“The Great Gatsby” will be opening for the Cannes Film Festival this year.After announcing that Steven Spielberg would be presiding over the judges at the Cannes Film Festival, more news has been revealed about the event. According to the New York Times, the opening film this year will be the “Great Gatsby,” the adaption of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic book. The film was originally supposed to be released at the end of last year, but was postponed to May. Now, on May 15, the French festival will have the chance to screen the 3-D movie.
The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby and Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan. While any showing at “Festival de Cannes” is noteworthy, there are some reasons that make this showing particularly special, as explained by director Baz Luhrmann.
“We are thrilled to return to a country, place and festival that has always been so close to our hearts, not only because my first film Strictly Ballroom was screened there 21 years ago, but also because F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote some of the most poignant and beautiful passages of his extraordinary novel just a short distance away at a villa outside Saint-Raphaël,” Luhrmann said in a statement.
The showing at the festival will actually be five days after the American release – with reviews potentially spoiling some aspects for French viewers. However, something Cannes attendees may look forward to is attendance by the film’s stars, including DiCaprio. This is the first time since 2007 the actor will be attending the festival.
While the Festival de Cannes is particularly well known in the film industry, other festivals that have high levels of attendance – with or without celebrities – may benefit from investing in outdoor movie screens. With these screens, films can be screened comfortably to large audiences, as well as provide a fun environment to movie goers.