Cannes 2019 day 2 round-up: Les Misérables, Bacurau premiere; Julianne Moore addresses gender parity

The second day at the 72nd Cannes International Film Festival saw the premiere of Les Misérables and Bacurau. TV actor Hina Khan also made her red carpet debut this year, looking resplendent in a grey shimmery gown with cape-like sleeves. Oscar-winning Mexican filmmaker Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu headed the festival jury this year. Here’s what all happened on the second day. Les Misérables, Bacurau premiere

#RedSteps LES MISÉRABLES by Ladj Ly ✨#Cannes2019 #Competition @ladjLY pic.twitter.com/7MFjid2rcE

— Festival de Cannes (@Festival_Cannes) May 15, 2019

Les Misérables the French drama film directed and co-written by Ladj Ly, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival to compete for the Palme d’Or. The film is based on his short film of the same name. According to Variety’s Guy Lodge, the narrative “simmers with urgent anger over police brutality, but could use more civilian perspective”. 

#RedSteps BACURAU by Kleber Mendonça Filho & Juliano Dornelles ✨#Cannes2019 @bacuraufilme #Competition pic.twitter.com/baeszZgs8c

— Festival de Cannes (@Festival_Cannes) May 15, 2019

Brazilian directors Kleber Mendonca Filho and Juliano Dornelles’s film Bacurau premiered in the main competition at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday night. The film revolves around Bacurau, a small town in the Brazilian sertão, which is beset by strange happenings following the death of its matriarch at the age of 94. Bacurao, starring Barbara Colen, Sônia Braga and Udo Kier, has been described as “overstuffed and under-cooked in places” by Hollywood Reporter. Julianne Moore on implementing quotas for gender parity [caption id=“attachment_6642631” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]  Julianne Moore. AP[/caption] Julianne Moore has said that larger efforts are needed in order for the movie industry to reach gender parity, and that means implementing quotas. “We will not have gender parity unless everybody is cooperating. Women are not a special interest group. We’re 52 percent of the global population,” Moore said during an event at the Cannes Film Festival. “In order to restore the balance, I do think that there will be, that we will need some measures to change our culture.” “We will have to make major changes to reach parity. That’s just a fact. So, I do believe in quotas. I really do,” added Moore. “I believe in trying to level the playing field for everybody regardless of their gender or their culture or ethnicity. You have to open doors. British filmmaker Greta Bellamacina denied entry at Cannes British director Greta Bellamacina has claimed that she and her four-month-old child were stopped from entering the festival site. After a “stressful debate”, she was told that she would be required to arrange for a delegate’s pass for her child, costing  €300 , reports The Guardian. After she agreed to pay the amount, she was told that her request would take 48 hours to process, and was asked to leave. “I’m outraged at the absurdity of this backward attitude. As if female filmmakers needed further obstacles to equality in our industry. Ironically, my film is about a young single mother trying to balance her life as a writer. She is treated quite patronisingly in some scenes in the film, but never as rudely as I was treated as a mother at the film festival today,” Greta said in a statement obtained by the publication. Prasoon Joshi on India’s ‘creative presence’ at Cannes Lyricist and Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chief Prasoon Joshi admitted that India requires far greater “creative presence” in the Cannes Film Festival. “Business efforts are definitely needed, networking is also required but nothing could be better than greater creative participation in the festival,” he said while addressing a session in the India Pavilion here. He began his talk by emphasising the feeling that the Pavilion in the Cannes Film Festival serves as “a home away from home” for Indian movie industry professionals who attend the event. (With inputs from agencies)