Reporting from CANNES, France — Hollywood creatures abound in “Cafe Society,” Woody Allen’s new romantic dramedy set in 1930s Los Angeles, which opens the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday night.
But it was an elephant that filled the room when Allen took a seat for the film’s news conference Wednesday afternoon.
Just a few minutes before Allen and the film’s cast — which includes Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart and Blake Lively — entered the conference in the historic Palais building here, Ronan Farrow published a piece in The Hollywood Reporter slamming the media for not probing further into allegations by his sister Dylan of sexual abuse by the filmmaker.
Farrow, Allen’s son and a past critic of his father’s personal life, averred that the media had basically been complicit in Allen’s attempt to sweep the accusations under the rug.
Though the column was not rife with new facts about the allegations, it sought to build an argument for “a self-perpetuating spin machine” that protected Allen.
Ronan Farrow named-checked legacy publications he believed shared blame, including The Hollywood Reporter itself, which had published a Q&A ahead of the festival in which the issue was not extensively raised. The Times was also named in the criticism, for a decision not to publish a Dylan Farrow letter.
The reason outlets wouldn’t give louder voice to these accusations, Farrow asserted, was a case not of news judgment but of powerful people having their way.
To cover it more extensively would require “burning bridges with powerful public figures. It means going up against angry fans and angry publicists.”
Instead, he said, “The old-school media’s slow evolution has helped to create a culture of impunity and silence. Amazon paid millions to work with Woody Allen, bankrolling a new series and film. Actors, including some I admire greatly, continue to line up to star in his movies.”
“It’s not personal,” one once told me. “But it hurts my sister every time one of her heroes like Louis C.K., or a star her age, like Miley Cyrus, works with Woody Allen.”
All of this added up to, he wrote, “a sterling example of how not to talk about sexual assault.”
The Farrow column, cannily timed by the Hollywood publication to go up just as the news conference was about to begin, could have prompted a flood of questions to disprove its author’s media criticisms. Instead, it played out like a real-life demonstration of exactly the situation he was describing.
Of the eight questions asked, none was about Farrow’s piece or the abuse allegations against Allen. Six were generic film-festival questions: casting choices, script preferences, that sort of thing. Two were closer to the bone, but not about the Dylan Farrow issue.
One was about romance and why Allen kept returning to themes of infidelity in his films. The director seemed to have trouble hearing the question (he wore a pair of headphones to assist him throughout the conference), and he had Eisenberg recap the query. The actor summarized the question as simply being about why Allen had “romantic” themes, which the director replied to with a generic response about his level of romantic inclination.
The other question was more pointed, and Allen certainly heard it. The question was why May-December romances in his movies always seem to involve older men and younger women instead of the inverse. (“Cafe Society” has one too.) His response: “I wouldn’t hesitate to do that if I had a good idea story [about an older woman-younger man romance].”
He said when he was 30, he had a “big crush on a 50-year-old woman. She was married but wouldn’t go near me with a 10-foot pole. These things happen all the time. I just don’t have any material. I don’t really have anything to draw from,” he added.
But even that question was a far cry from the issue at hand, evoking, of course, Allen’s marriage to Soon-Yi Previn but not the Dylan Farrow allegations.
(Full disclosure: This reporter did not ask about the alleged abuse either. Fuller disclosure: He raised his hand but was not called on. Fullest disclosure: He had two questions ready — one on the subject and one on the film — and was going to make a decision based on game-time conditions and/or nerves.)
When all was said and done, the event was one of the most dramatically awkward news conferences I can recall in many years of Cannes coverage, and that includes, in its own way, the Lars von Trier Nazi affair five years ago. At least then the controversy was on the table instead of just hovering in the air.
Ronan Farrow’s Hollywood Reporter piece criticizing reporters did not accidentally land on this day; it was meant to hit in the exact minutes before Allen was to face the media, meant for maximum gauntlet-throwing, not to mention headline attention. It also, not incidentally, meant to leaven the far lighter piece on Allen that The Hollywood Reporter had run last week.
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French actress Marion Cotillard leaves after the screening of “Juste la Fin du Monde” (It’s Only the End of the World) during the 69th Cannes Film Festival.
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British director Ken Loach reacts as he receives the Palme d’Or award for his movie “I, Daniel Blake.”
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French Moroccan director Houda Benyamina poses with the Camera d’Or award for her movie “Divines.”
