The version of Fury Road screened at Cannes was a standard 2D version. During the opening screening, the audience collectively applauded three times once at the end of the first action scene, again at the end of the "pole vault" sequence, and finally at the end of the film. In addition, there were six to eight sporadic bursts of applause, including a final round of collective clapping from the remaining audience after the credits finished rolling.
One could say that the overall viewing atmosphere was passionate, just like the film's title.
The European and American film media appeared to be thoroughly conquered by Duke's latest masterpiece. Phrases like "action sequences destined to go down in cinematic history," "unrestrained and extravagant imagination," and "astonishing expressive power" poured out in a tide of praise, as they showered the film with enthusiastic acclaim.
Not far from Natalie Portman, in a suite at another hotel, Duke was sitting on the balcony looking out at the sea in the distance. Tina Fey walked in carrying a pot of black tea. She poured Duke a cup before sitting down in the rattan chair to his left.
"You're back already?" Duke withdrew his gaze and looked at Tina Fey. "Good news?"
Tina Fey had just taken a phone call. She curled her lips into a smile and nodded. "Jamie Johnson called. Warner Bros. has tallied reviews from thirty-six major European and American media outlets. They're almost all positive, with an average rating of 97!"
"Ninety-seven…"
Even Duke was a bit moved. Although media reviews differ from audience opinions, no one could deny that the media holds sway over public sentiment.
He thought for a moment and asked, "I don't think any of my previous films have ever gotten media ratings this high, have they?"
"Hmm…" Tina Fey lifted her cup, and before taking a sip, said, "It's definitely the first time."
"I wonder if such a high media score," Duke slowly tapped the armrest of his chair, "will actually translate into box office power once the film is officially released!"
To him, a perfect media score meant nothing if it couldn't draw a massive audience.
There have been films in the past that were critically acclaimed but failed to resonate with general audiences. And quite a few of them, too.
Tina Fey set her cup down and said, "Our team has already gone to the two advance screening theaters showing Fury Road to conduct surveys."
Fury Road would continue to be screened during the Cannes Film Festival, but the number of showings was extremely limited. Excluding the opening screening, there were only six sessions scheduled over the next ten days.
Not far from Duke's hotel, a seaside café on Coastal Road was packed with people—tourists and cinephiles from around the world. They came to the festival to watch as many films as possible, but with so many being shown, it was impossible to see everything, even without sleeping.
As a result, crowded places like bars and cafés became hubs for information exchange. Many experienced moviegoers would come here to hear others' opinions before choosing what films to watch, hoping to pick the best out of a sea of uneven selections.
Mike Banning sat alone at an outdoor café, ears perked up to catch snippets of conversation around him. He was a Brit, and at this time of year, there was only one reason to be in Cannes: to attend the festival and watch the best films.
He had arrived that morning and watched a film called The Red Balloon's Journey in the morning, which left him incredibly annoyed. Especially the director if the movie had been bad, fine, but the man had the nerve to claim, "A director's work doesn't need an audience." It made Banning want to spit on the guy's face. If you don't need an audience, go admire your work at home why come to a public festival?
Pretentious!
That was the most fitting word Mike Banning could think of.
The café grew increasingly crowded, and even Banning's table filled up with others.
These people were clearly together, seemingly discussing a film. Judging by their accents, they were Australians, and since they were speaking English, Banning could understand them fully.
"Hewitt…" said one older man, "Don't you know some people on the festival committee? Can you get us tickets?"
"He can't guarantee it." The younger man named Hewitt shook his head. "Phillips, you saw it yourself—too many people want to see this film."
"Yeah, way too many!"
Another man in his thirties, holding a cup of coffee, said, "We queued right after lunch, and who would've thought over 2,000 people would show up? And it wasn't even screened in the Lumière Hall. We should've lined up right after breakfast!"
The oldest, Phillips, patted his shoulder and said reassuringly, "At least we saw the film yesterday. It's a shame we missed today's screening, but compared to those who haven't seen it, we're still lucky."
"Absolutely!"
