The Twilight films are a divisive franchise. Some would like to repeatedly ram a crucifix shaped stake through the heart of the teen focused series, until it disintegrates into ashes. Others wish that the vampire fuelled angst would never end. Similarly (kind of), the Cannes film festival can split cinemagoers down the middle into two camps. One will think that Cannes is out of touch, elitist and ignorant of the films people really want to see. The other will see Cannes as the last bastion of quality filmmaking.
Despite this tenuous comparison, the words “Twilight” and “Cannes” would not normally appear in the same headline. However, today is a special news day. On the websites of The Independent, The Telegraph, and many more, journalists are trying to reel in the readers by painting this year’s Palme d’Or as a clash of lovers, as well as directors. This is all because Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, who play lovers Edward and Bella in the Twilight films, are starring in two rival productions. Pattinson takes the lead in David Cronenberg’s Cosmopolis, whilst Stewart stars opposite Sam Riley in a long awaited adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s classic Beat Generation novel, On the Road.
The really spicy ingredient of the story is that the pair are a couple off screen, too. Will they put their careers before love as they struggle to shrug off the spectre of the films that made them? Can their relationship survive the festival, especially if one of them wins, whilst the other is forced to watch on? I know, the sheer drama of it all.
The trailers for On the Road and Cosmopolis were released earlier this year and were surprisingly good. Personally, I’m more excited about Cronenberg’s strange looking project, but then I haven’t read Kerouac’s classic novel. You can watch the trailers below:
The Cannes Film Festival runs from May 16th to May 27th.
Originally published April 20, 2012. Updated April 14, 2018.
