More than a month has passed since the 2009 Cannes Film Festival came to a close
awarding Michael Haneke’s "The White Ribbon" the Palm d’Or. In the sun drenched Riviera setting, world cinema had its annual collision with the glamour of Hollywood. Now that the hubbub surrounding the festival has died down, I can more fully consider whether or not Cannes lived up to its reputation as the world's best film festival. Watching over 31 films at Cannes revealed a surprisingly inconsistent film festival that, despite several stand outs, too often flirted with mediocrity. 
To gain an insider’s perspective on the Cannes experience, I sat down with Semaine de la Critique Selection Committee member Pierre-Simon Gutman. The Semaine de la Critique, or Critic’s Week, is a side bar of the festival that runs alongside the main competition. Gutman said, "The purpose of the Critic’s Week is very simple. We are there to find the new guys who will win the Palm d'Or in four years." Critic’s Weeks participants have included acclaimed directors like Bernardo Bertolucci and Jacques Audiard (director of 2009’s “Un Prophete”). To program the annual series, the selection committee watches over 900 movies from around the globe.
Gutman explained that the film festival provides an unparalleled and exhaustive look at the full breadth of contemporary world cinema. At its core, Gutman described Cannes as “a marriage of disparities, a strange mix between glamour and cinema which is not glamorous at all." He stressed that the more chiq aspects of the festival such as celebrities and big name films are not superfluous but vital in helping draw the world’s eye to smaller films that would otherwise never find a global audience. Gutman asserted that this confluence of artistic and commercial interests, what he called “a truly delicate alchemy,’ will always define the festival.
Regarding this year’s films in competition, the programmer felt that there were,”Too many famous directors, not necessarily the best pictures." His ambivalence towards the films in the official competition echoes my view that Cannes was far too enthralled with already established names. It became clear that Cannes prided its love for the single artistic vision during a revealing moment of meta-commentary in Quentin Tarantino’s bold reimagining of WWII, “Inglourious Basterds.” After being lauded by a Nazi for presenting German directors at her Parisian cinema, the French film enthusiast heroine coldly remarks,”France respects its directors, even the Germans.” Hearing this, the theater erupted in applause delighting in Tarantino’s clear homage to a French festival where the auteur rules. Both the merits and pitfalls of this artistic philosophy became apparent during the competition.
Some cinematic heavyweights like Von Trier delivered in a big and enormously shocking ways. In its masterful exportation of the violence inherent to the horror genre, Von Trier's darkly beautiful "Antichrist" stands as a cutting meditation on the darker aspects of his artistic philosophy. Other well-known directors seemed entirely devoid of this ambition producing works notable only for their stunning mediocrity. Italian director 's sixth film in competition "Vincente" depicts Mussolini's Fascist Italy with all the subtlety of a propaganda film. Even worse than its shallow take on history is its maudlin narrative about the Italian dictator's estranged wife that unfolds like a cloyingly melodramatic TV movie. 
The sharp disparity in quality existed even in competing films created by less prolific artists. Jacques Audiard’s "Un Prophet" feature encapsulates what Gutman described as the ideal Cannes film - one which has critical merits but remains viscerally entertaining. Adding spark to this well trodden genre, the film deftly melds the familiar prison setting with a bizarre reality where supernatural forces linger. This unconventional marriage of tones gives the work an exhilaratingly fresh ambience. Underneath the narrative about one man's rise through the ranks of the prison lies a thorough exploration of the sharp cultural tensions at the heart of an increasingly heterogeneous French society. "Un Prophete" never ceases to engross or transcend the boundaries of its genre.
Another revelation by a competition newcomer was Spanish director Isabel Coixet's “The Map of the Sounds of Tokyo”. The film, which unfortunately flew under the radar of the mainstream press, focuses on a young Japanese girl (Rinko Kikuchi) whose quiet exterior hides a surprising secret- her life as a hitwoman. The noir tale allows the director a chance to fully explore the eccentricities of Tokyo and Japanese life. A subplot of a sounder engineer obsessively following the heroine gives the director free reign to tweak the frequency of urban life and explore the mystique of a city balanced between the modern and ancient, the urban and natural.
