From the time of Bourbon kings and Saracen princes, the romantic village of Cannes would be invaded regularly. The townsfolk tended not to fight, instead plied the intruders with fine food and accommodations till they ran out of money or strength and went home. Nothing has changed from the 12th Century to the 21st.

Welcome to the 58th Cannes Film Festival! If you already on the Croisette at an Internet Café for the May 11-22 fest, read the “Dining and Schmoozing” section and stay tuned. If you can’t be there, we will take you there -- from the premieres like “Star Wars III” and parties to the deals and events that may shape your world. From the majors to the indies, red carpet soirees to who is funding films, we are there for you.

One should note that there are (at least) three Cannes, the Festival, the market and the social scene. The Festival is best known, with its glamour and its official Palme d’Or competition of films from around the world, and “sidebars” like Un Certain Regard and Camera d’Or, not to mention the numerous “minibar” competitions and salutes. This is where you see the red carpets lined with fans, paparazzi and soldiers in plumed helmets – and elegant parties afterwards. However, the fest is symbiotic with the market. That is the more important element for actors and industry folk, as the deals on napkins made after a trailer screening at a little sidestreet cinema and a drinks on the Carlton Terrace are the ones still to be cast and make their mark on the film world.

The Festival

The official competition for the Palme d’Or is the highest honor, won last year by Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 9/11” as it was a good film, but also the dozen judges in Cannes may have voted to change the world, as Moore hoped. And would have, but for 190,000 other votes in faraway Ohio.

They don’t like to let American films win this too often, there was even in-fighting amongst judges when Quentin Tarantino and “Pulp Fiction” appeared from nowhere and blew everyone away to eventually win. After all, the journalists there are from 76 countries and number more than 3,000 – and those are just the ones with official badges.

Which makes Cannes an ideal place from which to launch a worldwide film, even if its not in competition. The brightest star and hottest ticket this year will of course be out-of-competition “Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith” the finale in the George Lucas’ most recent celestial trilogy. Critics are already calling it his best, or at least since “The Empire Strike Back” and Fox is bringing out all the stars like Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Samuel Jackson and we hope Darth Vader and Yoda too.

Other stars to look for on the Croisette this year are Woody Allen, Bruce Willis, Val Kilmer, Viggo Mortensen, Danny Glover, Edward Norton, Kevin Bacon, William Hurt, Tim Roth, Benicio del Toro, Mickey Rourke, Bill Murray, Sam Shepard and Robert Downey Jr. Quite a lineup of leading men but the ladies on the list like Scarlett Johansson, Sharon Stone and Jessica Lange know how to light up a red carpet and more are always expected.

Yet this year there are still some familiar directors in official competition for those in the States, especially if you like arthouse fare. Jim Jarmusch is bringing “Bronken Flowers,” Wim Wenders says “Don’t Come Knocking,” Gus Van Sant will show his “Last Days” and David Cronenberg has “A History of Violence.” Especially interesting, Oscar winning actor Tommy Lee Jones presents his first feature directing effort, “The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada.” Perhaps this action veteran has the directing touch like his buddy Clint Eastwood. It’s hard to spend as much time making films as Jones has without picking up a few tricks.

Most of the above and other respected directors like Lars Von Trier, Hou Hsiao Hsien and Jear-Pieere and Luc Dardenne have been in competition in Cannes before but fest Artistic Delagete Thierry Fremaux (who aside festival president Gilles Jacob is the most important in choosing films) insists this is not a step backwards. “The return of the greatest filmmakers delights just as much as the new discoveries last year. That they are here confirms their importance in contemporary creation. There are no ‘rights of entry,’ each film won us over by its own merits.”

Special exhibitions will run from Renoir to James Dean, clubs and parties will run from our favorite, the Palm Beach Casino and Nightclub, to L’Opera and every hotel ballroom, restaurant and even some villas. Note to those attending: Watch out for villa parties. You can get taxis and shuttles to these villas in the hills surrounding Cannes or Antibes and Mougin. But they all seem to dry up when you want to leave after dinner at midnight – while you still have important wheeling and dealing to do on the Carlton Terrace or another party.

