MAY 18-19, 2008

by Katharine Schroeder

The Cannes Film Festival has been held in the South of France since 1946 and it’s the most important film festival in the world. For many years, Jackie Chan attended the festival to promote himself. This year he went for the sole reason of supporting the new actors starring in a film called Wushu which he produced. Coincidentally, Jackie was invited to speak at Oxford University around the same time, so he combined the two events plus several other meetings and activities into one week-long trip.

At around midnight on May 18^th, we left Hong Kong for the long flight to London, where we would catch a connecting flight to Nice, then drive on to Cannes, France. Since it was late at night, there weren’t too many people at Hong Kong International Airport and Jackie was able to walk around freely – a treat for him and something he can rarely do at the airport.

We boarded the enormous jet – the kind with an upstairs and a downstairs - and soon we were speeding down the runway towards take-off. Jackie occasionally expresses his wonder at how it’s possible for such huge jets to leave the ground, and for a moment I found myself thinking the same thing. Well, it did leave the ground and soon we were on our way to Europe. The flight attendants were very excited to have Jackie on board, despite the fact that he was sleeping most of the time. One of the attendants said that her daughter was a big fan, adding that she was so happy that Jackie was such a great role model for kids. I asked her how old her daughter was....only 8 years old! Amazingly, the age range of Jackie’s fans covers nearly a century; his appeal is practically universal.

Almost there.

After landing at Heathrow Airport, we made our way towards the connecting flight. Heathrow is a huge airport and I think we walked several miles before finally arriving at place where we would catch a tram to our next flight. While we waited, Jackie examined the unique architecture of the building we were in, the famous Terminal 5. This terminal had been an enormous project and was famous for its size, its unique appearance, and the fact that tens of thousands of archaeological artifacts had been discovered during construction.

Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport

As Jackie stood staring up at the ceiling, other people around him began staring up as well. It’s human nature; when someone is looking up at something, most people can’t resist seeing what it is that’s so interesting. Soon it seemed that everyone was looking up at the ceiling to see what it was that everyone was staring at; therefore, very few people stared at Jackie.

The flight to Nice was short and soon we arrived. After a few tense moments wondering if our luggage had gotten lost, we were on our way to meet up with Jackie’s good friend John Sham. John is also a producer for Wushu, the movie that Jackie was traveling to Cannes to promote. Jackie has known John for many years and John has appeared in several of Jackie’s films, including New Police Story, Miracles, and Winners and Sinners.

After saying hello, we got into the cars and began the short drive from Nice to Cannes, passing through breathtaking French countryside along the way. Soon we arrived in Mougins, where we would be staying. Mougins is a beautiful medieval village which sits atop a hill just a few miles from Cannes. The architecture is traditional French and you don’t have to try hard to imagine that you’ve been transported back in time when you look at the exquisite scenery around you. Mougins is the place where Pablo Picasso spent the last 15 years of his life and it’s a treasured location for artists because of the beautiful quality of the light.

As charming as the town was, the villa where we would be staying was…well, stunning. Built hundreds of years ago, it consisted of a main house centered around a large room with a cathedral ceiling. All the other rooms seemed to jut off the main room in no particular order; there were even some tiny rooms on a second level. Outside there were several smaller buildings, and a large garden. The doors in the bedrooms allowed you to step out into an enchanting garden. It was like walking straight into a fairy tale.

As I stood admiring the beautiful view, Jackie came up behind me and asked what I was doing. Words escaped me, so I just gestured toward the exquisite garden, the pool, and the charming buildings. He looked around but said nothing. “Don’t you think it’s amazing?” I asked. He just nodded unenthusiastically. I waited a moment for him to reply and finally he did, saying that he had seen so many beautiful places in the world and although this was pretty, he was not as overcome as I was. He laughed good-naturedly at my obvious delight and wandered back into the house. I immediately got my camera out so I could take some photos to show you:

The entrance to the villa.

The welcoming committee.

The villa as seen from the garden.

Second level of one of the outbuildings.

The main room.

After we settled in, some visitors arrived – Antony Szeto, who directed Wushu, the movie that Jackie came to Cannes to promote, and two of the actors from the film, the adorable Wenjie Wang and Fenchao Liu. After lunch, Wenjie Wang and Fenchao Liu did a wushu demonstration for Jackie right there in the middle of the living room. Jackie was quite pleased with their performance and the two young men were thrilled at the opportunity to give a private show to their hero.

Lunchtime.

 
Wenjie Wang and Fenchao Liu perform as Jackie looks on.

Jackie demonstrates his technique to Wenjie.

