DAY 5 – CANNES 2008 – INDIANA JONES PREMIERE

(BY ALI NADERZAD) The usually frantic Cannes Festival reached fever pitch today for the world premiere of Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull. Journalists turned into starstruck fans and the masses outside the doors of the palais grew in size exponentially. And it was an event: Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Harrison Ford walked down the red carpet just before the scheduled 7:30 screening in the Lumiere Theatre accompanied by Shia Labeouf and Cate Blanchett. Festival president Gilles Jacob who usualy stands at the top of the stairs to greet all the premiere’s guests came halfway down the steps to greet the film’s delegation. Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull might not go down as the best one of the franchise but it packs a visual wollop and originality. And yet, many festival-goers haven’t quite warmed up to it as expected. But the critics won’t get to Harrison Ford this time. He confided being a little detached from them.