In full celebration of the 50 years of May 68, we remember that the director belongs to those who participated in this great revolt, until being behind the cancellation of the 1968 Cannes Film Festival. Since May 68 is became cult and Godard too. The Cannes Film Festival has decided to put it in the spotlight with its official poster that unveils a scene between Anna Karina and Jean-Paul Belmondo in "Pierrot le Fou". The 71st edition of the festival will also present its experimental film "The picture book" whose mysterious synopsis is in one sentence: "Nothing but silence, nothing but a revolutionary song, a story in five chapters, like the five fingers of the hand".
Godard at the origin of the cancellation of the festival of Cannes in 68
It was with his acolytes Claude Berri and François Truffaut, that Jean-Luc Godard canceled the Cannes Film Festival in 1968. Very committed, the filmmaker was before that year, especially with his feature film "Chinese" released in 1967. As a representative of the New Wave, he participated in the contest as a citizen, and also as a film man. Several other intellectuals engage, like Jean-Paul Sartre with his slogan "Elections, trap cons!", And two other "big" cinema: François Truffaut and Claude Berri. Together, they highlight the actions of Daniel Cohn-Bendit.
The leaders are Jean-Luc Godard, François Truffaut, Claude Berri
And the event extends to Cannes, where Godard literally paralyzed the Croisette. The fights broke out after the dismissal of Henri Langlois, founder of the French Cinematheque and "godfather" of the New Wave. Jean-Luc Godard asks that the films are no longer screened, in support of Langlois and the student demonstrations. Thierry Frémaux, general delegate of the festival, recently told the story, at the microphone of France Info: " The leaders are Jean-Luc Godard, François Truffaut, Claude Berri.These young filmmakers are also men of their time who consider that 'We do not have to lose interest for 15 days, by means of films, cocktails and evening dresses, of what is going on in the country.' Proof that the festival has always embodied an era, and even today. Indeed, if Cate Blanchett is appointed president of the jury in Cannes this year, it is following the Weinstein affair , for its commitment against harassment and in the project Time's Up .
On May 17, 1968, the Defense Committee of the French Cinematheque declared the strike of the cinema, the interruption of the filming in studio and projections in the rooms and the stop of the 21st festival of Cannes, opened since May 10. Truffaut arrives in Cannes to host a press conference under the aegis of the CDCF (The Council of Commerce of France) and Godard launches this phrase became famous: " I speak of solidarity with students and workers, you tell me about traveling and close-up: you are idiots! "
The director of the festival, Robert Favre, does not intend to be overtaken by the young band of directors, and acts, publishing a report: "They hurried, among others, to cause the trouble and the stoppage of the competition, Jean -Luc Godard who, always true to himself, shows that an Anarchist Helvetian can be sometimes more sectarian and more fanatic than a defrocked monk With the help of some French directors who, in the past, benefited however, so largely from this same festival, he obtained, by appealing to "solidarity", the resignation of four members of the jury, the directors Louis Malle, Roman Polanski, Terence Young and the actress Monica Vitti. (...) It s It followed - which happened almost everywhere in France at the same time - that a tiny delirious minority, overflowing the leaders who had started the movement and seemed to find a semblance of reason - decided, well before dark, of bo ycotter the Festival by any means possible, including violence. "
A final event will take place before the cancellation of the festival: during the screening of Carlos Saura's "Peppermint frapp", also in solidarity with the movement, the young filmmakers create chaos, the theater is rekindled and the director tries to release them, before Jean-Luc Godard replies: "Films belong to those who make them, we have no right to project them against the will of their authors." The Festival is officially canceled on May 19th. It will have lasted nine days.
Godard in Cannes after May 68
After a form of detestation for the conventions and the show while more important was elsewhere in France, Jean-Luc Godard was reconciled with the Cannes festival, and this since 1980, presenting "Saving who can (life) "with Isabelle Huppert and Jacques Dutronc . And since Isabelle Huppert has undoubtedly contributed to its success, in 1982, the director presents "Passion" which puts it still in scene. In all, Godard will count eight of his films presented in competition at Cannes. Three years later, he puts it back with "Détective", then "Aria" in 1987, and "Nouvelle vague" in 1990. The 2000s prolong his success with three films in competition: "Praise of love in 2001", "A certain look" in 2010 and "Goodbye language" in 2014.
In 2018, Jean-Luc Godard presents in Cannes his latest film, "Le Livre d'images", in competition. But in competition or not, a film by Jean-Luc Godard in Cannes remains an event, for its history with the festival, and by its repeated presence.