Handedly matching the film's direction is the superb Rinko Kikuchi who creates a demure woman that pulsates with a quiet ruthlessness. This ensures that the film's bizarre premise remains surprisingly believable. In the hands of a lesser actress, the combination of quiet femininity and steely reserve would make for a schizophrenic character, and yet Kikuchi achieves a balance between the two sides of her character’s personality refusing to play her with a Jekyll and Hyde duality. The very sharp film exposes the sensuality of a city and the allure of silence.
These riveting features clashed with lesser films that utterly lacked such bold and confident execution, none more disappointing than “Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky.” Focusing on the liaison between the famed French designer Chanel (Anna Mouglalis) and Russian composer Stravinsky (Mads Mikkelssen), the French film appears to have the ingredients of an absorbing biopic. The narrative explores the period when these artistic luminaries where on the cusp of their greatest successes. Lazy performances, however, create a film that lacks any compelling dramatic tension.
Actress Anna Mouglalis transforms the fashion phenomenon that created the iconic perfume Chanel No. 5 into an easy caricature of a frigid woman. To express Chanel’s self-confidence, Mouglais seems only capable of gazing coldly at the camera. When Chanel talks about the perfume that will make her name, Mouglalis speaks with all the conviction of a disinterested telemarketer. As with every facet of the production, there lies no sense of passion or fire in Mouglalis’ Chanel. That the empty and lifeless “Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky” closed the festival only reinforced how many of the films in competition were blasé rather than innovative.
Coming out of the screening of Ang Lee’s unremarkable comedy “Taking Woodstock,” I stumbled on a sight that was uniquely Cannes. Stretched before me was the blue Mediterranean Sea glistening under the mid-afternoon sun. My eyes’ adjustment to the piercingly bright environment magnified the vistas’ beauty. With its ideal Riviera setting, marble interiors, and red carpets Cannes certainly lived up to its reputation as the most glamorous film festival out there. 
But was it the best in the world? Cannes could not claim this title. After all, this was the year where the Palm d’Or winning film “The White Ribbon” which finds disturbingly simple causes to the horrors of the Second World War beat out far more challenging works like Von Trier’s “Antichrist.” The competition of Cannes 2009 will be remembered less for its myriad successes than its decidedly safe, unmemorable choices that revealed a film festival with a disappointing lack of audacity
Visiting the anti-Cannes- Karlov Vary International Film Festival
Although Cannes has come to a close, there are still many festivals taking place on the continent. Over the course of July, I will be covering two decidedly different European film festivals - Karlov Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic and the more niche Giffoni Film Festival in Southern Italy. This film-oriented excursion through Europe should put the Cannes experience in perspective while providing a thorough look at often unsung national cinemas.
For the past week, I’ve been staying in the quaint spa town of Karlovy Vary near the Czech Republic’s border with Germany. Unlike Cannes which was only open to press and industry professionals, the Czech festival is completely open to the public. Due to its lack of any sparkle and glitz, The Hollywoood Reporter dubbed the town’s film festival as the anti-Cannes. The laid back city sharply contrasts to the bustle of Cannes and the roar of traffic has been replaced by quiet sound of a passing river. The French city’s taut and tanned denizens are gone; instead, hordes of the elderly roam the streets sipping the restorative elixir of Karlovy Vary’s famed hot springs.
Whereas Cannes seemed to have been imprinted with the presence of cinema, the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival has had negligible impact on the town’s aesthetic. The Czech getaway has such a strong 19th century feel that the monolithic 70s style festival center feels glaringly out of place. Karlovy Vary can be defined, at least in part, by this strange disconnect between the festival and its very quaint setting.
Although the glamour of Cannes is nowhere to be found, at least one thing hasn’t changed, the mid-afternoon snack. Whatever the quality of the films in France, I could always rely on a fortifying crepe filled with sugar or sweet, sweet nutella to get me through my next slate of films. What could Czech cuisine offer that was as compact, as delicious? Apparently, the very same thing! Every Czech restaurant has a dessert dubbed in the English menu as Pancakes. This dessert is typically slightly thicker than its French variant and, in the case of the example photographed below, filled with surprisingly tart custard. Many a screening has been supplemented by this deliciously different though familiar treat.
