It’s unusual for Cannes to showcase a film that is not finished. But when the actress Salma Hayek is producing and wants to host an evening showcasing animation from a forthcoming adaptation of Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet, exceptions can be made. Published in 1923, The Prophet is a collection of 26 essays written by the Lebanese artist and philosopher on all aspects of life including children, death, eating and marriage. The US$12 million (Dh44m) animation is being backed by the Doha Film Institute and will likely premiere in Doha later this year. Cannes Interntional Film Festival’s artistic director Thierry Fremaux introduced the 47-year-old Hayek as a Mexican star, but she was quick to point out that it was her Lebanese heritage – and deep personal connection to the book – that fuelled her desire to make this film. “Thierry spoke about me being Mexican, but I would also like to speak about me being Lebanese,” said Hayak. “As a Lebanese woman I’ve been looking for a part to play where I could represent Lebanese or Arab women and in my very long career I’ve not been able to find a part playing an Arabic woman and this made me very sad. So when I had the opportunity to do this film, to me it was a way to write a love letter to this part of my heritage.
Posted on: Mon, 30 Jun 2014 15:15:55 +0000