The climate crisis has featured prominently at this year’s Cannes Film Festival through two French films: ‘Acide’, which explores a world plagued by toxic rain, and ‘The Animal Kingdom’, in which a mysterious epidemic causes the degeneration of the human species. Similarly, activists carried out various actions to denounce the pollution generated by private planes and mega-yachts, used massively during this important festival.
While preparing to take off from Cannes-Mandelieu airport on Saturday, May 20, passengers on a private plane had a very curious encounter.
On the track, a remote-controlled car blocked their path, releasing a cloud of green smoke. The action was claimed by the militant environmental group ‘Extinction Rebellion’ to “highlight the absurdity of the lifestyle of the ultra-rich”.
“Is it time to burn these liters of kerosene to step on a red carpet for a few seconds? Stop the private jets, the lights are elsewhere,” the group protested on Twitter, posting photos of their action.
If at first glance this action may seem somewhat anecdotal, it is not the only one of its kind that has taken place during the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.
On the same day, some fifteen ‘Attac’ militants unfurled a long banner reading “Don’t let the ultra-rich destroy the planet” in front of four huge yachts in Port Canto, in the city’s old port.
“While we must collectively and individually reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, the Cannes Film Festival is an indecent spectacle, with its stars arriving on a private jet before heading off for an aperitif on a yacht,” the group denounced. in a press release.
They sought to punish double standards among the “popular and middle classes, who are asked to make efforts for sobriety” while “stars and billionaires are exempted from collective efforts.”
15 activists of@attac_fr Ont deployed a banner “Ne laissons pas les ultra-riches détruire la planete” devant les méga-yachts de Cannes pour dénoncer le mode de vie des ultra-riches, irresponsible et déconnecté des enjeux du dérèglement climatique 👇https://t.co/W7AuHcvCAN
— Attac France (@attac_fr) May 20, 2023
According to the estimates of the ‘Méga Yacht CO2 Tracker’ account, which closely follows the activity of these luxury boats on the Croisette, one hour of their use generates around two tons of CO2 emissionsthat is, almost a quarter of the annual average carbon footprint of an average Frenchman.
Hollywood stars in the viewer
To make their voices heard during the Cannes Film Festival, the ecologists involved in these actions do not hesitate to use the technique of “name and shame”.
After the criticisms directed at the visit of Tom Cruise in 2022, with its arrival by helicopter and overflight of the Patrouille de France, now it is the fans of another Hollywood superstar that create controversy. Is about Harrison Fordreceived with great fanfare on the Croisette to present ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’.
On Sunday, during an interview for France 2, the actor embarked on a true plea for the climate cause. “If we don’t get off our butts now, we’re going to lose this planet!” he fervently asserted, accusing climate skeptics of having caused this situation through his denial.
Involved in many humanitarian causes, Harrison Ford had already spoken on the subject at the UN forum.
The problem? The star is not without controversy when it comes to energetic sobriety. Addicted to flying, he owns several private planes and has said in the past that he is “so passionate about aviation” that he “he often drives to the coast for a cheeseburger”.
Ecology in decline?
These accusations of climate doublespeak are not reserved for the superstars of the Croisette. In 2021, the general secretary of the festival, Thierry Fremauxas well as its former president, Pierre Lescurethey announced twelve ecological measuresaimed at drastically reducing plastic waste, switching to electric vehicles and promoting the recycling of materials.
To offset the enormous pollution caused by the travel of the stars by plane, the Cannes Film Festival has also adopted a policy of financing green projects.
But their flagship project, which was supposed to ensure the protection of a forest in Zimbabwe, was harshly singled out in an investigation by the investigative site ‘Disclose’, published just days before the opening of this 76th issue. The organizers are accused. to fall into the greenwashing. A term that, according to Greenpeace, refers to “misleading consumers about a company’s environmental practices or the environmental benefits of a product or service”.
In 2021, they had also launched a special climate “pop-up” to “cinematically embody” the festival’s commitment to the environment.
This presented in particular films by Cyril Dion, Aïssa Maïga and Louis Garrel, on the extinction of species, the drought in Niger, as well as ecological awareness among the youngest.
“We are the first festival that shows environmental convictions”, said Frémaux at the time, who considered that “the awareness and defense of the planet are also played in the cinema”.
It is clear, however, that in the last two years, weather themes have become more subdued in films shown at Cannes.
Mutations and acid rain
However, during the 2023 edition, two French feature films address this theme through science fiction. Presented at the opening of a certain regard, ‘The Animal Kingdom’ of Thomas Cailley immerses Romain Duris and Adèle Exarchopoulos in a world plagued by a mysterious epidemic that generates animal mutations in humans.
Combining intimate exchanges and spectacular scenes, this fantastic feature film explores man’s relationship with his environment, as well as the question of transmission.
‘Acid’, of Just Philippot Starring Guillaume Canet, it is a drama that anticipates a nightmare in which toxic rains, generated by pollution, come to break a period of intense drought.
Presented in the parallel section, ‘Acid’ is dedicated to innovative and experimental cinema, it stands out for its virtuous production method that earned it the ‘Ecoprod’ award on Sunday, created in 2022 to recognize —every year during the Cannes Film Festival— the most ecologically responsible productions.
‘Acid’ is a UFO deeply distressing cinematography that manages to generate a climate of anxiety, which is increasing and invading the media space to the point of inflection.
In the film, not all the characters perceive the climate threat in the same way. “It’s the end of the world every other day,” Michael, played by Canet, says one afternoon, turning off the news, sparking a discussion with his daughter, visibly more lucid about the events to come.
However, at this stage, personal moods matter little. Because when the acid rain comes, he spares no one.
This article was adapted from its original in French.
#Cannes #Film #Festival #environment #science #fiction #forceful #controversial #actions