So far I have been able to catch 28 films, and will identify some highlights in forthcoming blog posts. Stay tuned for the latest from British auteur Ken Loach and one 4 hour epic about a Japanese Peeping Tom that just might be the festival’s most original and best film, “Love Exposure.”
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Final Cannes Thoughts, and a look at the Anti-Cannes
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Annual Giving raises $44.6M, $11.4M short of goal
The Great Recession has claimed it's latest victim inside the Orange Bubble: Annual Giving.
The University's annual push for unrestricted funds brought in $44,597,633-- $11.4 million shy of the campaign's $56 million goal. And 57.7 percent of undergrad alumni took part, shy of the participation goal of 61 percent.
The news is certainly not surprising given the severity of the economic downturn over the last 18 months. Even last March AG officials said they knew this year's campaign would be a tough one...especially compared to the successes of the last two campaigns.
Last year, AG raked in $54.1 million from 59.2 percent of alumni, while the 2007 campaign brought in $49 million with 58.5 percent alumni participation. The 2006 drive raised $40.4 million from 58.2 percent of alumni.
Participation was high among the most-recent alumni classes: 90.7 percent of the Class of 2009 pledged to support AG for the next four years. The Class of 2008 recorded 75.2 percent participation-- the highest ever for a first Reunion. The Class of '07 saw 73.7 participation, also a record for the second Reunion.
Fmr. White House CoS Bolten '76 to become Wilson School prof
Former White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten '76 will join the University faculty for the upcoming academic year as a visiting professor in the Wilson School.
A graduate of the Wilson School, Bolten will teach an undergrad course on the federal budget this fall. Next spring, he'll teach two graduate seminars, most likely ones related to politics, international trade and international financial regulation.
Bolten, 54, served as George W. Bush's chief of staff from April 2006 until he left office on January 20 of this year. Before that, Bolten spent almost three years as director of the Office of Management and Budget (that position is held by Peter Orzag '91 in the Obama White House).
Before stints as deputy chief of staff for policy and as policy director for the Bush 2000 presidential campaign, Bolten was executive director for legal and governmental affairs for Goldman Sachs International.
From the Archives: The insider makes a quiet exit (January 21, 2009)
Monday, July 6, 2009
Lawsuit filed against Kindle pilot program
There could be legal trouble on the horizon for the University's Kindle pilot program, Inside Higher Ed reported on Monday morning.
In May, Amazon.com introduced the Kindle DX and announced it was launching a pilot digital textbook program with Princeton, Arizona State University, Pace University, Case Western Reserve University, Reed College and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia.
But two organizations (the National Federation for the Blind and the American Council of the Blind) filed a lawsuit against Arizona State University on June 25, arguing the pilot program is illegal because blind people cannot operate the device.
It seems that while the device has a number of accessories that will prove helpful to those who are visually impaired, the only way to turn them on is through the on-screen menu...that is not accessible to blind people. The complaint argues that while the software exists to use audio or keyboard shortcuts to fix that, Amazon has chosen not to incorporate that technology into the device.
The two groups also asked the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice to review the pilot programs at the other five institutions, alleging they are in violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
Princeton's pilot program will include 60 Kindles, spread between students and professors in three courses during the upcoming academic year. The device, which costs $489, can hold up to 3,500 books that are downloaded from Amazon's online store via a wireless connection.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Not Quite "National Treasure"
Happy Independence Day! Princeton is a town steeped in early American history. Not only is it the alma mater of the 4th President of the United States and also the site of a Revolutionary War battle, it served as the nation's capital from June to November 1783.
Just recently Princeton made another addition to the history of early America. In 1801, President Thomas Jefferson received a coded message from a regular correspondent at Penn. He was unable to crack it and was so impressed that he considered using it for state business. As far as historians are aware, no one has cracked it.
Enter Princeton resident Lawren Smithline. His neighbor worked at The Papers of Thomas Jefferson project at the University, which is preparing an edition of Jefferson's correspondence and papers and informed him of the cipher.
Smithline solved it.
What lay hidden for over 200 years?
"In Congress, July Fourth, one thousand seven hundred and seventy six. A declaration by the Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled. When in the course of human events..."
