Shorts Shorts Shorts

Saturday, May 22

Today we woke up a tad later than planned. Not the end of the world because we got to stop by a very important landmark in Cannes: Jean Luc Boulanger.

There are 2 bakery/boulangeries that I credit my current existence with: Jean Luc's Boulanger and a little corner bakery painted orange. Jean Luc's usually has a bit of a line, but the orange juice is unlike anything of this realm. They squeeze it in front of you. Also they have a tart that changed my life. Roasted apricots with pistachios. You have never tasted heaven like this before.

The other one has towers of cream puffs and eclairs, beignets and quiche lorraine. They know me by my bad French and slight embarrassment at mispronouncing words that translate to "I like this to take away from here" when I want to carry out.

So if you are reading this, pastry chefs that have put up with my rough translations, then congratulations to you! Good karma points are in your future! Or maybe just some very fancy eclair filling.

We got a sandwich and a water (hydration is moderately important; nespresso probably doesn't think so) and hopped in line for the Short Films Screening at the top of the Palais.

There were so many wonderful shorts, and a few that were horrifying.

Here's an overview of some you don't want to miss:

1) Timecode: The story of a security guard who discover, through the timecoded surveillance videos, that her coworker loves to dance. Funny, sweet, cute.
2) After Suzanne: The story of a man who meets a girl with a boyfriend, and becomes the other man. It's realistic and charming.
3) Silence: A girl must translate to her Kurdish mother the deathly progression her breast cancer has taken. No one else in the hospital speaks Kurdish so she must take on this task even though she hasn't hit puberty yet. Poignant and heartbreaking. The bond between these two and the heartbreak we watch the daughter go through makes this feel feature length.

The shorts showing lasted about three hours, so we hopped on a train and headed home. About 12 of us sat in Taylor and my room, drinking wine and laughing. It was such a wonderful time. France + inexpensive rose + chocolate tartlets bring people together y'all. I'm loving every minute of this experience.