After agreeing, Hewitt seemed to recall the movie and his face lit up. "That scalpel-precise narrative rhythm, the extremely concise and punchy dialogue, the explosive creativity in the action and chase sequences, and the jaw-dropping character setups and performances it was nearly flawless. Those two eye-candy leads were used to perfection!"
The man in his thirties put down his cup and said loudly, "The director's talent is unbelievable especially the action choreography, which blew away everything else in the genre."
"Superheroes? Fast-car heist flicks?" Phillips added dramatically. "Compared to this film, they're like kids playing dress-up."
Hearing all this, Mike Banning couldn't hold back anymore. "Excuse me…"
The three turned to him, and he quickly said, "Can I ask what movie you're talking about?"
"You don't know?"
"You haven't seen it?"
"Everyone in Cannes is talking about this movie how do you not know?"
Embarrassed, Mike Banning scratched his head. "I just arrived in Cannes this morning…"
Before he could finish, the youngest one—Hewitt said, "We're talking about this year's opening film Fury Road by Duke Rosenberg!"
"Fury Road?" Mike Banning quietly made a mental note of it, then asked, "Is it really that good?"
Before the three could respond, a young man at the next table said, "Haven't you seen today's major media outlets? Almost all of them gave Duke's new film a perfect score!"
A girl sitting across from him immediately added, "If you don't know what it means for a film to drive people mad, just watch Fury Road and you'll understand."
"That's right!"
"Exactly!"
It seemed that many people had heard the discussions about this film. Throughout the open-air café, more and more voices joined in agreement.
Someone even stood up and shouted, "This is the tragedy of our era. Because from now on, there will only be two types of action movies Fury Road and all the others!"
Mike Banning understood now. He knew what film he should watch next.
After asking a few more questions, Mike Banning left the open-air café and headed straight for the cinema screening Fury Road that evening. Even though there were still more than three hours before the screening, he had learned from the group's conversation that if he wanted to watch the film, he'd have to get in line early.
Dressed in casual attire, Tina Fey walked up behind Duke, glanced at him, and reminded, "This shirt is a bit short."
It was a casual shirt Duke had just had someone send over. He looked at himself in the mirror and found it was indeed a little short, so he took it off and changed into another white one. Putting on his sunglasses, he said to Tina Fey, "Let's go."
The two of them left the room, and as they walked, Tina Fey said, "At noon, a screening of Fury Road drew over two thousand people in line. Only a third made it in. The committee recommends we increase the number of showings."
Duke frowned slightly and thought for a while. It wasn't until they exited the hotel that he said, "Keep the current screening schedule. Have Warner's media ramp up on-site coverage."
Once Tina Fey made the call, Duke continued walking along the seaside road. The promenade was wide and clean, with a beach and bay on one side and elegant hotels on the other. The architecture ranged from century-old buildings to modern towers. In the center of the road was a landscaped strip with flowers blooming all year round. Palm trees vibrant under the sun added a touch of allure to the small city.
During the Cannes Film Festival each year, the seaside road became a gathering place for celebrities—and, naturally, paparazzi.
As soon as Duke stepped out of the hotel, reporters began following him. However, four bodyguards subtly encircled him and Tina Fey. Photos were allowed, but anyone who got too close would be blocked.
There was an unspoken understanding between stars and reporters on this road. As long as the reporters didn't get too intrusive, the stars wouldn't stop them from taking photos.
Besides, Duke came out precisely to boost his exposure and promote the film.
Tina Fey lagged slightly behind Duke, made another phone call, then quickly caught up to him.
"News from Jamie Johnson…" she whispered beside Duke, "Isabelle Huppert is very favorable toward our film."
Duke nodded without saying anything. Sometimes, even he had to admire the connections and meticulous planning of major Hollywood studios. Fury Road was a perfect example.
Warner Bros. submitting Fury Road to the Cannes Film Festival wasn't a whim. It was a calculated move. From the screenplay alone, one could see the extraordinary female characters. The jury president for this year's festival was a well-known feminist, which greatly increased the film's chances of winning...
"Sorry to bother you…"
Ahead of them, a bodyguard stopped an Asian actress. Her English was slightly loud and clearly audible to Duke, "I'm a fan of Director Rosenberg. I just want an autograph."
....
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