The red carpet has been rolled out and the 2023 Cannes Film Festival is now firmly in motion.
France’s most spectacular celebration of cinema kicked off on May 16 for the 76th time, with an opening ceremony and screening of ‘Jeanne du Barry’. The film sees Johnny Depp play King Louis XV in his controversial return to the silver screen following his US libel case with Amber Heard last year.
Depp, unsurprisingly, turned most heads on arrival as he walked in alongside his co-star and the film’s director Maïwenn, despite them both choosing to wear sombre black for the occasion.
Other stars, though, looked altogether more celebratory. Brie Larson, who we can expect to see much of as a member of this year’s jury panel, stood out from her co-judges in billowing gold silk gown with an embroidered V-neck top worn over. It was first seen on Chanel’s Resort 2024 catwalk; all three of her first outfits on the French Riviera have been from Chanel, as she stays loyal to her ambassadorship contract.
Statements came from Helen Mirren, who dyed her tufted hair various shades of blue to match her silk Del Core gown, while Elle Fanning wore the most intricately constructed gown of the opening night: an Alexander McQueen dress, complete with silver, beaded bodice and cascading, pale pink tulle train encrusted with diamantés.
On the supermodel front, Naomi Campbell led the way in an Old Hollywood-esque, silver sequined Celine gown with diamond cuffs from Chopard and some bug-style white sunglasses. Also in attendance was the Brazilian former Victoria’s Secret star Alessandra Ambrosio, who dug into the archives to find her pink, sheer and sparkling hooded Elie Saab Couture look from the autumn/winter 2005 collection.
Catherine Zeta-Jones instead opted for a more recent Elie Saab outfit, as she arrived in a flowing red and fuschia ombré gown from the spring/summer 2022 collection. The long-time Welsh star, who is enjoying refreshed acclaim thanks to her role in Netflix’s ‘Wednesday’, waved from the steps with her husband and Honorary Palme d’or of the festival, Michael Douglas, as well as their daughter Carys Zeta Douglas.
The next day brought a host of looks from the star-studded guest list in attendance for the screening of ‘Monster’, a Japanese film about school bullying from director Kore-Eda Hirokazu. Saint Laurent was in abundance, with models Iris Law and Soo Joo Park both representing the brand on the red carpet. Law stayed true to her love of nearly-naked dressing with her black mesh camisole and mid-length skirt combo, pulled together with a waist belt, black leather gloves and humongous hoop earrings.
Also in Saint Laurent was actress Laura Harrier, who joined the monochrome-heavy red carpet in a black scoop-bust gown with a shawl neck that bled into the back of her dress, paired with slicked back hair and Bulgari jewellery.
The other side of the monochrome palette could be seen on actress Gemma Chan, who looked positively bridal in her ivory Louis Vuitton caped gown with added sequin detailling around the structured skirt. Viola Davis was also a vision in white, arriving at the ‘Monster’ screening covered in a plume of ostrich-esque feathers.
Her gown (and feathered coat) were Valentino Couture, complemented by Chopard jewellery. The vast coat also featured tiny strands of silver tinsel which glittered as she swanned about on the red carpet.
Last Thursday brought the premiere of ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’, with its stars Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Mads Mikkelsen all in attendance. But the red carpet thunder was slightly stolen by Karlie Kloss, who arrived holding her baby bump in a flowing dijon mustard coloured gown with intricate pleating details and a dramatic train.
The looks kept coming over the weekend, in particular on the red carpet for ‘Firebrand’, the historical drama about Catherine Parr and Henry VIII, starring Jude Law and Alicia Vikander. Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh brought some colour to Cannes with her vivid emerald custom Balenciaga gown, which she wore with black gloves and a dramatic monochrome Boucheron necklace.
Also turning heads was Russian model Irina Shayk, who bared all in a Mowalola leather two piece from the brand’s autumn/winter 2023 collection paired with Messika jewels, but it was Jennifer Lawrence, who attended the ‘Anatomie D’une Chute (Anatomy Of A Fall)’ red carpet on Sunday, that looked every-inch the Old Hollywood star in her timeless red silk Dior gown, with matching shawl and tumbiling, highlighted tresses.
There was no slowing down on Monday, as the second most controversial film showing this year made its debut — and it also features a Depp. Johnny’s daughter Lily-Rose Depp stars, and took to the red carpet alongisde her co-star The Weeknd and director Sam Levinson. It comes after Rolling Stone published a report in March in which 13 sources claimed the series had become “twisted torture Porn.”
On the carpet, however, it was all smiles — Depp wore an archive Chanel sequin mini with a centred corage from the autumn/winter 1994 collection, first modelled by Christy Turlington, while The Weeknd opted for a triple-buttoned black tuxedo custom made by Loewe. Julia Fox remained champion in the high drama stakes, though, as she arrived in a polythene dust-cover style corseted dress by Lebanese designer Nicolas Jebran.
One of the most hotly anticipated films at the festival was Wes Anderson’s ‘Asteroid City’ — helped by a blue-tinted promotional image of Scarlett Johansson looking sensational. As she did at Tuesday night’s premiere, where she opted for a candy pink, custom Prada column dress with an exposed, white and delicately crystal encrusted bralette.
She was joined her co-stars Maya Hawke, who also wore Prada, but a more daring, green silk ballooned style with blue opera gloves, and Tom Hanks, who wore a classic black tuxedo alongside his wife Rita Wilson — before he appeared to chastise a staffer on the carpet.
A-listers out to support the cast — who received a six-minute standing ovation after the film premiered — included actress Julia Garner, who wore a flattering, emerald draped Gucci gown, and model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley looking positively Grecian in her Fendi spring/summer 2023 couture look.
It was model behaviour on Wednesday night, as catwalk stars came in droves to see ‘La passion de Dodin Bouffant’, a French period romance. Londoner Jourdan Dunn led the way, in a teal, taffeta ballgown by couturier Elie Saab, while US model Winnie Harlow opted for an archive Jean Paul Gaultier black velvet gown with a green satin train.
Heidi Klum, the German model, made sure to turn heads as she flung her canary yellow gown by Zuhair Murad, the Lebanese designer, in the air. Murad also kitted out English actress Kate Beckinsale, who looked prom-prepared in her glittering bodysuit and mint green skirt.
While the celebrations are beginning to wind down (Cannes ends tomorrow, 27 May), member of the Cannes jury Brie Larson is showing no signs of stopping. Thursday brought one of her best looks yet, with the actress stepping out for the screening of Perfect Days in a “California girl”-style Chanel two piece.
There was no stealth wealth about this look, which had Chanel literally written all over it, as well as a layered lace element emanating from the mini skirt, elevating the outfit from Clueless-esque mall rat to effortlessly cool and Cannes carpet ready.
