Dubai-based filmmaker Philip Rachid, winner of last year's DIFF-supported Samsung Short Film Competition, may have hit the jackpot during his visit to Cannes at the weekend, where his competition-winning short film Happy Birthday is screening in short film corner as part of his prize.
The aspiring director, who tells us he is in the early stages of developing his debut feature, is staying in the resort’s plush Majestic Hotel and says: “It was insane. It’s my first morning here, and I’m coming down in the lift, and realised I’m standing next to Harvey Weinstein. I was like, ‘Do I pitch my film to him?”
Rachid, sadly, thought better of trying to do a deal with the legendary Hollywood producer, saying: “I guess that’s why they invented the term ‘elevator pitches’ – and why they never work.”
If our sources are to be believed, it seems Rachid may have been looking in the wrong place, anyway. We gather that multimillionaire Weinstein was spotted at one of Cannes’ many glitzy parties courting Britain’s recently revealed richest man, Warner Music owner Len Blavatnic, who has an estimated fortune of £13.7billion (Dh79bn).
It seems there are fish, big fish and really ridiculously huge fish out there in the filmmaking pond.
cnewbould@thenational.ae
