Rustling and murmuring, the crowd was abuzz with discussions. The "elephant," momentarily forgotten because of the sudden emergence of the "brown rabbit," was now back in the spotlight of Cannes with the news of its recall.
In a flash, everyone seemed to forget that the "elephant" was the year's first controversy. Now, the controversy had returned.
"Director? Not likely, Gus Van Sant didn't contribute much, did he?"
"Not much contribution? Gus is the absolute protagonist of the whole film. In my opinion, Vincent Gallo tried to shoot 'The Brown Bunny' with the same effect as 'Elephant,' but the directing skills were far off, so 'The Brown Bunny' got such harsh criticism."
"No, I still think the Jury Prize is most likely, which is like third place."
"Then who are the top two?"
"Palme d'Or 'Dogville,' Grand Prix 'Distant.'"
"Come on, you're just arranging awards based on the official magazine scores; it's unreliable."
"The official magazine scores are a reference, you know?"
"Hey, do you think it's possible they'll award Anson, Alex, Eric, and all the actors collectively as Best Actor?"
This comment dropped like a bombshell.
"Wow, no way..."
"It's possible, really, it makes sense."
"Makes sense? Get lost. This is a mockumentary. The film has many things worth praising and criticizing, but none of it has to do with the actors."
"The actors have no chance. If it weren't for Anson, we wouldn't have even noticed the actors."
"That's absurd."
In the heated discussions, someone brought up another point.
"If 'Elephant' is back, then next should be Lars von Trier, right?"
"According to your logic, 'The Brown Bunny' should be recalled too..."
"Ah, no, please!"
Laughter and exclamations filled the air. The atmosphere was lively.
But at least one point was correct—
"What about 'Dogville'?"
In the three major European film festivals, it's not uncommon for the film with the highest score in the official magazine to go home empty-handed. The official magazine and the jury are two separate entities, and the small jury system makes it even more so.
However, this year is special.
This is a weak year; the average level of the films and the overall reputation are below expectations, with two notably poor films bringing the overall level down. In this case, "Dogville," the highest scorer in the official magazine, suddenly stands out.
Whether you like it or not, no one can ignore it.
Perhaps the biggest question is whether the jury likes Lars von Trier.
After all, many journalists don't like "Dogville" either.
If "Dogville" is recalled, what award should it win?
The Palme d'Or?
No, even those who like "Dogville" don't think this film can win the Palme d'Or. The most likely award is Best Actress.
Earlier this year, Nicole Kidman won the Best Actress at the Berlin Film Festival for "The Hours"—alongside Meryl Streep and Julianne Moore. Then she won the Oscar for Best Actress for "The Hours," finally achieving her dream after struggling in Hollywood for over 15 years.
Coming to Cannes, Nicole is undoubtedly the focus, and with the controversy, focus, and buzz surrounding "Dogville," the Best Actress seems more reasonable than the unrealistic fantasy of the Palme d'Or. Besides, other films this year lack standout actresses, so it seems like the right time for Nicole to win her first Cannes award.
That's why many media outlets firmly believe "Dogville" will be recalled.
But if "Dogville" isn't recalled, things get interesting.
First, the entire award layout might be overturned.
Second, "Dogville's" controversy might erupt again. On one hand, it has the highest score in the official magazine, while on the other, it might be completely ignored by the jury. Plus, the film itself is a hot potato.
Third, if not "Dogville," who else is worth recalling?
With "Elephant" recalled, it's like a hornet's nest at Cannes. The heated discussions soar, turning the film festival into a carnival.
What's next?
Even if "Dogville" is recalled, it still doesn't fill the award list.
Previously mentioned, the three major European film festivals have seven awards. Dual winners and one film winning multiple awards have happened. But in recent years, these festivals have reminded their juries to avoid such cases.
To this end, Cannes even has a written rule that if there's a dual winner, only one award can have dual winners. Also, they should avoid one film receiving two awards.
Ultimately, it's to ensure the festival's diversity, rewarding different films while avoiding dividing the cake like the Golden Globes.
The European film festivals have always strived to promote the film industry, especially the art film industry.
But what about now?
"One, two, three, four, just four films: 'Distant,' 'The Barbarian Invasions,' 'Elephant,' and 'At Five in the Afternoon.' Even if we add 'Dogville,' that's only five. The numbers don't add up."
"As far as I know, the 'Mystic River' team is still in Cannes. They premiered on the second-to-last day, and their interviews are not over yet."
"Oh, 'Old Cowboy' Eastwood, that's a possibility. Sean Penn might compete for Best Actor, Best Director, or the top three awards. But it's still not enough."
"...Could it be 'The Cotelette Family'?"
"What?"
"'The Cotelette Family,' which premiered yesterday, is still in Cannes."
Gasp.
Everyone drew in a breath, realizing they had focused so much on "The Brown Bunny" that they forgot this year's actual lowest scorer in the Cannes official magazine.
This is terrifying, isn't it?
"No, no, no, impossible, don't say such horror stories."
"But it's a possibility. If 'Mystic River' and 'The Cotelette Family' teams are still in Cannes, it would explain why no other teams have been recalled, why there was a brief buzz at noon, and then things went quiet again."
"...No way..."
In the Grand Palais's media center, everyone was stunned, at a loss for words.
Is this the cinephile version of a horror story?
"If 'The Cotelette Family' actually wins an award, is this the worst Cannes in the last ten years?"
"Roger Ebert's spirit?"
"No, not really. In 1997, 'The Eel' and 'Taste of Cherry' shared the Palme d'Or, and even that year wasn't great. Even the quality of the Palme d'Or was subpar."
One moment, people were debating who else might be recalled; the next, they were arguing about the worst Palme d'Or in the last ten years—
Truly, they are film enthusiasts.
Time passed amidst heated discussions, and the premonition of sadness never seemed to be wrong.
With the red carpet for the closing ceremony and award ceremony about to begin, even though there's still a little time left, Cannes has "quieted" down, leaving the media in shock.
That's it?
No other team was recalled?
The "Dogville" team was forgotten too? Nicole Kidman's Best Actress isn't possible anymore?
What do we do now?