After everyone left, Jackie laid out in the sun for a while - it was perfect weather for sunbathing - and I had a chance to look around at the villa’s grounds. There were small out-buildings and several stalls that looked like they once held animals. Everything was kind of off kilter, which made it all the more charming. Words don’t do it justice, so I will show you some photos:

The garden.

As I wandered around the grounds, I noticed that Solon (Jackie's manager), was in the garden with his camera. Later I will tell you more about the different ways that Jackie, Solon, and I saw the garden through the camera lens.

Getting ready to leave for Cannes.

Around two o’clock, it was time to head down to Cannes for the press conference. It was a short ride into town, past historic buildings and gorgeous scenery. Even Jackie seemed enthralled; he spent most of the ride with his face pressed up against the car window.

Soon we were in Cannes, on the streets that all of us have seen so many times in news reports about the film festival. There were thousands of people and every single one of them seemed to be carrying a camera. Jackie walked right along the waterfront and although people occasionally took his photo, he managed to go quite a distance without being recognized - the streets were that full!

Jackie blends right in with the crowds (well, almost...the guy on the left is pointing a video camera in Jackie's direction).

Girl on a Segway handing out brochures.

Because so many people were trying to get down to where the press conferences were taking place, security was very tight. Jackie asked me to take a photo of a girl on a Segway, which I did. Two seconds later, when I was finished taking the picture, I looked up and found that Jackie had disappeared. This was not good….I knew it would be nearly impossible to get into any of the press areas without proper identification (which I didn’t have) or unless I was with Jackie (which I wasn’t). Much to my relief, I spotted him in the crowd and quickly caught up so that we could enter the area together. If you work for Jackie, you learn to stay alert and above all else, walk fast.

The area for the press conference was basically a big tent set up right on La Diva beach. All along the sand, tents were set up to accommodate the photocalls that were taking place. It was quite comfortable and the weather was sunny and mild.

Jackie takes a look at the beach.

Jackie went to the sitting area to wait for the press conference to begin, and visited with the many people who came to say hello to him. Some of them Jackie knew, some he didn’t. There were a lot of people who were trying to get into the area to meet him, but luckily the security was abundant and efficient so there were no problems. While waiting for the press conference to begin, I took some photos of Jackie, which is always fun to do:

Jackie enjoys the sunny weather.

Reading over the program with John.

If you walk around, you will see some interesting things:

Fans hope to get a look at some celebrities.

In case you get tired walking on the beach.

View from the dock. Can you spot Jackie?

Back at the tent, Solon talks with colleague Carrie Wong.

Eventually the press conference began with a dynamic wushu demonstration by Wenjie Wang and Fenchao Liu. Afterwards, Jackie and the others answered dozens of questions posed by the international press. Jackie talked a lot about his desire to give opportunities to new talent and said that in the past he had come to Cannes to promote himself but this time he was here to support the cast and crew of Wushu. When asked about the movie, Jackie said that it was more than just a martial arts film; it was a movie about education, loyalty, and Chinese culture. Wushu, he said, is different from kung fu in that it is more about protecting than attacking. He wants to educate the world about the discipline and dedication that is involved in learning a skill like wushu. He feels that his support of new talent is necessary because without the interest generated by big names such as his, these movies might go unnoticed. He complimented the director and also said that Wushu had a very good scrīpt. The young actors who star in Wushu impressed Jackie enough that he was willing to act as producer for this film, but he added that it wasn’t enough for new stars to be skilled in the martial arts; they needed to be able to act, sing, dance, handle weapons, and do acrobatics. He also said that in order to be successful, one must learn all aspects of filmmaking such as camera angles, lighting, and editing. When you listen to Jackie talk about all the skills that he feels one needs to succeed in the film industry, you might think that his expectations are quite high. But if you know Jackie’s background, you know that he asks nothing of young hopefuls that he didn’t work very hard to learn himself. Jackie expects a lot from his staff, but he never demands that any of us work harder than he does himself.

Getting ready for the demonstration and press conference.

Jackie makes the introductions.

Making a quick repair to a microphone.

Jackie reacting to a comment by John.

After the press conference, Jackie sat for a series of television interviews by reporters from Europe, America, and Asia. When we were finished we quickly left the downtown area and headed back to the villa.

Jackie sits for interviews on the beach.

