CORNELL UNIVERSITY MEDIA RELATIONS OFFICEMay 10, 2016
Early Cannes Film Festival built culture of internationalism
Newswise — Sabine Haenni, professor at Cornell University’s department of Performing and Media Arts, studies American cinema and mass culture. Haenni says the Cannes Film Festival has brought nations together in the past, and it should still do so today.
Bio: http://www.pma.cornell.edu/sabine-haenni
Haenni says:
“In this age of increasing nationalism in Europe, the U.S., and elsewhere, we should remember the Cannes Film Festival’s early years, when it helped build a culture of internationalism in the wake of World War II.
“Today, the Un Certain Regard-competition and occasional special screenings are often more interesting in terms of international or socially-conscious films. Sean Penn’s The Last Face, which is set in Liberia, is in the main competition. It may get the star treatment, but Karim Dridi’s special screening of Chouf, which is set in Marseille’s immigrant neighborhoods, will deserve wider circulation than it will get.
“There has been a fair amount of conversation about the under-representation of women at Cannes this year, and occasional concerns about the small presence of non-Western films. There are not enough, but they are also better represented in Un Certain Regard. We need more coverage about how international and socially-committed films surface.”
Cornell University has television, ISDN and dedicated Skype/Google+ Hangout studios available for media interviews.
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