Cannes Stands by Terry Gilliam's 'Don Quixote' Despite Producer's Lawsuit to Block Screening

jonathan pryce terry gilliam don quixote

The Cannes Film Festival reaffirmed its plans to screen Terry Gilliam’s long-delayed “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote” despite a lawsuit by producer Paulo Branco seeking to block the closing-night screening at next month’s festival.

“We strongly affirm that we stand squarely on the side of filmmakers and in particular on the side of Terry Gilliam,” festival president Pierre Lescure and general delegate Thierry Frémaux said in a statement. “The trouble were caused on this last occasion by the actions of a producer who has shown his true colours once and for all during this episode and who has threatened us, via his lawyer, with a ‘humiliating defeat.'”

Branco, a producer who was attached to “Don Quixote” but left after pre-production disputes, filed suit last Wednesday seeking an injunction to prevent Cannes from screening the film. His lawyer issued a statement claiming that Gilliam needs Branco’s permission to screen the film.

Also Read: Cannes Adds Terry Gilliam's 'Don Quixote,' Lars von Trier's 'The House That Jack Built'

A judge is expected to rule on Branco’s suit on May 7, at the start of the festival. The film is currently scheduled to screen on the event’s closing night, May 19, timed to its release on 300 screens in France.

Festival organizers couldn’t resist taking a swipe at Branco himself. “As Mr Branco has so far been very prominent in the media and legal spheres it seems necessary to state the reasons which led us to choose the film and risk action by the producer, whose lawyer, Juan Branco, likes to point out that his image and his credibility are essentially built on his numerous appearances at Cannes and by his closeness to the great auteurs honoured by the Festival,” Lescure and Frémaux said. “The latter is true, which adds to our bemusement.”

Also Read: Terry Gilliam Finally Wraps Production on 'The Man Who Killed Don Quixote' After Nearly 2 Decades

The festival organizers also framed the issue as one of free expression. “Defeat would be to succumb to threats,” they wrote, citing the fact that “two filmmakers invited to take part in the Official Selection are under house arrest in their own countries.”

“It is more important than ever to remember that artists need us to support them, not attack them,” they wrote. “That has always been the tradition of the Festival de Cannes and so it will remain.”

A rep for Amazon Studios, which is releasing the film domestically, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The 13 Tackiest Cannes PR Stunts, From Blake Lively's Sharks to Sacha Baron Cohen's Mankini (Photos)

From a faux terrorist attack to sharks in the French Riviera, promoters often miss the mark with their gaudy Cannes PR stunts.
Faux “Terror Raid” to Promote Oraxy
Guests at Hotel du Cap Eden-Roc got a surprise visit by men outfitted in militia-themed gear last year, who approached the hotel by boat. It was a publicity stunt for the Paris-based Oraxy, which describes itself as “the world’s first private global marketplace reserved exclusively for UHNWI,” or Ultra High Net Worth Individuals.
Sacha Baron Cohen Wears Green Mankini
In 2006, Sacha Baron Cohen sported a bright green male thong known as the “mankini” to promote “Borat! Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.”
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Sacha Baron Cohen Brings a Camel
In 2012, “The Dictator” actor turned up with two model bodyguards and a camel. He even managed to fall off the camel, which bore a license plate with “Wadiya 1” on it – a reference to the fictional North African Republic of Wadiya, where “The Dictator” was set.
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T.J. Miller Parachutes in to Debut "Emoji Movie" Trailer
To promote Sony’s “The Emoji Movie,” T.J. Miller parasailed into Cannes before unveiling a trailer for the film, in which he voices Gene, the Meh emoji. Emojis don't feel very Cannes.
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"The Shallows" Brings in Fake Sharks
To promote Blake Lively's nautical horror film, Screen Gems planted fake sharks in the French Riviera.

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Faux Snow for "A Christmas Carol"
Disney tapped Jim Carrey for a new version of “A Christmas Carol” in 2009 — and decided to bring the holiday spirit to Cannes by covering the Croisette with snow. Not the best example of reading the room or, in this case, the luxurious French beach town in the middle of May. Shout out to Robin Wright and Colin Firth in the background for looking horrified at the faux snowball fight.
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Jerry Seinfeld Flies In to Promote "Bee Movie"
In 2007, Jerry Seinfeld took Cannes by air to promote his big animated push for Disney, for which he served as writer and star and recruited pals like Chris Rock. His giant bee costume might have been worse than his notorious “Seinfeld” puffy shirt.
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Angelina Jolie, Will Smith Ride Inflatable Shark
Will Smith, Angelina Jolie and Jack Black rode a 14-foot inflatable shark to promote "Shark Tale" in 2004.
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"Trolls" Wigs
Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake promoted "Trolls" in 2016 with an array of women wearing bright-colored outfits and wigs reminiscent of the costumes in the movie. Also, they're all in gowns -- a play on Cannes fashion?
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Gaspar Noe’s Graphic Makeout Posters to Promote “Love”
Gaspar Noe at first shocked -- and then satisfied -- critics with his depiction of sex on film. He was praised for depicting the joyous and fervent act and staying mostly out of the realm of straight-up pornography. Promoting the film, however, was a different story. Producers wallpapered Cannes in posters of a saliva-covered triple kiss and an NSFW image of a penis and a woman's breast after climax.
Dolph Lundgren, Jean-Claude Van Damme Hold Impromptu Stage Fight
Both "Universal Soldier" actors held a stage fight on the steps of a famed staircase in 1992. Many believed it was real, but Lundgren told The Hollywood Reporter that it was planned.
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Dead pigeons for "24 Hour Party People"
In 2002, actors impersonating the band Happy Mondays mimicked a scene of the movie by throwing fake dead pigeons from the beach onto unsuspecting victims, who believed thousands of dead birds were falling from the sky, the BBC reported.
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Naked Bike Rides
Felix van Groeningen, the filmmaker behind “The Misfortunates,” decided to recreate a scene from his film where a dysfunctional family rides bikes in the nude. Just hours before a press conference, the director and his team disrobed and flew down the Croisette in the buff. A staffer on a motorcycle followed with their underwear, in case French police got a gander at them.
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