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Prefrosh pack their bags for India, Ghana, Serbia and Peru
The students have been selected. Their host countries have been picked. And the kickoff for the inaugural first bridge year is just eight weeks away.
Twenty members of the Class of 2013 will defer matriculation and spend the next academic year in Peru, Ghana, Serbia and India, the University announced earlier this week. The group was selected from 54 applicants, chosen for their "openness, maturity, flexibility, courage, resourcefulness, eagerness to be challenged and commitment to service abroad."
Among the students: four hail from California, three from North Carolina, two from New York, Virginia, Connecticut, Maryland and New Jersey, and one from Wisconsin, Oregon and Turkey.
The chosen 20 will gather at Princeton during the last week of August for a "pre-departure orientation" before splitting into groups of five and heading to their specific country. One year later they'll return, joining what will then be the incoming Class of 2014.
Annual Giving ends with U. well short of goal
June 30 marked the last day of the University's 2009 Annual Giving campaign, and it looks like the University came up short in its effort to raise $56 million.
While the numbers on the U.'s giving website lag a few days behind actual results, the site shows the "AG Campaign Status" at $43,558,969 for a fundraising drive that ended two days ago. It also shows that 57.4 percent of alumni have contributed, shy of the participation goal of 61 percent.
Last year, AG raked in $54.1 million through contributions from 59.2 percent of alumni. The difference comes almost entirely from contributions from undergraduate alumni. Last year, that group contributed $43.6 million, but this year's total is just $32.7 million.
The 2007 campaign brought in $49 million with 58.5 percent alumni participation, while the 2006 drive raised $40.4 million from 58.2 percent of alumni.
The Prince reported back in March that officials were concerned this year's goal would not be met because of the economic recession.
Stay tuned to the Prince homepage for a story on final numbers when they're released by the Development Office later this month.
The "sad, suffering" Ivy League and their "dumb" endowments
Don't miss two pieces out this week, one in the Wall Street Journal and another in Vanity Fair, on how the economic recession has wreaked havoc on the endowments of the Ancient Eight.
The article in Tuesday's WSJ reported that endowments with less than $1B "generally held us better by putting more money in fixed income and less in alternative investments like hedge funds."
That news comes as the universities with the five largest endowments (Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Princeton, MIT) have each reported declines of between 22 percent and 30 percent over the last 12 months.
To make matters worse, while the average college depends on its endowment for 5% of its operating revenue, in the Ivy League that jumps to between 25% and 45%. Doesn't get any worse than Princeton, where a whopping 45% of the annual operating budget comes from endowment funds.
Vanity Fair has a run-down of the budget cutting and construction stopping at each Ivy as administrations tighten their belts and prepare for a rough two fiscal years (at least). Look at the list, it appears Princeton and Penn are the only two Ivies who have avoided layoffs ... up until this point.
Gallup '50, former chair of Gallup Poll, dies at 81
Alec Gallup '50, who chaired the prestigious Gallup Poll organization started by his father in 1935, died of a heart condition on June 22 at his Princeton home. He was 81.
The late pollster is credited with being the first person to reference Republican and Democratic states as "red" and "blue." Talk about leaving a legacy.
The Gallup Poll, the king of political polling in the United States, has been run in town by members of the Gallup family for nearly 75 years. From 1986 to 1996, that responsibility fell to Alec Gallup, who co-chaired the organization and helped write and edit questions for its polling.
Alec spent three years at Princeton from 1946 to 1949 before transferring to Iowa University, where he graduated with a degree in journalism in 1950. A memorial service is scheduled for July 8 at 11 a.m. in the University Chapel.
Borough Police Chief dies on vacation
Anthony Frederico, chief of the Princeton Borough Police Department and a 29-year veteran of the force, died late Sunday evening while on vacation in Maine. He was 55.
"We don't know the exact cause," Borough Administrator Robert Bruschi told the Princeton Packet. "It was very sudden and very quick."
Frederico began his career in law enforcement in 1978 by serving for two years as a proctor with the University's Department of Public Safety.
After joining the department in 1980 as a patrol officer, Frederico served as a sergeant, lieutenant and captain before being named chief in 2005. He had announced tentative plans to retire in July of next year.
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