One Shot: A look back at Cannes premiere and Oscar winner 'The Artist'

When Michel Hazanavicius’ “The Artist” premiered astatine Cannes 15 years ago, it rapidly became a captious darling, sweeping each large grant and becoming the archetypal soundless movie to triumph the champion representation Oscar since 1929. Its charm lies successful the meet-cute chemistry betwixt George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) and Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo), 2 movie stars mirroring Hollywood’s displacement to sound: George embodies the past, Peppy the future. When the brace reunite for the film’s climactic pat dance, French cinematographer Guillaume Schiffman “had ideas astir however I wanted it to look but I truly didn’t cognize however to bash it,” helium recalls, comparing the characters to Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds successful “Singin’ successful the Rain.” Working with gaffer Jim Plannette, Schiffman referenced classical films portion adding his ain interpretation, capturing the series connected 35mm colour movie banal and converting it to achromatic and white. “Michel ever said the astir important happening was the emotion you get from the framing and lighting. I’m precise instinctive, but we had to beryllium cautious with the extent of tract and everything other truthful it looked similar an old-time movie.” Looking back, the Oscar nominee calls “The Artist” a vocation highlight. “I grew up loving musicals. And it was a imagination travel true, particularly successful Los Angeles, to bash a movie similar my American begetter showed maine from erstwhile helium was young. It’s my souvenir.”