15/05/2003 - After the red carpet, Master of Cerimonies Monica Bellucci with Penelope Cruz open the festival, while jury president Patrice Chéreau asks his jurors to "love and defend films"

SPECIAL CANNES 2003

The 56th Cannes Film Festival got off to a magnificent start yesterday evening. After the cast of this year’s opening film, Fanfan la Tulipe, sashayed up what is probably one of the most famous “red carpets” in the world, the Master of Ceremonies, Italian actress Monica Bellucci, opened the proceedings by calling Cannes "the greatest Festival in the world and a place to discover and love the work of filmmakers from the four corners of the world." Bellucci also said that “in troubled times like the present” Cannes is a place “where everyone is welcome, no frontiers exist and the intellectual freedom of the artist is encouraged while the rest of the world tries to stifle artists’ voices”.
Presenting the members of his jury, this year’s president, French director Patrice Chéreau reminded the audience of the unforgettable magic one feels the first time one ascends the staircase leading to the Palais: “The festival is part of our lives independently of whether we love or hate it.” Chéreau concluded by asking his jury to “love and defend the films” they would see over the next twelve days. The honour of declaring the festival official open was given to the two stars of Fanfan la Tulipe, Penelope Cruz and Vincent Perez. The Spanish actress pronounced the magic formula in French, her partner repeated it in Spanish and then in unison, “the 56th Cannes Film Festival is open”, in English. Battle will commence on 15 May with the screening in competition of Ce jour là by Raoul Ruiz.

(Translated from French)