final weekend :(

Well I have just about neared the end (tear) and just had an amazing last weekend here in paradise!  The festival was coming to an end and we were all getting a little tired of the crowds so we spent most of this weekend enjoying the beach!

Friday night we decided to have a huge beach party.  This would have been fun enough on its own; however, the night was complete with a huge fireworks show which was so much fun to watch from the beach!

Saturday we spend the entire day hanging out with everyone at the beach (like 40 of us!).  its so much fun now that everyone on the program is so close; yet also that much sadder that we are leaving each other so soon.  That night a few of us decided we wanted to have a beach picnic/watch the sunset.  So we hauled our butts to the nearest grocery store in the sauna like weather and stocked up, and I do mean stocked up.  We had it all: bread, cheese, pears, wine, juice, dessert, foccaci, even crab meat!  We set up our picnic on a prime beach spot and sadly realized the sun doesn't set over the Mediterranean, rather it sets behind a bunch of buildings.  Innocent mistake, but we didn't care because we were happy to enjoy our feast and each other's company.  We sat for several hours and when it got dark we decided a night swim was in order.  So we swam off about 7 pounds of food each then just hung out the rest of the night drinking good wine and having a blast.

    

Sunday we ended the weekend the way it started, on the beach.  That night we all decided to try out a bar that had just opened.  It's called Coco Loco and it's a rum bar that offers all you can eat/drink for $12 euro!  We had a giggly fun time here then headed to our favorite Irish pub Morrison's for ladies night and live music.

All in all I could not have asked for a better last month and last weekend!  I will be soooo sad to leave my new home but I sure am excited to see everyone back home!  So here's to a great last 4 days (ahhhh!)

Paix,

Leah

AMFAR

Wow. that's all I can really say about the event of the season last night, AMFAR's Cinema Against Aids dinner and auction.

I arrived at 9:00 that morning and immediately set to work fixing all the tables so they passed the perfection standard of Versace.  I kid you not we probably changed table settings around 80 times (since celebrities don't find the need to call before deciding they want to attend).  The site looked absolutely stunning and I only wish I could have taken pictures to show you the amazing work Versace and her team dreamed up.  That afternoon we were able to hear Annie Lenox warm up before her evening's performance and then were shown to the beach front cabanas we were able to use to prepare ourselves for the evening (keep in mind this is the most exclusive hotel in all of France).  We looked out over the Mediterranean as we primped and pampered. 

 So since I had been volunteering earlier in the week, I was given 1 of 6 volunteer wrist bands that granted me access to the actual tent (not everyone got in because of the tight security that comes with Bill Clinton). The evening began with a speech by Bill Clinton and Sharon Stone and an opening number by Annie Lenox.  It really was amazing to me how little attention the guests paid to the stage and most of the time they simply talked and networked with each other (I even saw some model on facebook on her phone!).  The ladies always travel in groups of at least 3 to the restroom or else force their date to parade across the room with them.  After this there was a tribute to the late Natasha Richardson (who had been a huge supporter of AMFAR) and even included a note from her husband.  It was very moving and Sharon Stone could hardly make it through her speech. 

 Next up was the live auction.  This was super cool to see since the auction items included things like Bill Clinton's old sax, a private screening of Inglorious Bastards, a Chanel segway and plenty of jewels and babbles oh and Robert Pattinson agreed to kiss 2 gentlemen's daughters for $20,000 each!  When I wasn't helping to move table settings at Paris Hilton's table or Mini Me's table, I was posted up right next to the stage in between Josh Hartnett, Hayden Panettiere and Dolce and Gabbana!  Throughout the course of the evening I had the opportunity to see so many people I admire (and some that I don't) such as....Sharon Stone, Bill Clinton, Mini Me, Mike Myers, 50 Cent, Joshua Jackson, Diane Kruger, Armani, Dolce and Gabana, Cavalli, Missoni, Paris Hilton, Doug Reinhardt, Hayden Panettiere, Claudia Shiffer, Versace, Kerri Washington, the CEO of google, Dita Von Tesse, Kenneth Cole, the editor of Vogue, Robert Pattinson (without a date ladies..), Peaches Geldof and countless young, cute gold diggers on the arms of 80+ gentlemen.  I was not nearly as star struck as I thought (probably due to the fact that I was constantly running around and sweating) and really it was just interesting to sit and observe and see they actually are just real people (and pretty rude at that).  During Annie's final song almost no one in the crowd was listening so after she finished she stood up and through her bottle of water all over the stage then stormed right past me. 

