellist Julia Leigh, which has been 'presented' by previous Palme d'Or winner Jane Campion. Don't let the title fool you though, Red Riding Hood this is not, it’s more like a trip into a 21st Century Twilight Zone, with a good dose of hard drugs, nakedness and generally strange shit. Neeldess to say, it’s not an easy ride.
The Sleeping Beauty of the title is college gal Lucy - a sprightly ingénue played by Emily Browning (Sucker Punch) who, while looking after her recovering addict friend Birdmann (Ewen Leslie) juggles a bunch of jobs to get her through college, including a turn as a medical guinea pig (scene of tube in stomach - not nice) and a bit of prostitution on the side.
Lucy is soon drawn into a nether world where old rich men pay virtually naked girls to wait on them at dinner parties. Lucy excels at the job and is promoted to the lucrative Sleeping Beauty gig, where, under the instruction of madame Clara (Rachael Blake), she agrees to be sedated in lingerie for several hours at a time.
What she can guess is that each time she sleeps, another old perv has his way with her - but not entirely - and she becomes obsessed with exactly what they are doing to her. Indeed she doesn’t see that but we do - and it’s not a pretty sight.
Browning delivers a brutally and commanding performance even when unconscious, which should at least put her in the running for the Cannes best actress prize. She and Miss Leigh certainly have a big future.
Lady Gaga
As for spotlight last night, limelight addict Lady Gaga was doing her bit to draw attention. After strolling down the Croisette, she gave a €500,000 "surprise" concert on the waterfront that was broadcast on the French TV show Le Grand Journal.
Looking rather punk rock she sported black and white hair (a homage to Pepé Le Pew perhaps?) black tights, a black leather waistcoat with a matching studded dog collar, à la Sid Vicious. I could never work out why she is called Gaga. Now I know: she’s fugly enough to make you gag.
But you have to do something pretty extreme to stand out from the crowd of celebs. My pal Marc sat next to (and failed to recognise) Antonio Banderas on the plane over. I’ve seen Dustin Hoffman having breakfast and Kanye West pulled up next to me at the traffic lights in a big car loaded with a bevy of absurdly gorgeous girls.
I also have tons of films to watch (including my old chum Keith Allen’s private screening of Unlawful Killing, his conspiracy theory documentary about the death - or murder as it claims - of Princess Diana). Before that, tonight is the new Gus Van Sant movie Restless. More Red Bull it is then - It’s gonna be a long night.
Want more?
- Popcorn Diaries at the London Film Festival
- Visit the official Cannes Film Festival website
- More movie news on redbull.com
- More from Our Man In Cannes
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