The Craze

"Million Dollar Baby" will be the standout film of this year's Cannes. - French Film and TV Report.

The morning after the screening, Thomas arrived at Lyman's apartment with a stack of newspapers, along with breakfast.

"Lyman," Thomas said, biting into a croissant, and handed him the newspapers.

This year's 57th Cannes Film Festival had a total of 18 films selected for the main competition. However, in terms of buzz, only a few films stood out as award contenders. These included "Fahrenheit 9/11" directed by American filmmaker Michael Moore, "Nobody Knows" by Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda, "Oldboy" by South Korean director Park Chan-wook, and the Coen Brothers' "The Ladykillers". "Million Dollar Baby", screened the previous day, was also in the running.

Coincidentally, Lyman had some free time over the past few days and had watched all of these films.

Kore-eda and Park's films followed narrative storytelling but were somewhat more subdued compared to "Million Dollar Baby". Kore-eda's style was consistent with his previous works, capturing everyday life with emotional depth—a characteristic of Japanese art-house cinema.

In recent years, Cannes had garnered a reputation for showcasing Asian films and encouraging them, but it often fell short when it came to awards. The festival was criticized for its conservative nature, as it regularly accepted films from the Asian film industry but rarely honored them with awards. Some said it lacked the critical eye that it used to have for artistry, now focusing more on glamour.

Next up was the Coen Brothers. They were Cannes regulars and had won the Palme d'Or and Best Director awards before. However, their film "The Ladykillers" took a darker, more satirical tone, and despite having Tom Hanks in the lead, it didn't generate much excitement.

Then there was "Fahrenheit 9/11". The film was politically charged and intended to expose the murky aspects of the Iraq War. It deliberately portrayed the complex relationship between the Bush family and Osama bin Laden. The film's distributor, Lionsgate, was making a significant push with it.

This movie seemed tailor-made for Cannes, ticking the boxes of both a relevant theme and a strong national identity. Moreover, "Fahrenheit 9/11" was a documentary-style film, highly realistic, and it came only three years after the events it depicted. With such explosive subject matter, it was bound to generate attention.

Thus, even though it was riding the wave of political relevance, "Fahrenheit 9/11" had a good chance of winning the coveted Palme d'Or, making it a potential front-runner at Cannes this year.

Why, you might ask?

To win at Cannes, apart from having a qualifying entry, two conditions needed to be met: either an exceptional subject matter or a distinctive national identity. "Fahrenheit 9/11" had both, as it was a documentary-style film based on real events, with significant societal impact and political maneuvering. Cannes couldn't afford to ignore it.

So, despite its opportunistic nature, Cannes had to promote it. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement—why not do it?

Of course, then "Million Dollar Baby" arrived, and it stole the show even more.

With its outstanding quality, a director who was well-regarded in the Cannes community, and Warner Bros. as the production company, which had a longstanding relationship with Cannes, it outshone "Fahrenheit 9/11".

From the director's credentials to the backing studio, "Million Dollar Baby" dominated.

After the screening, the festival's organizing committee couldn't sit still.

Originally, they had scheduled three daily screenings, already a considerable number given the lineup of films. However, now the demand was even higher.

But alas, the film was a hit. On the very first day, all three screenings were completely sold out.

The movie's momentum was unprecedented, and both the media and the audiences were closely following it.

And it lived up to the hype.

On the second day, every screening was packed to the brim.

The sight of people queuing up for tickets was no longer a rarity.

Hillary Swank was thrilled, overwhelmed by the tremendous recognition. It was the first time in her life that she had experienced such popularity.

Lyman, on the other hand, seemed unusually indifferent.

It wasn't that he was unhappy; he just didn't seem as emotionally invested as before.

Perhaps this was what growing up felt like.

As for the media's efforts, Warner Bros. had certainly played its part, but it was also because "Million Dollar Baby" had truly touched a chord with some film critics.

If the movie were purely inspirational, a shot of adrenaline, there might not have been a need for such grandiose praise or high-intensity marketing. Money talks.

But unexpectedly, "Million Dollar Baby" had more to say.

Surprisingly, it was quite different from "Rocky".

The rags-to-riches formula of an underdog boxer had its origins in "Rocky", where Sylvester Stallone had shot to fame from relative obscurity.

But "Million Dollar Baby" also focused on a boxer, also depicted an underdog story, yet its ending was starkly different from "Rocky".

Without the second half of the film, it would have followed the same old template as the original "Rocky".

But what else was there besides boxing?

To borrow the words of some film critics, the overall tone of this film was not overly triumphant. It was about strength amid the ordinary, especially in the post-injury storyline, which was the film's most sublime segment. It portrayed a girl, Maggie, who could maintain a resolute attitude toward all things, even death.

Confronting death with equanimity was her choice.

What she wanted to hear was applause and cheers from others, while pity and sympathy were her greatest wounds.

This was also the most poignant aspect of Lyman's direction: "How should we face failure in life, even when it seems hopeless."

Of course, many people argued that death was a form of escape.

But in the film, it wasn't. From beginning to end, Maggie was a person of unwavering conviction.

When Frankie didn't want to teach her to box, she practiced on her own. When she lost her first fight, she trained even harder. And when it came to ending her own life, it was her attitude toward her own existence. Everyone has different choices.

Maggie chose what she wanted. This was her logic of strength.

Taking responsibility for her own choices, even if it meant death.

Film critics were exhilarated.

The word of mouth for "Million Dollar Baby" was steadily gaining momentum, and even the French authorities were endorsing Lyman, hoping that he would go further.

Cannes Premiere, La Vanguardia, Le Monde, Los Angeles Daily, and many more.

These media outlets, dedicated to exploring cinematic works during the festival, held considerable influence.

And, without exception, they all praised "Million Dollar Baby".

Although not all reviews were effusive, their recommendations were enough to indicate that this film had received the approval of the media.

As for the audience, they were equally enthusiastic.

Driven by their fiery passion, the organizers decided to add another screening. It became four screenings per day.

As for which films lost screenings to accommodate this change, nobody seemed to care, and Lyman was among the unconcerned.