Rami Malek emotional at Cannes premiere

Rami Malek became emotional at the Cannes premiere of Ira Sachs’ “The Man I Love” on Wednesday, according to Vanity Fair’s live coverage from the festival red carpet. The film screened in competition at the 79th Cannes Film Festival, which runs from May 12 to May 23. Festival organizers describe the movie as Sachs’ return to competition seven years after “Frankie,” with Malek starring as Jimmy George, a New York theater figure facing AIDS in the late 1980s. ### What was happening when Malek drew attention on the Cannes carpet? Vanity Fair reported on May 21 that Malek appeared emotional at the premiere of “The Man I Love” during the festival’s late-stage competition run. Reuters, reporting from Cannes, said Malek was making his debut on the Cannes Film Festival red carpet with the Sachs film. (vanityfair.com) Cannes placed “The Man I Love” in its main competition lineup, where it is one of 22 films contending for the Palme d’Or. The official festival site said the film was published in its Cannes coverage on May 20 and identified it as an in-competition title. ### What is “The Man I Love” about? (vanityfair.com) “The Man I Love” is set in late-1980s New York and centers on Jimmy George, an “iconic figure in New York theatre,” according to the Festival de Cannes website. The official synopsis says Jimmy is confronting impending death while trying to keep hold of desire, performance and joy. (festival-cannes.com) Reuters reported that Malek plays Jimmy after the character has been hospitalized for complications connected to HIV/AIDS. Reuters said the story also follows Jimmy’s partner Dennis, played by Tom Sturridge, and his sister Brenda, played by Rebecca Hall, as they react to his recovery and a new admirer nearby. (festival-cannes.com) ### What did Malek say about arriving at Cannes with the film? Malek told Reuters ahead of the premiere that appearing at Cannes for the first time was “an extraordinary pinch-yourself moment again.” Reuters identified Malek as 45 and noted that he won the Oscar in 2019 for “Bohemian Rhapsody” and an Emmy in 2016 for “Mr. Robot.” (bworldonline.com) Reuters also reported that Malek said playing Jimmy brought out insecurities because of the character’s magnetism and range. In the film, Reuters said, Malek performs songs including Gershwin’s “The Man I Love” and Melanie’s “Look What They’ve Done To My Song, Ma.” (bworldonline.com) ### Why is the film a notable Cannes entry for Sachs? Ira Sachs returned to Cannes competition with “The Man I Love” seven years after “Frankie,” according to the festival’s official write-up. The festival said Sachs built the film as a “musical fantasy in a city in crisis” and drew on memories of New York in the late 1980s, when AIDS was devastating people close to him. (bworldonline.com) Reuters reported that Sachs said he wanted to capture memories of that period and recalled that even people who were sick were still “full of life” until death came. That framing aligns with the festival’s description of the film as a tribute to people Sachs knew during the AIDS crisis. (festival-cannes.com) ### What happens next at Cannes? The 79th Cannes Film Festival ends on Saturday, May 23, when the Palme d’Or will be awarded. “The Man I Love” remains in the competition field as the jury prepares its final decision. (bworldonline.com) (festival-cannes.com)