The annual film industry extravaganza—the 79th Cannes Film Festival—officially kicked off early yesterday morning (May 13) Hong Kong time. Mainland Chinese actress Gong Li, a regular at Cannes, walked the red carpet for the 21st time, commanding the spotlight with her radiant presence. She also became the first Chinese actress invited to deliver a speech at the opening ceremony, announcing the festival's commencement in Mandarin. The entire audience rose to their feet in applause, creating a lively atmosphere.
At the opening ceremony, Academy Award-winning actress Gong Li shared the stage with Oscar-winning actress Jane Fonda, marking the first time in the history of the Cannes Film Festival that two hosts have presided over the event together. Gong Li began by speaking in fluent English: "Jane comes from the West, I come from the East. Tonight, we stand together here. This is the magic of the Cannes Film Festival. It has always been a great honor for me to represent Chinese cinema at Cannes. Cinema goes beyond languages, cultures, and generations. It speaks to what we all share — human emotions. Cinema allows us to meet and to connect. This is the power of cinema." After Jane finished her remarks, the two announced the "opening of the 79th Cannes Film Festival" in Chinese and French, respectively, and the entire audience rose to their feet, applauding for over a minute.
The classic Chinese-language film Farewell My Concubine, starring Gong Li and Leslie Cheung, will be re-screened in a 4K restored version as part of the festival's "Cannes Classics" section. The film remains the only Chinese-language movie to date to have won the Palme d'Or, the highest honor at the Cannes Film Festival, and Gong Li is scheduled to attend the event. As for the mainland Chinese stars, including Zhang Yixing, Zhao Tao, Zhang Hanyu, Tian Hairong, Xie Keyin, and Mike Ng (a member of the Thai boy band Golf & Mike), they will also make appearances on the red carpet. Among them, Zhang Yixing and Zhao Tao will serve as promotional ambassadors for the festival's "China Night." Additionally, Peter Jackson, the New Zealand director of The Lord of the Rings, was awarded the "Palme d'Or d'Honneur" for lifetime achievement.
South Korean director Park Chan-wook served as president of the "Main Competition" jury, and the jury members—including American actress Demi Moore and Chinese-American director Ting Zhao—attended the opening ceremony in formal attire. At a press conference prior to the opening ceremony, Park Chan-wook revealed that he had considered declining the jury position due to stress, a decision his wife supported.
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