The Circuit

Roman Polanski with other "Chacun Son Cinema" directors, before he got testy.

It’s not easy to stand out among thirty-odd of the world’s greatest filmmakers, but Roman Polanski ensured his place in the headlines Sunday when he walked out on the press conference for “Chacun Son Cinema” (“To Each His Own Cinema”), the festival’s 60th anniversary film, complaining about the “poverty” of the questions.

“Computers have brough you down to this level,” Polanski said, suggesting that modern journalism required quick turnaround of information, but not much profundity.

“There are all of these film directors here but you know so little about us,” he said as he stood up, edged his way between the other seated directors and headed for the door.

He had a point. Dumb questions included one to Elia Suleiman, who was asked why there weren’t any Arab films in competition. The reporter was advised to put that to artistic director Thierry Fremaux, the man making those decisions.

But Cannes habitués know not to expect too much from fest press conferences, most often frequented by TV reporters looking for nothing more than a fast and loose soundbite to play to the folks back home. (Alison James)