What happened next was very odd, but I tell it to you so you can know how easygoing and good-natured Jackie’s friends are. Soon after we returned to the villa at Mougins, a group of Jackie’s friends from China arrived. The plan was that they would stay with us at the villa during our time in France. As they unloaded their luggage, Solon and I went around trying to figure out which room everyone would stay in, but unfortunately, none of the keys to any of the outer rooms worked. After a series of frantic phone calls by the woman who had set up the rental of the villa, we were told that because of some miscommunication, there were no other rooms that had been readied for our guests. So Jackie’s friends turned around and packed their luggage back into the van to return to the hotel they had just checked out of. As I watched all of this going on, I waited for someone to become angry or annoyed because of the unfortunate mix-up. However, no one did. They took it all in stride and just laughed it off. “No problem!” they cried, as they merrily climbed back into the van. Jackie’s friends didn’t let this inconvenience bother them at all.

We confirmed our plans to meet with everyone for dinner, and after they left, Jackie went back down to Cannes to attend a screening. When he returned, Jackie, Solon, and I drove to the restaurant, which was very close by. Once we arrived, it took quite a while for us to actually get inside because there was a huge gated entrance and our driver was having some trouble communicating with the restaurant staff via the intercom system. After a rapid-fire conversation in French between the driver and the restaurant maître’d, the gate finally swung open and we were able to enter the grounds. The restaurant was part of a charming country inn with storybook scenery. Jackie took a walk around to look at the magnificent gardens and orchards that surrounded the inn. When he came back, he told me to go take a look; that it was really beautiful.

“There’s a field with horses and some orange trees,” he said.

“Really?” I asked. “Can you eat them?”

“The horses?”

“Never mind.”

Jackie was right; it was beautiful:

After a cocktail hour on the terrace, we sat down in the restaurant and dinner began. Jackie entertained everyone with story after story – jumping up from his seat numerous times to illustrate this or that point. When he was done, I turned to Wenjie Wang and Fenchao Liu, who speak Mandarin and a little English, and tried my best to talk with them in Mandarin. I have no recollection of what we talked about (I think translating in your head interferes with memory), but both of “the boys” (as everyone calls them) were charming, funny, and humble.

The terrace of the restaurant.

Before we even finished our meal, it was time to go. Jackie had been invited to attend John Woo’s Red Cliff party, so we jumped into the cars and headed back down to the waterfront. It was night time by then, and the main strip in downtown Cannes was a dazzle of lights, cars, and people.

After wandering around for a while, we finally found the area where the party was taking place. Jackie met up with some of his old friends who were also attending and immediately began talking and laughing and having a great time.

Jackie greets an old friend, producer Nansun Shi.

Jackie and the new actors greet Michelle Yeoh (oops, she turned her head), Tony Leung, and director John Woo.

The venue for the party was a large tent set up on the waterfront. There were at least a dozen tables crammed together in the area where Jackie was sitting and it seemed that no matter where I stood, I was abruptly ordered to move aside. When I took my camera out, I was immediately reprimanded by another photographer who told me that I was not allowed to take photos; he was the only one authorized to do that. No sooner had I put my camera back into my bag then I heard Jackie calling my name to come and take a picture. I told him that I was not allowed to take pictures, at which point he intervened and told the security staff and the photographer that I was with him and that it was okay. So I took my camera back out of the bag, trying to ignore the angry glares from the official photographer, and I did my best to take some photos. There were so many people and there was a staff trying to serve dinner in the midst of it all. What chaos! I was pushed and shoved and yelled at so many times that I eventually just gave up and went outside. I walked along the dock and admired the twinkling lights of the Cannes waterfront until it started raining. When I tried to re-enter the party, the security guard did not believe that I worked for Jackie Chan, even after I showed him my identification. Finally, after I showed him some photos of Jackie that were on my camera – including photos I had taken at the villa - he let me back into the party.

Jackie with acclaimed cinematographer Chris Doyle and actress Wei Zhao.

With director John Woo.

It was very late when we finally left and incredibly, Jackie was still full of pep on the ride home. He naturally has a lot of energy, but he seems to gain even more when he is surrounded by excitement. It’s as though the energy from the people around him enters his bloodstream and charges him up even more. The ride back to the villa was punctuated by Jackie cracking jokes and attempting various pranks. It was so late and I was in a near coma from exhaustion, so he wasn't getting much of reaction from me (or Solon) so eventually he just sat back and fell asleep. It had been a very long day and we were happy to arrive back at the villa where we could enjoy a peaceful night’s sleep.

ON THE ROAD WITH JACKIE CHAN
TRIP TO EUROPE: OFF TO LONDON!
(DAYS THREE AND FOUR)

ON THE ROAD WITH JACKIE CHAN
TRIP TO EUROPE: SHOPPING IN LONDON AND OTHER THINGS
(DAY FIVE)

ON THE ROAD WITH JACKIE CHAN:
TRIP TO EUROPE: CHINESE EMBASSY AND OXFORD
(DAY SIX)

Text and photos ©2008 The JC Group. All Rights Reserved.

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