Monday – May 20, 2019

At 10:00 AM, meet us at the Pavilion for a provocative discussion on Making Socially Responsible Films – Imprisoned. Inspired and socially conscious film executives who worked on Imprisoned and founded Equitas Entertainment Partners [EPP] will share models for socially responsible, fiscally possible filmmaking and will specifically reflect on gender pay equity with the Laurence Fishburne film Imprisoned. Experts for the discussion will be Paul Kampf (director, Imprisoned; co-founder, EPP), Holly Levow (exec. producer, Imprisoned; co-founder, EPP) and Tom Sperry (producer, Imprisoned; co-founder EPP), moderated by Philippe Diaz (Cinema Libre Studio).

The next event will Dafoe-nitely catch your eye at 11:00 AM. Join us at The American Pavilion for an In Conversation with the iconic Willem Dafoe, a four-time Oscar-nominated actor.  Dafoe’s renowned filmography is highlighted by titles such as The Florida Project (2017), At Eternity’s Gate (2018), The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) and Murder on the Orient Express (2017). Willem Dafoe is visiting Cannes this year for the premiere of The Lighthouse, directed by Robert Eggers (a panelist from our American Directors at Cannes panel). While at The American Pavilion, in the vein of a masterclass, Dafoe will discuss his cinematic experiences and his nuanced performance in The Lighthouse before an intimate and captivated audience.

At 2:00 PM, the Pavilion is hosting another panel of powerhouses who will delve into The Art of the Pitch. Panelists will provide the audience with best practices, the hottest tips and tricks of the trade, when it comes to prosperously pitching your project to the film industry’s gatekeepers. Speakers include Ryland Aldrich (producer, Folk Hero & Funny Guy), Tom Bancroft (Disney animator/producer, The Lion King, Mulan), Joe Belcastro (showrunner, WWE), Lizzy Bentley (producer, A Hidden Life), Ramfis Myrthil (producer), and the event will be moderated by Dave DeBorde (producer, film professor).

At 3:30 PM, The American Pavilion’s scheduled programming for the day wraps up with a Film Panel to discuss For Sama, an official selection for the festival. Coming off of wins at both SXSW and HotDocs, For Sama is both an intimate and epic journey into the female experience of war. A love letter from a young mother to her daughter, the film tells the story of Waad al-Kateab’s life through five years of the uprising in Aleppo, Syria as she falls in love, gets married and gives birth to Sama, all while cataclysmic conflict rises around her. The Pavilion’s exclusive and personal discussion features For Sama’s directors, Waad Alkateab and Edward Watts, as well as Erika Howard (Frontline, Impact Producer), and it will be moderated by Alissa Wilkinson (Vox).

If you missed our wonderful discussion on the revival of non-fiction, inspired filmmaking during the Golden Age of Documentaries on Saturday, May 18, below please find quotes from the panelists for your coverage consideration:

“There is a hunger for real stories”—Midge Costin (director/producer, Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound)

“I think people are more open to documentaries because they can see the track record and they can see that their stories can be told”—Julie Goldman (producer, Abacus, Life Animated, One Child Nation)

On outlets like Netflix and Hulu: “We have all these new places who are supportive of the documentary world”—Noah C. Haeussner (producer)

Saturday, May 18, also featured an incredible panel on the Future of Crowdfunding where experts charted where we could be headed when it comes to raising money for our creations. Listed below are quotes from that panel’s featured panelists for your coverage consideration:

“We’re a community, we help each other. You don’t just ask people to help you, you give back as well”—Natasha Marshburger (Exec. director, London Independent FF)

“You need to be building [your community] a few years before you start your crowdfunding”—Tom Bancroft (Disney animator/producer)

“Make it known this is a passion project, this is something I care about personally, and I’m making it for you. Come on this journey with me”—Tom Bancroft (Disney animator/producer)

“It has to be about the story you’re telling, and they’re investing in you”—Benjamin Wiessner (Vanishing Angle)

East meets West at The American Pavilion, as we have glamorous free chair or table massages! Experience the comfort and relaxation of a massage featuring CS60, a healing method originating in Japan that helps revive the 60 trillion cells in our body. Stop by to see the founder of CS60, Mitsuhisa Nishimura who developed the treatment to help cure bodily glitches that Western medicine typically has out of reach. Enjoy the bliss of the massage anytime, from now until Tuesday.

The American Pavilion welcomes you to all of our extravagant and artistic events on Monday, May 20 and throughout the remainder of the festival. As a reminder, the Pavilion will be closing early in the evening on Monday. We don’t want you to miss any of our incredible programs during the 72nd Cannes Film Festival, so please keep an eye out for schedule updates by visiting our website, AmPav.com. We are excited to meet you at the Pavilion!