Hollywood:Starting out as an MV director

In 2002, the International Film Festival was officially renamed the Cannes International Film Festival.

Initially, the choice of Cannes was due to its pleasant climate, but over time, it became synonymous with one of the most significant and memorable film festivals.

The reason for mentioning this is that the film Little Miss Sunshine, directed by Greta Gerwig and produced by Ethan, had been selected for the main competition of the Cannes International Film Festival.

For a newcomer director, this was an incredible honor, so much so that on her first night at the hotel, Greta couldn't sleep at all.

She spent the entire night staring at the ceiling, imagining herself overjoyed upon winning an award for her film.

However, by the next day, she had no time to think about such things.

The hectic preparation work left everyone in the crew scrambling.

"Carrie, where's your hairpiece? Tony needs one!"

"Is the gown pressed? I need to try it on now!"

"Hey, Abigail, don't run around! Be careful not to hit your head!"

"Dwayne, could you bring me today's newspaper?"

"Sure thing, Grandpa, but could you stop calling me by my character's name? My name is Paul."

Even with the help of staff members, trying on gowns and doing makeup still took up much of the crew's time.

Apart from Jim Carrey and veteran actor Alan Arkin, who were quite at ease, everyone else was experiencing Cannes for the first time. Especially young Abigail, who played the female lead. At her lively and energetic age, she dashed around the dressing room under her mother's watchful eye.

The atmosphere among the cast was warm, perhaps because they hadn't yet shaken off the camaraderie from filming. Paul and Abigail had already begun calling Alan Arkin "Grandpa."

"How's everyone doing?" Greta, who was the first to finish getting ready, asked the group. With Ethan busy shooting on another set, Carl accompanying Zun Long on a China tour, and Jimmy overseeing Supreme Creative, Greta had taken on the role of coordinating the entire team.

She hadn't expected this when she joined Angel's Manifesto—that she would so quickly become a director presenting at Cannes with her debut film.

She silently thanked Ethan in her heart for giving her this opportunity before turning her attention to the festival handbook prepared by the organizers.

The Cannes Film Festival consisted of five key events: the red carpet, premieres, interviews, screenings, and the closing ceremony.

The red carpet was further divided into the opening red carpet and the main competition red carpet. Each film selected for the main competition was given a red carpet slot.

But this wasn't happening today—it would be after tonight.

During the festival days, they would need at least three outfits, as the red carpet, interviews, and cocktail parties couldn't all feature the same attire.

Of course, for the men, it was much simpler—just a couple of extra jackets would suffice.

Once everything was ready, the group headed downstairs to a waiting car to go to the red carpet venue.

The car moved slowly as the organizers carefully controlled the arrival times of the stars to avoid overlaps.

After waiting for over half an hour, Greta and her team finally saw the crowds surrounding the Cannes red carpet.

"Oh my gosh!" Paul exclaimed, pressing his face to the window to take in the dazzling flashbulbs and sea of people outside. "This is a huge event!"

"Well, Cannes is one of the world's most prestigious film festivals. To be honest, it's considered more authoritative internationally than the Oscars," Jim Carrey explained to everyone.

"So we're going up there later?" Abigail asked, her big eyes filled with anticipation as she bit her finger.

"That's right. We'll go up later. How about holding Grandpa's hand when we do?" Alan Arkin asked, affectionately patting her neatly braided head.

"Okay!" Abigail responded sweetly.

As their car reached the red carpet, the doors opened with a flood of noise, instantly making everyone tense—except Jim Carrey, who stepped out first with a wide smile.

"Jim Carrey! Look! It's Jim Carrey!"

"Take photos! Jim Carrey, over here!"

Ignoring the reporters' calls, Jim Carrey turned around to help his on-screen wife, Toni Collette, out of the car. She wore a yellow dress that complemented her blonde hair, looking radiant and stunning.

"It's the Little Miss Sunshine team!" the reporters quickly recognized from the film's poster. Judging by the name, it seemed like a family comedy, and with Jim Carrey's expressive face, many expected it to be hilarious.

After Jim Carrey and Toni Collette stepped out, Alan Arkin helped Abigail out of the car, followed by the other actors.

Once everyone had gathered, they walked forward together, mimicking the seating arrangement from the van in the movie, with Greta surrounded by the group.

Jim Carrey even mimicked a driving gesture, sparking recognition among reporters familiar with the poster.

"Quick, take pictures! Wow, this is fun!"

"They're imitating the poster positions!"

"That's so clever! I think I'll go see the premiere."

The reporters quickly relayed this tidbit to the audience, increasing interest in the film. Flashbulbs intensified as the scene drew more attention than other teams.

