Controversy continues as ‘Da Vinci’ opens

Dominating Cannes talk
A few hours before it premiered in Cannes, an audience in Beijing became the first public viewers of the film. China has seen little of the controversy that “The Da Vinci Code” has elicited elsewhere. Debates have been limited and Catholics are a small minority, though some are upset about the movie.

While it opened the Cannes festival, “Da Vinci” is not competing for prizes. It is the biggest opening film the festival has had in years. The Hitchcock-style French thriller “Lemming” left little impression last year. Some of the more memorable were “Basic Instinct” in 1992, and “Moulin Rouge” in 2001.

Besides the “Da Vinci” contingent, other stars who attended Wednesday included Aishwarya Rai, Juliette Binoche and Sidney Poitier, who got a standing ovation when he declared the festival officially open.

Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai (“2046”), whose next film will star sultry crooner Norah Jones, heads the festival jury, which includes actors Samuel L. Jackson, Ziyi Zhang, Monica Bellucci, Tim Roth and Helena Bonham Carter.

Together, they will designate awards for the May 28 closing ceremony, choosing between 20 films by directors including Spain’s Pedro Almodovar (“Volver”), Mexico’s Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (“Babel”), Italy’s Nanni Moretti (“Il Caimano”), and Sofia Coppola (“Marie Antoinette”) and Richard Linklater (“Fast Food Nation”) of the United States.

Wong, wearing his trademark dark sunglasses, promised that the jury would grant equal consideration to veterans and newcomers alike. The main requirement: “We’re looking for fresh air for cinema.”

MORE FROM DA VINCI CODE

Studio orders script for ‘Da Vinci’ precursor

Studio orders script for ‘Da Vinci’ precursor Review: ‘Da Vinci’ lacks book’s momentum Readers torn over ‘Da Vinci Code’ movie Nice guys don’t always finish first Opinion: Scientology? How about Opus Dei Take our 'Da Vinci Code' quiz   Images: ‘Da Vinci’ inspires bad movie hair   Images: ‘Da Vinci Code’ secrets, symbols   Add Da Vinci Code headlines to your news reader: