CANNES, France — Elle Fanning, the youngest juror ever at the Cannes Film Festival, said she has been transformed by her experience at the French festival.
Jury member Elle Fanning poses for photographers at the 72nd international film festival, Cannes. Image: AP/Vianney Le Caer
The 21-year-old actresses’ jury service came to an end Saturday with the Cannes closing ceremony. She wanted the festival to keep going.
“I didn’t know how I would come out of this experience. I do feel like I see films in a different way. I learned so much,” Fanning said after the ceremony. “I will never forget these ten days. I don’t want it to be over.”
Fanning was part of the nine-person jury that elected Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite” as the Palme d’Or winner. Mexican director Alejandro Inarritu, president of the jury, praised Fanning for bringing a younger perspective to the jury.
“Having Elle in the jury was a gift,” said Inarritu. “Elle is an old soul in a way. She has been doing films forever. But to have the fresh ideas, it really grounded us.”
“We saw it through her young eyes,” he added. “We learned a lot from her too.”
Throughout the French film festival, Fanning was one of the standouts of the red carpet, regularly drawing praise for her glamorous and varied looks.
The only downside of her Cannes may have been when she collapsed at the Chopard Trophee dinner on Monday. She later posted on Instagram a thumbs-up photo and said she had fainted because her Prada gown was too tight. RGA/JB
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