After the dinner (which hardly anyone ate) they crowd moved on down the road to the afterparty.  Also very interesting to observe the happenings around here.  We finally called it a night around 1:30 then crawled back to our beds, satisfied with my celebrity intake for the next lifetime!

wahoooooo

Last night I went to the film: I love you Phillip Morris (set to come out in February 2010) starring Jim Carrey and Ewan Mcgreator.  It was sooooo good!  Basically it's a story about these two gay men who meet and fall in love in prison.  The plot made you laugh out loud, cry, and just fall in love with the characters.  This is my favorite movie of the festival thus far!

Today I volunteered allll day for our AMFAR event tomorrow.  As I have said before this  an event to raise money for aids and this year is hosted by Sharon Stone and Bill Clinton.  Pretty much everyone who is anyone will be in attendance from 50 Cent to Madonna to Brad and Angelina.  So anyway today I volunteered my services to set up.  The event will be taking place at Hotel du Cap in Antibes and it is "the" hotel of the French Riviera.  It is absoultely STUNNING easily the nicest place I've ever been in my life.  (Madonna, Brangelina, Bill and Robert Pattinson are also staying there for the festival).  

So basically our instructions for the day were try not to look super trashy and hide yourselves from well just about everyone ha.  So we mostly worked on setting up the tent and all I can say is WOW.  The venue was designed by Versace (who will be in attendance) and the plates alone cost $500 each.  There are photographs all over by the famed photographer Bruce Weber that are beautiful and overall the place is just overwhelming.  So much for being star struck by the celebs I was literally star struck by the room!  I worked closely with one of Versace's men (who is basically a gay, sassy princess) and I LOVED it!  While he has made it big now, he is from Omaha so we had a riot making fun of how hick the other was, and while he did refuse to call me by my name (who am I kidding he didn't even ask ha!) he did affectionately call me kansas City all day.

After a long day's work we headed outside to wait for our ride back (did I mention we looked pretty scrubby?).  Tonight also happens to be the premier of Brad Pitt's movie so there were a ton of important people around and let's just say they were none to pleased to see 11 crusty girls hanging around the front of the most exclusive hotel in all of France.  So they very clearly told us we needed to hide ourselves in the bushes (literally this is a quote). Ha soo we looked even more awkward standing huddled around some bushes in our scrubby clothes.  Well who should happen to saunter on by but THE Robert Pattinson (Twilight and Harry Potter!)  He literally was all smiles and giggles until he caught a glimpse of us and suddenly had a look of disgust on his face! Ha oh well priceless memory for us!

I am so beyond excited for the big event tomorrow.  Bill Clinton is playing the sax and then auctioning it off-I suggested a duet with 50 cent!  Also it raises a ton of money for adds (last year $10 million) soo Ill will be sure to let you know if this is the night I'm gonna make it big!

halfway there...

So, I thought my second trip down the red carpet might not be as cool as the first, you know without the initial thrill and shock but I was wrong, it gets better with every time!  Last night as I mentioned I was able to see Agora starring Rachel Weisz (The mummy).  It was an amazing movie about Roman antiquity and the struggle for religious power.  I think this time it was even cooler being in the presence of the actors and directors because I actually liked the movie.  Rachel was amazing in her role and you could tell she was really moved by the audience's acceptance.  Afterwards I was even able to stand next to her as she got in her car and drove off (and I did proceed to run after it....alright I'm shameless!)

     

Today I was planning on taking it easy.  I headed to the beach for a while then decided I just had to see something today so I went to a showing of Ang Lee's Taking Woodstock (starring Demitri Martin, Emile Hersch, and Denny from Grey's).  This movie is coming out in the states I believe in the next year and was based on the story of Woodstock's beginning.  It was pretty fun and has some blockbuster potential.  

on the hunt

Today I spent the majority of my day shopping-for celebs that is.  It's not that I consider myself a stalker by any means but it is such a thrill to find a group of people with cameras huddled around an unknown celeb and immediately race to push myself to the front to determine the identity!  Today's big hit was famed director Quentin Tarantino (director of inglorious bastards starring Mr. Pitt premiering Wednesday!).  I just happened to be staring between the wall slants in the Carlton's Restaurant when who should I happen to spot but Tin Tar (as I like to call him).  He was enjoying a nice lunch and so I sat around for a few minutes (or 25) to enjoy his lunch with him :)