Although the Cannes red carpet was world-renowned, it was surprisingly short. The Little Miss Sunshine team completed it in just two minutes.

They then ascended the long steps of the Palais des Festivals, with the male actors assisting the women to the entrance of the Hitchcock Theatre.

"What's happening tonight?" Paul asked curiously once the reporters were out of sight.

"Not much," Greta replied. "Just the opening ceremony. The awards are announced during the closing ceremony, so tonight, we just sit quietly and wait for it to end, then head to the cocktail party. Oh, and…"

Noticing the group's attention, she continued, "Ethan arranged a professional photography team for us. After the party, we'll take some pictures for promotional purposes and as keepsakes."

"That's great! And tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?" Greta smiled. "Tomorrow's the big event—our film's red carpet premiere. Be ready to face questions from the media and audience!"

Paul scratched his head awkwardly. "I'll leave that to you adults. I'll just tag along."

Abigail, however, raised her little fist and declared, "I can do it! I'll tell everyone this movie is amazing!"

"Haha!" The cast laughed heartily as they entered the theater, chatting and joking.

After the opening ceremony, the next day marked the start of the main competition red carpet premieres.

The Little Miss Sunshine team faced stiff competition from 20 other films, with the most anticipated being The Child by Belgian directors Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, previous Palme d'Or winners in 1999 with Rosetta.

While the Dardenne brothers drew significant media attention, Little Miss Sunshine had more audience interest, largely thanks to Jim Carrey and its comedic appeal.

During the film's premiere, Greta's attention was not on the screen but on the audience's reactions.

The occasional bursts of laughter and smiles reassured her, as did the visible grins of those who didn't laugh out loud.

By the film's end, the audience gave spontaneous applause, and the team stepped forward to answer questions.

"Jim Carrey, your expressions in this film seem less exaggerated than in your previous works. Was that intentional?"

"Yes," Jim Carrey nodded. "When Ethan approached me, he said this film didn't require over-the-top expressions, so I was restrained—more than ever—only letting loose at key moments."

"And Greta, who do you think is the most important character in the film?"

"The most important?" Greta nervously held the microphone. "I think everyone is important—the actors, the crew…"

She suddenly pointed at the car on the poster. "Oh, the car! It's the most important. It worked so hard we went through three of them."

"Haha!" The audience burst into laughter.

"And outside of the film?"

"I have to thank Ethan. Without him, this wouldn't have been possible. Before this, I'd only directed commercials, not a full-length feature."

During the festival, media reviews were generally positive. The Dardenne brothers' The Child garnered the most praise, solidifying their reputation for narrative mastery and making it a strong contender for the Palme d'Or.

Little Miss Sunshine also received high praise for its unique portrayal of family dynamics, earning widespread approval from media and audiences alike.

On the ninth day, Greta received an invitation to the closing ceremony, a clear sign that the film had won an award.

Though unsure of the prize, Greta was overjoyed—so much so that she lost sleep for a second time.

At the closing ceremony, the presenters wasted no time announcing the awards, unlike the more entertainment-driven Oscars.

"First, the Best Actor Award…"

Greta noticed Jim Carrey shift in his seat, only for the award to go to Tommy Lee Jones for The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada.

Disappointed but composed, Jim Carrey clapped politely.

As other major awards were announced—Best Actress, Best Director, etc.—Greta grew increasingly anxious. Alan Arkin reassured her, saying, "Patience is key in Hollywood. What's meant for you won't pass you by."

"I understand," Greta replied with a smile of her own.

After a while, another major award was about to be announced.

"Now, we will reveal the Jury Prize. The winner is..."

This was the most significant award after the Palme d'Or, so all the teams in the competition grew tense.

Just as Greta was about to sit up straight and focus on the result, the presenter quickly announced the winning film.

"The Jury Prize goes to Little Miss Sunshine! Let's give them a round of applause!"

"What?"

Greta was first shocked, then overcome with uncontainable joy.

"Really? That's incredible!"

Abigail immediately jumped up from her seat. "It's us!"

"It's us!" Paul chimed in, equally thrilled.

The group supported each other as they made their way onto the stage. When Greta took the microphone, for the first time, she felt far less composed than she had imagined she would.

"Um… I really didn't expect us to win an award. I want to thank Norton's Eye and Ethan. Without Ethan's support, this film wouldn't exist."

At the same time, while Greta was delivering her acceptance speech, Ethan was watching Zhang Ziyi in front of him. She bit her lip, waving a fan in her hand as she performed the culmination of her training for Ethan.

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