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Spanish director Juanjo Gimenez, center, receives the Best Short Film award for “Timecode” from French actress Marina Fois, right, and Japanese director Naomi Kawase.
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Iranian director Ashgar Farhadi, right, and Iranian actor Shahab Hosseini pose during the award winners photo call after they won the Best Screenplay award and the Best Performance by an Actor award for the movie “Forushande” (“The Salesman”).
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Canadian director Xavier Dolan with his Grand Prix award for “Juste la Fin du Monde” (“It’s Only the End of the World”).
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Filipina actress Jaclyn Jose with her Best Actress prize during a photo call at 69th Cannes Film Festival.
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Romanian director Cristian Mungiu with his trophy during a photo call after he was awarded the Best Director prize for the film “Graduation” (“Bacalaureate”).
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Mel Gibson and girlfriend Rosalind Ross
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British director Andrea Arnold poses with her trophy during a photo call after she was awarded with the Jury Prize for the film “American Honey” at 69th Cannes Film Festival.
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Actress Marion Cotillard and director Xavier Dolan arrive at the screening of the film “It’s Only the End Of The World.”
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Singer Iggy Pop, left, and director Jim Jarmusch arrive at the screening of “Gimme Danger.”
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Actor Leonardo DiCaprio conducts an auction during the amfAR’s 23rd Cinema Against AIDS Gala.
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Faye Dunaway, left, and actor Kevin Spacey perform on stage during the amfAR’s 23rd Cinema Against AIDS Gala.
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French actress and singer Stephanie Sokolinski arrives for the screening of the film “It’s Only The End Of The World” at the 69th Cannes Film Festival.
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Actress Valentina Acca, left, producer and member of the jury Valeria Golino, director Stefano Mordini, actress Marina Fois, actor and producer Riccardo Scamarcio and producer Viola Prestieri arrive for the screening of the film “Pericle (Pericle il Nero)” at the 69th Cannes Film Festival.
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Eric Anzalone, front, Ray Simpson, Jim Newman, Felipe Rose, Bill Whitefield and Alex Briley of the band Village People pose as they arrive for the amfAR’s 23rd Cinema Against AIDS Gala.
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Producer Harvey Weinstein and his wife, British actress Georgina Chapman, pose as they arrive for the amfAR’s 23rd Cinema Against AIDS Gala.
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Director Olivier Assayas, actress Kristen Stewart and actress Nora von Waldstatten attend the Cannes Film Festival screening of the film “Personal Shopper” on May 17.
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Milla Jovovich attends the De Grisogono party at the Cannes Film Festival on May 17.
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Kristen Stewart poses during a photocall for the film “Personal Shopper” at the Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday.
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From left, Inma Cuesta, Emma Suarez, Rossy de Palma, Adriana Ugarte and Michelle Jenner pose during the “Julieta” photocall at the Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday.
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From left, Viggo Mortensen, Annalise Basso, Nicholas Hamilton, Charlie Shotwell, Samantha Isle, Shree Crooks and director Matt Ross pose for photographers during the “Captain Fantastic” photocall at the Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday.
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French model Cindy Bruna arrives for the Chopard “Wild” party at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday.
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Former boxer Roberto Duran, left, and actor Robert De Niro pose for photographers at the screening of the film “Hands of Stone” at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday.
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Jason Derulo performs at the “Harmonist” cocktail party at the Plage du Grand Hyatt during the Cannes Film Festival on Sunday.
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Usher Raymond IV, left, Ana de Armas and Edgar Ramirez during a photocall for the film “Hands of Stone” at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday.
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Edgar Ramirez, left, Robert de Niro and Usher Raymond IV at the “Hands of Stone” photocall.
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Adam Driver poses during a photocall for the film “Paterson” on Monday in Cannes.
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Actor Adam Driver, left, actress Golshifteh Farahani and director Jim Jarmusch after Monday’s screening of the film “Paterson.”
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Chris Pine, left, and Ben Foster share a laugh at a photocall for the film “Hell or High Water” on Monday.
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Salma Hayek Pinault attends Kering Women in Motion talk at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday.
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Susan Sarandon, from left, Salma Hayek, Geena Davis and Kering CEO Francois-Henri Pinault arrive for the Kering Women in Motion Honor Awards during the 69th Cannes Film Festival.
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Actress and jury member Kirsten Dunst arrives at the premiere of “Loving” on Monday.
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Mischa Barton on the red carpet at the “Loving” premiere.
