Cannes Film Fest 2018: No More Morning Press Screenings

Cannes Film Fest powerful director, Thierry Fremaux, has eliminated morning press screenings of films before their evening premieres and banned selfies on the red carpet.

Critics and journalists will see films in the Debussy theater at the same time that guests inside the main auditorium watch the evening world premieres, according to an interview with artistic director Fremaux in French trade publication Le Film Francais.

The change was made to boost the prestige and weight of gala premieres.

Cannes, which is celebrating its 71st edition in May, has always been vulnerable to tough critics whose early reviews can make or break a film’s prospects even before its gala unveiling in the Palais.

The practice has turned off some filmmakers and studios who favor fall festivals such as Venice and Toronto, where reviewers are believed to be milder.