Anson Wood is about to head to the Cannes Film Festival, and not just to attend, but as the lead actor in a film that has officially entered the main competition.
Surprise!
A 100% surprise!
It wasn't just Edgar who was shocked; one look at the media's response said it all:
- "'Elephant' in Cannes Film Festival's Main Competition!"
- "Anson Wood heading to Cannes as the lead actor in a main competition entry."
- "A major breakthrough in Anson's career: entering the Cannes main competition!"
- "Anson Wood: more than just a heartthrob."
- "Next stop: Cannes — Anson Wood embarks on a new chapter."
- "Breaking news! Anson Wood enters Cannes main competition!"
Shock, excitement, and celebration.
When the Cannes Film Festival selection committee announced the films for the main competition, the media went wild, completely losing their minds.
To be precise, North American media had a clear understanding:
Hollywood is the home of genre films, while Europe is the center for artistic cinema.
Because of this, European genre films often pride themselves on North American box office success, and Hollywood's artistic films often take pride in being showcased at one of Europe's "Big Three" film festivals.
It's a shared respect.
So, every time the main competition lineup for one of Europe's major film festivals is announced, the North American films that make the cut are highly anticipated and praised. It's akin to the Olympics — representing your country at a global event, competing on the world stage.
This year was no different.
Seeing the name "Elephant" was a surprise.
Seeing Anson Wood's name? Boom! Pure joy.
From a Golden Globe nomination to an Oscar snub, and now to the Cannes Film Festival main competition — and it's only the first quarter of 2003. Anson has sparked conversation after conversation, not with box office numbers, but as an actor. Not for his looks, style, or media buzz, but for returning to his craft.
Finally!
In a completely unexpected, almost unbelievable way, Anson shattered all stereotypes, broke down prejudices, and shifted all attention back onto himself.
The massive wave of excitement is just the tip of the iceberg. You can feel it — Anson's position in Hollywood is changing again.
In May, there's no reason for Anson to miss Cannes.
So, heading to Cannes was a given. After all, "Spider-Man 2" starts filming in June, leaving plenty of time for rest before then.
But there was a small concern —
Not a crisis, but an issue.
Expectations.
The expectations surrounding Anson have been rising steadily, with more and more eyes on him, including many critical ones:
"I want to see what 'Elephant' is all about. Why did it make it into the Cannes main competition?"
It's easy to imagine that if the film doesn't meet expectations, or worse, gets poor reviews, the haters will have a field day.
In other words, the high expectations placed on "Elephant" and Gus Van Sant are unfair. And for Anson, it's filled with traps.
Of course, with the crown comes the burden. This is part of the path to stardom, so it's more of a concern than a crisis.
But Anson had a brilliant idea — not only to address the concern but also to connect his album promotion with the Cannes Film Festival:
A European tour.
Not a concert tour. Given the current status of the August 31st band, they probably couldn't even fill a 300-person venue. Instead, they would do street performances, going back to their roots when the band first gained attention performing on the streets of New York — only this time in Europe.
Everything would go back to basics, back to simplicity.
Choosing Europe over North America came down to one simple reason —
No one in Europe knows Anson.
"Nobody" might be an exaggeration, given that "Spider-Man" performed well at the European box office, too. But the fact is, Europe's attitude towards commercial genre films and heartthrob idols has always been lukewarm.
Maybe Anson is a household name in North America, but in Europe, at best, he's just barely recognizable.
And that's a good thing.
Anson can shed the spotlight, the scrutiny, and the fame, and go back to the basics, performing on the streets as an unknown artist.
And then, head to Cannes.
First, he can free himself from the pressure of fame, allowing people to see Anson Wood as a person, as a musician, and as an actor — starting from scratch. This removes all preconceived notions and prejudices, allowing Anson to present his true self.
Second, by heading to Cannes, he can promote his album while preparing for the festival. After walking the red carpet at Cannes, he would return to his band, continue performing on the streets, and silence those who accuse him of chasing fame.
A win-win.
And for Warner Records, this was the perfect promotional strategy —
It saves money!
Starting the album promotion with street performances, the same way the August 31st band originally rose to fame, by bringing the music back to the people, was clearly the best choice.
And did I mention it saves money?
Warner Records couldn't believe their luck.
After seeing Anson single-handedly carry the flash promo for "Catch Me If You Can," creating wave after wave of buzz without spending much money, they never imagined that a similar stroke of good fortune would fall into their lap.
Anson, currently the hottest star in North America, was willing to step out of the spotlight and return to the streets, building momentum with street performances. Warner Records couldn't wrap their heads around why Anson would accept such a proposal —
It seemed almost like an insult.
But Warner wasn't about to question it. They gladly accepted Anson's plan.
And so, it happened.
Led by Anson, the August 31st band quietly set foot on European soil, starting their tour in Stockholm and making their way south.
And that wasn't even all of it.
The band rejected all of Warner Records' assistance.
What does that mean?
Normally, a tour requires booking venues, promotion, ticketing, and so on. Street performances eliminate many of those needs, but they still faced other challenges —
Transporting instruments, arranging accommodations, travel logistics, and most importantly, securing permits for street performances.
Like in New York, other cities also require permits for street performances — you can't just grab a guitar and start playing. In some cities, you might need to apply months in advance.
Without a permit, they couldn't perform. The process could be cumbersome, with endless details to consider.
Yet the band rejected Warner's help, and without even an assistant, the four members simply grabbed their instruments and hit the road.