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Actors Murielle Telio, left, actor Russell Crowe, actress Angourie Rice, actor Matt Bomer, actor Ryan Gosling, director Shane Black and producer Joel Silver pose upon arrival at the screening of the film “The Nice Guys” at the 69th Cannes Film Festival.
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Actors Matt Bomer, left and Ryan Gosling and director Shane Black arrive for the screening of “The Nice Guys.”
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Actor Russell Crowe takes a picture at “The Nice Guys” premiere.
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Actress Geena Davis attends “The Nice Guys” premiere during the Cannes Film Festival at the Palais des Festivals.
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Actress Marion Cotillard poses as she leaves the screening of the film “Mal de Pierres (From the Land of the Moon)” at the 69th Cannes Film Festival.
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Model Kendall Jenner poses for photographers upon arrival at the screening of the film “Mal De Pierres (From the Land of the Moon).”
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Actress Sonam Kapoor poses as she arrives for the screening of the film “Mal de Pierres (From the Land of the Moon).”
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Actress Kirsten Dunst arrives for the Kering Women in Motion Honor Awards during the 69th Cannes Film Festival.
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Actors Sasha Lane, Shia LaBeouf and Riley Keough leave the “American Honey” premiere during the 69th Cannes Film Festival at the Palais des Festivals.
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Actress Aishwarya Rai poses as she arrives for the screening of the film “Mal de Pierres (From the Land of the Moon).”
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Actresses Sonam Kapoor, left, and Araya A. Hargate pose as they arrive for the screening of the film “Mal de Pierres (From the Land of the Moon).”
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Actress Salma Hayek arrives for the Kering Women in Motion Honor Awards during the 69th Cannes Film Festival.
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Actors Gael Garcia Bernal, Salma Hayek and Diego Luna arrive for the Kering Women in Motion Honor Awards.
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Actor Shia LaBeouf poses for photographers during a photo call for the film “American Honey.”
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From left: Director Jodie Foster, actress Julia Roberts, and actor George Clooney pose together before leaving the Festival Palace after the screening of their new film”Money Monster” at the Cannes Film Festival on Thursday night.
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Blake Lively on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival premiere of “Ma Loute (Slack Bay)” on May 13.
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Juliette Binoche arrives for the screening of “Ma Loute (Slack Bay)” at the Cannes Film Festival on May 13.
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Aishwarya Rai poses for the cameras at the Cannes Film Festival premiere of “Ma Loute (Slack Bay)” on May 13.
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Lily-Rose Depp poses at a Cannes Film Festival hotocall for the film “La Danseuse (The Dancer)” on May 13.
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Diego Luna, a member of the Un Certain Regard jury, waves during a Cannes Film Festival photocall on May 13.
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Juliette Binoche smiles during a Cannes Film Festival news conference for “Ma Loute (Slack Bay)” on May 13.
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Director Jodie Foster and actor Jack O’Connell discuss “Money Monster” in Cannes on Thursday.
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Julia Roberts of “Money Monster” at the Cannes Film Festival on Thursday.
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“Money Monster” director Jodie Foster, center, with stars George Clooney and Julia Roberts at the Cannes Film Festival.
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George Clooney of “Money Monster” waves to photographers at the Cannes Film Festival.
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George Clooney and Julia Roberts at the Cannes photo call for “Money Monster.”
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Actress Vanessa Redgrave and director Jim Ivory of the 1992 film “Howard’s End,” which is screening in the Cannes Classics section.
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Director Woody Allen, actress Kristen Stewart and actor Jesse Eisenberg arrive for the screening of “Cafe Society”and the opening ceremony.
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Festival director Thierry Fremau, from left, producer Jeffrey Katzenberg, actors Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake and festival president Pierre Lescure at the “Cafe Society” premiere and opening night gala.
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Actors Corey Stoll, left, and Blake Lively arrive for the screening of “Cafe Society.”
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Eva Longoria on the red carpet at the premiere of “Cafe Society” at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday.
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The scene outside the Cannes Film Festival’s opening night gala.
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Actress Kristen Stewart and actor Jesse Eisenberg arrive for the screening of “Cafe Society” and the opening ceremony of the 2016 Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday.
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From left, actresses Julianne Moore, Susan Sarandon and Naomi Watts pose for photographers at the Cannes Film Festival screening of Woody Allen’s “Cafe Society” on Wednesday.
