Heath Ledger’s ghost and Brad Pitt are among the stars expected at Cannes
Will the world’s most opulent film festival be recession-proof? The downturn will certainly put a dent in the annual May pilgrimage to Cannes—a number of North American media outlets that traditionally send their critics will not be doing so this year. But for many stars and filmmakers, an invite to the red carpet on the Riviera is an offer they can’t refuse. Although the festival program won’t be announced for another three weeks, industry insiders predict that Terry Gilliam’s The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Heath Ledger’s last film will show up there—along with Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell, who jointly filled out Ledger’s unfinished role. Other likely entries include Quentin Tarantino’s war movie, Inglourious Basterds [sic], starring Brad Pitt as a rogue Nazi hunter, Ang Lee’s Taking Woodstock, Pedro Almodovar’s Broken Embraces, Lars Von Trier’s Anti-Christ—and Terminator Salvation. One movie that has been confirmed is the opening night gala, Up, a 3D animated feature from Disney/Pixar.