CANNES -- Looking like a bejeweled fairytale princess, but sounding a bit distracted, Nicole Kidman took over the 56th Cannes Film Festival yesterday, adding just the right giddy glamour the festival needed to kick off its final week.
Oscar winner Kidman is the star of Danish director Lars Von Trier's anti-American opus, Dogville. The highly-stylized English-language film, which is set up more like a surreal stage play, served as a competition gala last night. It is just two minutes short of three hours, but the final release version in North America will be much shorter.
Kidman stars as a distraught fugitive fleeing American gangsters in the 1930s. She hides out in a small town called Dogville, a dead-end burg lost in the Rocky Mountains. The violent end of the film seems to suggest the world would be better off without Dogville -- and without America.
Although the controversial film itself is gloomy, Kidman and Von Trier were in an upbeat mood at yesterday's press conference. Things even got silly on occasion, including when Kidman became flustered while answering questions. She admitted she was not in form at one point, pushed the microphone away and lit up a cigarette.
The smoking prompted the irascible director to lecture her on her bad habits: "Nicole," Von Trier barked, "don't do that -- you promised!" Kidman then scowled like a naughty child. "OK," Von Trier said angrily, "you can sulk now!"
The exchange was a glimpse into the rocky but creative relationship between the infamous Dane and the Australian-raised superstar.
They both admitted yesterday they fought, including screaming matches that ended in tears, when they first launched into Dogville, which was shot in a studio in Sweden. Although the movie is set in the U.S., Von Trier has never been there and may never go, since he has an airplane phobia.
Kidman said she was interested in a challenge and working with Von Trier was a challenge -- one that is supposed to continue with two more films in same style as Dogville with Kidman as the same character.