Anyway he seemed like a very pleasant man!  After this I was just strolling down the street listening to my ipod when I see another group of people taking pictures of a couple who kept gettin in and out of a car several times.  I thought this was odd and I didn't know the couple but I of course started snapping pictures too.  I was just asking a woman next to me who the couple was, when she said this is a scene for a movie, you are standing with the extras.  Ha whoops, innocent mistake!  Apparently this was a fake group of stalker fans taking pictures and the other real stalkers were across the street taking pictures of the movie scene.  Needless to say, I can not add extra in a french film to my resume!     

After this I stumbled on a press conference for a festival film then decided to head back. I had just posted up with my computer back at the college when my friend Mark calls me again saying if I sprint back down to the festival grounds I can maybe get a ticket for that night's premier.  Well shoot, off I went in a tizzy!  I had just slugged myself into line-sweating profusely- when they tell me tickets are done they may have more at 5:30.  Well I waited it out and was lucky to be early in line and get a ticket!  So tonight I will be seeing Agora on the red carpet, I'll be sure to keep ya posted!

Night 2

I have to make this a quick post because I'm going to head in to town to try and get tickets for Taking Woodstock tonight.  

Last night was amaing (I feel like that may be the theme for the festival).  We were so lucky to get tickets to the premier and only showing of Michel Gondry's film: L'epine dans le coeur (a thorn in the heart).  He was the director of hits such as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Science of Sleep, etc.  This movie was premiering in the palais but in a smaller theater, which made it even more amazing when were realized we were sitting only feet away from him!!! The movie was a documentary about the life of his aunt and her relationships with her family, and it was very moving to see.  After the screening we were able to take pictures with him, and he seems incredibly down to earth and is an amazing director.  One of my friend's Ashley was nearly in tears since he is her absolute favorite director, so that was very exciting to watch her meet him.

After the screening we headed to a bar to a bar near the Palais to see and be seen (pretty sure it was more of the former...), all in all making it a very exciting and successful night 2!  

OMG

      

Omg Omg Omg....I just had the best day of my entire life, and this is not even an exaggeration.  

So this morning/afternoon we headed back into town to figure out what movies were good enough to check out that evening (ha who am I kidding we were def. looking for the most famous one). 

 We decided to get a bunch of tickets to the Quinzaine des Realisateurs, which are films that are not in the direct competition but still screen in Cannes (they include films like Francis Coppola's Tetro and the new Jim Carey film).  We headed back to shower and prepare for the evening when all of a sudden my friend Mark comes bursting in my room to announce that the College has received a limited number of tickets to the premier!  So I raced out of my room 39% naked and went to grab my golden ticket.  I received my precious gift at approximately 5:45 and soon learned that we had to leave at 6:00!  

Well, you ain't never seen a lady get herself red carpet ready so fast! There was a group of 15 of us that received tickets and we literally had to run to make it to the carpet before it closed for us 'nearly' famous people.  So with windswept hair (not in the good way) and a few makeup smears I ascended my first red carpet.  I can't even describe how amazing it was!  There were literally like millions of lights and paparazzi, and although they hustled us rather quickly to the doors I still felt like a really rich princess or something.  So we floated on into our amazing seats and were able to watch the red carpet action on the big screen and then literally see the celebs walk through the door to their seats.  I even saw some famous girl take off her clip-on earings and text on her blackberry (ha so celebs are VERY exciting).  The film we saw was a Chinese Film called Chun Feng Chen Zui De Ye Wan de Lou Ye or Spring Fever and although it was really odd, it was so surreal to be able to see the director take his seat with the starring ladies by his side.  There were also plenty of well known celebs in attendance including Elizabeth Banks (40 year old Virgin).

So 10.5 hours later when the movie ended we all stood for a standing ovation and then headed back to the carpet.  This time around paparazzi would literally stop groups of us to take our pictures (they clearly understood I am about to make it big) but I had to play it cool and act like I actually didn't want 50 cameras taking my picture (45 would be sufficient to catch my good side!).  We floated back home to the college and here I am absorbing every memory I can about the best night of my life!