Jam! Showbiz, Canada
May 24 2008
Mixed emotions over Egoyan film
By BRUCE KIRKLAND – Sun Media
CANNES — Atom Egoyan and his contingent of actors from Adoration are
getting a bittersweet taste of the Cannes Film Festival.
The reaction at the press screening Thursday was mixed and Egoyan said
yesterday that, for him, "It was a weird day," because he was trying
to gauge the reaction. Among others, the influential trade magazine
Variety gave the film a downer review and predicted bad box office.
"But last night was wonderful," Egoyan said of the official gala
screening, which inspired a prolonged standing ovation. "It was an
amazing screening."
Meanwhile, the British-born, Canadian-raised, Los Angeles-based Scott
Speedman has one of the most complex and serious roles of his career
in Adoration. So he is soaking all of Cannes in — staying up to 6
a.m. — because none of his previous flicks gave him this opportunity.
After the gala and 90 minutes at the official party, Speedman hailed a
cab and took off for the fabled Hotel du Cap, a former Russian
prince’s winter home and now the most exclusive hotel on the French
Riviera. It is also where the real stars go to play — but Speedman
found it low-key early yesterday.
"It seemed pretty tame to what I would have imagined," he said with a
chuckle.
"It’s crazy-wild but it’s not overwhelming to me at all."
L.A., he said, is far more intense in the party scene.
Speedman did, however, find the Hotel du Cap to be beautiful, like a
fantasy version of a hotel. "I can’t believe people actually get to
stay there. It’s very strange. Maybe next time."
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