The sweet secret of success for Cannes all these years is not the festival, there are 1,600 film festivals and I have been to half of them, but the market element. It is that underrated, underpinning od commerce that keeps Hollywood glued.

The Market

Buyers and sellers are looking forward to this year’s Cannes market with cautious optimism. The fact that European investors can invest in U.S. films for 80 cents on their Eurodollar because of the trade rate can make film sales here as popular as the hotel bills are high for American sellers. Plus, with Los Angeles’ AFM trade fair moving from February to the autumn, the last significant global market was the European Film Market at Berlin. That has left a long stretch through the spring without an A-list industry gathering, and independent sellers are looking to Cannes to provide the perfect platform for pent-up demand.

Two of Cannes most famous buyers and showmen, Bob and Harvey Weinstein, have a slate of some 13 projects on tap for the premiere year of the Weinstein Co. (though expect a new name), Harvey said last week during a conference call with journalists. Yet even after the sale of Miramax to Disney, they should be in Cannes and shopping. The pair will maintain relationships with filmmakers including Quentin Tarantino ("Kill Bill," "Pulp Fiction"), Robert Rodriguez ("Sin City," "Spy Kids"), Kevin Smith ("Clerks," "Dogma"), and Anthony Minghella ("The English Patient," "The Talented Mr. Ripley"). A slate of new projects and some acquisitions made while the brothers were still at Miramax are also heading to what the Weinsteins promise will be a "fully integrated media company" encompassing broadcasting, theatrical distribution, and the Internet.

Sony and Comcast’s purchase of MGM should create a bit of a market vacuum as well, having been completed just in time for the Cannes market. The $5 billion sale transforms the legenday studio into a private film, TV, and home video business and they may want to add to their catalog. Cannes vets Alex Yemenidjian and Chris McGurk may have resigned as MGM heads but with their fattened wallets, they may be on the lookout as well.

Dining, Schmoozing etc.

Connected: The whole Palais, computer savvy Noga Hilton, other hotels and net cafes are set up for wireless Internet -- courtesy of the tech conventions they run each year. Your own laptop and programs will get you online with your own browser in seconds at a beautiful French café. Buy an SFR WiFi card to connect your laptop with the internet. You can purchase them for an hour or for the entire week at the Palais and even at the train station.

Dining: This deserves many columns, but here’s a few quick tips to eat well and meet the folks you need to. Tetou, Felix, Roger Verge’s Moulin du Mougin, and Andre Sermaine’s Relais du Mougin are the top restaurants in the area, tops in the world depending on the Michelin guy’s rating this year. Do try to hit one or two to see celebs, but we see just as many studio heads and stars at other great places. Two pizza places to know, Vesuvio on the Croisetteand Le Pizza in the old harbor. Both will serve your gourmet palate, pocketbook and schmoozing needs. Above Le Pizza is Old Cannes, the windy, romantic streets lined with tiny restaurants and the finest chefs.

The pre parties started in Los Angeles last week with Moving Pictures Magazine threw a bash ot Cinespace on Hollywood Blvd. that included music from Spearhead members and trailer screenings including one of our favorites, “The Aryan Couple” from John Daly about a Jewish couple who disguise themselves in WWII.

And Cannes was on everybody’s lips last week at a more intimate, star-studded bash as Christina Aguilera and her fiancée hosted an engagement party at an ocean front suite at Shutters in Santa Monica. There were thirty or so well wishers, all dressed in evening attire...no spandex or t-shirts were seen for a change.
Champagne, chocolate covered strawberries, and multi-colored balloons were everywhere, as was the heavy security surrounding the suite. Sean Penn's story telling was a highlight to this event. Christina and her fiancée were stylish, both in dark suits and as happy as two people could be.