George W. Bush suffered a serious blow at last year's Cannes Film Festival when the jury decided to award the Palme d'Or to Michael Moore's controversial documentary Fahrenheit 9/11.
The film's anti-Bush rhetoric was perceived by many as a sign that the competition had become overtly political.
Now I learn that the President is on the receiving end of another piece of critical film-making, this time from Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio. "Leo has made a short documentary called Water Planet, which calls on Bush and other world leaders to try to be more proactive about the growing global water crisis," I'm told. "The film is showing on the internet and from next month will be screened on television stations and schools across America."
DiCaprio's campaign doesn't stop there: "He has sent Bush a signed petition asking him to commit to a legally binding UN treaty declaring clean water as a basic human right."
When she sat down to write the screenplay for Chromophobia, Martha Fiennes had no idea she would be flying the flag for British cinema alone.
Indeed, the film - in which her brothers Ralph and Joseph both star - has been chosen to close the festival.
But being the only Brit is not without its pressures. "I'm honoured to be here, but people keep asking why there are so few British films in competition this year and I can't answer them," Fiennes tells me. "It's up to all the people in the positions of power to explain why. The British film industry has taken a knock with the withdrawal of tax incentives."DAILY TELEGRAPH
