King of Cannes: Madness, Mayhem and the Movies - Hardcover

Walker, Stephen

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1565122690 ISBN 13: 9781565122697

Publisher: Algonquin Books, 2000

Synopsis

Stephen Walker is a neurotic British filmmaker with a mixed track record. His last documentary was a flop. Everyone hated it, and for a while Walker had fantasies of murdering the lot of them. But then he was inspired. He'd make a documentary that would offer a peek inside the crazy world of filmmaking. He'd direct a movie about four ambitious unknown filmmakers in their quest for fame and glory at the film festival of film festivals-Cannes.

King of Cannes is Walker's hilarious, uncensored diary of making that documentary-from finding fledgling directors who will agree to be filmed, to following their madcap adventures at the Cannes Film Festival. Walker's main cast of Cannes-hopefuls includes James Meredino, an American director who comes to Cannes with all the fanfare of a Hollywood prodigy; Mike Hakata, a young Rastafarian filmmaker from London who hijacks a telephone booth in Cannes and turns it into his office; Erick Zonca, a first-time French director who actually has a film in the official competition; and finally, Stephen Loyd, a taxi driver from East London who, along with a couple of buddies, drives to Cannes in a van emblazoned with a giant marijuana leaf, with hopes of raising money to make his film. And then there's Walker himself, practically on the verge of a nervous breakdown trying to film them in their lunatic determination to make their mark.

About this title

From the Inside Flap:

Stephen Walker is a neurotic British filmmaker with a mixed track record. His last documentary was a flop. Everyone hated it. But then he was inspired. He'd make a documentary that would offer a peek inside the world of filmmaking. He'd direct a movie about four ambitious, unknown filmmakers in their quest for fame and glory at the festival of film festivals--Cannes.

King of Cannes is Walker's hilarious uncensored diary of making that documentary--from finding the fledgling directors who will agree to be filmed to following their madcap adventures at the Cannes Film Festival.

Walker's cast of Cannes hopefuls includes an American director who comes to the festival with all the fanfare of a Hollywood prodigy; a young Rastafarian filmmaker from London who hijacks a telephone booth and turns it into an office; a first-time French director who actually has a film in the official competition; and finally, a taxi driver from East London who, along with a couple of buddies, drives to Cannes in a van emblazoned with a giant marijuana leaf, with the hopes of raising money for a film title Amsterdam. And then there's Walker himself, practically on the verge of a nervous breakdown trying to film them in their lunatic determination to make their mark.

King of Cannes is a wild romp through the film business--the celebrities, the glamour, and the driven young directors who want a piece of it all.

From the Back Cover:

Searching for Fame and Glory at the Cannes Film Festival

For as long as I can remember I had always wanted to go to the Cannes Film Festival...I wanted to go to the parties. I wanted to watch the movies. I wanted to see the stars. I wanted to climb the red-carpeted steps, all twenty-two of them, arm in arm with a gorgeous actress...This remained an unlikely ambition since (a) I wasn't a movie star, (b) I wasn't a famous director and (c) I wasn't a hotshot producer. On the other hand, if I couldn't take a film there, I could make a film there. All I had to do was persuade some gullible soul to stump up the necessary cash--preferably lots of it--and I was away. Simple as that. --from King of Cannes

About this edition

• Publisher: Algonquin Books
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 1565122690
• ISBN 13: 9781565122697
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 263