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The Horror of Big Whitey

Sharks into cities doesn’t go – but they do – and too often these days.

With this recent attack on a woman at Sydney’s Coogee Beach, I have been thinking of my swims, a few bays around at Bondi Beach many years ago, in particular, one fine day. I was convinced by another to swim across the bay, starting out from Bondi Icebergers Club pool.

There is deep water behind the sand bank surf break. We swam across and back, perhaps 1000m, more because the beach itself is one kilometre. So we swam perhaps 1500m across and back. I can tell you I thought of sharks the whole way across and back. Were they watching us? Probably.

Are we too kind to them, the Great White in particular, giving them an all-year-round free city pass? Is it time for another novel on the horror of Big Whitey?

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Shining a light on Neon

In 2019 the Neon released Korean film Parasite, directed by Boon Joon Ho, won the Palme d’or at the Cannes Film Festival, going on to be awarded Best Film at the annual Academy Awards. A rare double.

This year another Neon release Fjord won the Palme d’or, this time with another Korean director, Park Chan-wook, a friend of the director of Parasite, as jury president.

Photo during filming of FJORD by Director, Cristian Mungiu

NEON released films have now won all last six Palme d’ors from 2019 to 2026 (Cannes 2020 was cancelled due to Covid. )

Should we be concerned at this winning trend by Neon and should we examine the human connections in the Jury’s choice for 2026?

Critics are divided on Fjord. The Guardian’s film critic, Peter Bradshaw called it ‘a disappointment’ awarding it 2 stars out of 5.

Have juries at the annual Cannes festival ever been corrupted?

Are Cannes juries ever influenced by outside forces?

In my novel Out of Competition democracy is used in a one view, one vote method of choosing festival winners in that other famous Côte d’Azur event, the Renne-Sur-Mer Film Festival.

Is a democratic vote a better way of choosing?

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Out of Competition – a novel for Cannes?

This is not Cannes. Or the Cannes Film Festival. Let me say that upfront. It’s Renne-Sur-Mer, a far better film festival by the way, a film festival not many get to see because they are blinded by the tinsel razzle-dazzle of Cannes’ annual event, or so it seems.

I documented a year in Renne-Sur-Mer’s historical progress when some unfortunate things happened. It was sad and bit funny at times. But was it fair to portray Renne in such a, well, dubious light. I can say I documented what happened. You work it out. What year was it. You know I can’t remember but it wasn’t that long ago in the future. Here’s ten pages to give you an idea of how chaotic festivals can be when the wheels fly off.

OUT OF COMPETITION a reading sampleDownload