FRANCE:U2 brought Cannes to a standstill in the early hours of yesterday morning when they performed at the top of the red-carpeted steps leading into the Festival Palais. Thousands lined the area, from elderly festivalgoers in formal dress to young children perched on the shoulders of local residents and tourists.
"Bonne anniversaire, Cannes," Bono yelled shortly before 1am, wishing the world's biggest film festival well on its 60th birthday.
There were screams and loud applause as the band launched into Vertigo, and dancing in the streets wherever there was any space among the throng. Mobile phones were raised high in the air to take pictures of the band as they rocked the Côte d'Azur with Where the Streets Have No Name.
And that was it. "À bientôt," Bono said, as the band's equipment was moved away from the entrance and 2,000 ticket holders ascended the red carpet for the world premiere of the concert film, U2 3D, co-directed by Catherine Owens, who is from Dublin, and US filmmaker Mark Pellington.
The screening had been scheduled for 12.30am, but the impromptu concert delayed proceedings by over an hour. Cannes artistic director Thierry Frémaux came on stage and thanked the Irish band in French for "this very special birthday present" and introduced guests who included Prince Albert of Monaco, German filmmaker Wim Wenders and Canadian actor-turned-director Sarah Polley.
On the way in, every member of the audience was handed a pair of 3D glasses to watch the movie, and Bono even removed his trademark shades to don the special spectacles. He was seated in the centre of the cinema with The Edge, Larry Mullen Jr, Adam Clayton and U2 manager Paul McGuinness.
Filmed using high-tech, 3D digital technology during the South American leg of the band's Vertigo tour last year, the movie provided an audiovisual experience that firmly transcended any earlier 3D movie.
It was as exciting as being at a U2 concert, and the views were even better, with cameras shooting the band from a range of angles. The cinema audience reacted as if they were at a live concert, cheering and applauding every song and waving their illuminated mobile phones in the air.
The band's outstanding performances in the movie were on Bullet the Blue Sky, Love and Peace or Else, Sunday Bloody Sunday and Vertigo. The latest late-night movie in the history of the Cannes Film Festival ended at 2.40am, less than six hours before the first festival screening of the day.
Earlier on Saturday evening, the new Irish film, Garage, had its world premiere at Cannes, receiving three standing ovations for its star Pat Shortt, screenwriter Mark O'Halloran, director Lenny Abrahamson and producer Ed Guiney. A smouldering drama set in a rural Irish town, Garage features Shortt in his first leading part in a film, and his first serious role.
"It would blow you away," Shortt said afterwards, at a rooftop reception overlooking the bay at Cannes. "I'm thrilled at the reaction to the film here. The audience laughed in all the right places. They picked up on everything."
Would he like to play more dramatic roles? "Absolutely," he replied.
His visit to the festival was all too brief because of his work schedule, he said. After a morning of interviews with international press yesterday, he was making his way from Cannes to Ballinahinch, Co Tipperary, where he is due back on the set today for filming on the fourth series of his TV comedy, Killinaskully.