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Cannes Film Festival jury member Donald Sutherland attends the “Cafe Society” premiere and opening night festival gala at the Palais des Festivals on May 11.
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Actress Gong Li arrives at the opening ceremony of the 2016 Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday.
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Actress Jessica Chastain smiles as she arrives at the opening ceremony of the 2016 Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday.
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Actor and festival juror Mads Mikkelsen appears on stage during the opening ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday.
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Actress and festival juror Kirsten Dunst waves to the crowd during the opening ceremony of the 2016 Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday.
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George Miller, president of the Cannes Film Festival jury, fourth from right, poses with jury members, from left, Arnaud Desplechin, Kirsten Dunst, Laszio Nemes, Vanessa Paradis, Donald Sutherland, Katayoon Shahabi, Mads Mikkelsen and Valeria Golino at the 69th edition of the festival in France on Wednesday.
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Actress Anna Kendrick, left, and Justin Timberlake, right, arrive by boat to the photocall for “Trolls” at the 69th annual Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday.
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Among those attending the “Trolls” photocall at the Cannes Film festival Wednesday, are, in front row, starting second from left, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Justin Timberlake, director Mike Mitchell, Anna Kendrick and director Walt Dohrn.
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Actress Kristen Stewart attends a photocall for the film “Cafe Society” at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday.
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From left, director of photography Vittorio Storaro, director Woody Allen, and actors Jesse Eisenberg, Corey Stoll, Blake Lively and Kristen Stewart attend the “Cafe Society” photocall during the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday.
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Actress Blake Lively poses Wednesday during a photocall for the film “Cafe Society” at the 69th Cannes Film Festival in France.
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Jury member Vanessa Paradis arrives at the 69th Cannes Film Festival.
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Cannes Film Festival jury member Valeria Golino arrives in southern France for the festival.
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Jury Director George Miller poses for photographers upon arrival at Cannes for the 69th international film festival.
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Jury member and actor Mads Mikkelsen at the 69th Canness Film Festival.
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Jury member Donald Sutherland arrives at the Cannes Film Fetival.
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A beach artist creates an image with sand on the beach in front of the entrance of the Festival Palace in Cannes.
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Jury members actress Kirsten Dunst, left, actress and director Valeria Golino and actress and singer Vanessa Paradis on the balcony at the Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez.
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Iranian producer and jury member Katayoon Shahabi arrives at the Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez.
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Hungarian director and jury member Laszlo Nemes arrives at the Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez.
(Anne-Christine Poujoulat / AFP/Getty Images) Cannes is an institution that wants to keep the focus on cinema, and in that regard, a case could be made that the news conference was not designed to go further afield. The debate over Allen’s actions can (and has) played out in many other forums; an opening-night film-festival news conference, one might argue, may not be the most suitable of those places, especially in the absence of substantive new information.
Then again, victims have the right to be heard, and, with the person he or she is accusing facing hundreds of journalists, one also might expect my colleagues and me to speak for them.
The questions didn’t even have to be on the facts of the case. They could have been about the piece, or the publicity. How did Allen feel about it? What would he say to Ronan if he were sitting here now? Did he understand if some people watched his movies differently because of the controversy over the past few years, or didn’t watch them at all? Did that make him angry, or did he understand it?
Instead, the Cannes conference laid bare the elaborate performance art that entertainment journalism can sometimes be. A filmmaker comes out and meets scores of reporters from around the world. But one of the main things those reporters (and their readers) want to know goes undiscussed. Whether it’s self-censoring or fear of reprisal or simple inattention, it’s problematic. There is more media devoted to entertainment than to almost any other realm of human existence. But volume doesn’t always equate to honesty.
The festival will continue apace. On Wednesday night, “Cafe Society” will kick off at one of the most elegant nights on the film calendar. Expect adulation and ceremony and applause. There won’t be any further addressing of the Dylan Farrow issue. Everyone in the room here Wednesday — and plenty of people outside it — had a question on their minds. Nobody came with any answers. The festival and the film’s distributor, Amazon Studios, breathed a sigh of relief. One imagines Dylan and Ronan Farrow are less sanguine.
MORE:
‘I’m older and dying and don’t care what happens’: Woody Allen says he’s done hiding behind comedy
Woody Allen addresses Ronan Farrow fallout (sort of)
Dylan Farrow speaks out about abuse accusations against Woody Allen
Cannes: Woody Allen’s less-than-polite ‘Society’ reception
Twitter: @ZeitchikLAT
