An unlikely annual attraction at the Cannes Film Festival is a canny cast of falcons.
The UAE national bird plays a key role in fending off unwanted and unseemly birds — seagulls, pigeons and the like — which could distract or upset A-list al fresco diners.
According to locals, these pests steal food and upset drinks — but falcons, as well as hawks, prove the silent saviours of chic crowds on the iconic Promenade de la Croisette.
The birds of prey prove so popular that many stars have historically stopped to snap selfies with Garfield, Big Foot and Aladdin. Eva Longoria is said to share the lens with falcons every year, while action hardmen Sylvester Stallone, Antonio Banderas and Jason Statham have also stopped by to take a snap.
The birds are supplied by French falconer Christophe Puzin who, according to The Hollywood Reporter, is working his fifth festival.
The Cannes Films Festival runs from May 11-22.
rgarratt@thenational.ae
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
