Cannes-This little note was passed to me at breakfast time.
aTHENSIt marked the spot of an earlier invitation to dine that night with Michael and friends. as well as friends they are business acquaintances; their business is making blockbuster movies.
ah! There's the street; rue des Freres is lined on both sides with restaurants--their tables and seating overflow into all available outdoor space.
at the tables people were dining; waiters were serving and passersby were gawking--looking to see and be seen.
I don't know if all the tables were about movie production. I don't know if ours was either. Let's just say it had the makings.
There was first and foremost our host Michael Mendelsohn, who had brought us all together. He's the fundraiser for many multi-million dollar movies and has produced many which go back to Robin Hood and are as recent as Material Girl and Reservoir Dogs. His many talents extend to providing the big white boats, to image-building movie makers. Michael appears to be able to juggle many projects simultaneously. Like alexander the Great, he'd weep if there were no more worlds to conquer.
Seated and eating chicken to my left was the famous writer and director--Jeremy Leven and to my right--his wife Roberta, a psychotherapist who played the role of a nun in at least one of Jeremy's movies--most convincingly for she had been there and back. Years ago, single Jeremy searched through all King David's flock, but found nothing comparable to Roberta. She has been his silent mentor for many of his ideas and scripts such as Note Book.
Movie goers have also seen Jeremy's name on the credits as director of the movie Don Juan de Marco and many others.
With so much fine print in the movie business, every project requires a lawyer. Seated to Jeremy's left was Michael's brother and lawyer, Randy Mendelsohn.
Every movie needs millions of dollars and sometimes hundreds of millions, and thus is needed a hedge fund banker like Eileen. She flew over from New York to attend this dinner. Her luggage didn't have time to transfer to the London/Nice flight. So the consummate perfectionist went out and bought an appropriate dress, just for the occasion.
The last person to arrive reigned in his motorcycle right beside his chair, appropriately dressed in a black helmet and shiny black leather suit. I think he raised funds but our introduction was somewhat blurred by the noise.
Next to him sat Carli, Michael's secretary, a Toronto transplant who went to Los angeles and ended up as an assistant to Michael. She obviously loves her job and admires her boss and his wife, who recognizes a great spectacular, such as the show Cannes put on, highlighting over 30 movie producers and their music, the first year the Mendelsohns arrived in Cannes.
The last person to complete the circle was me. What had I done to merit a place in such august company. absolutely zilch! True I had produced over a hundred half-hour TV shows that were distributed out of Toronto and New York to a potential 32 million viewers weekly, but we didn't have any cruise ship enticements waiting in the bay; no huge million dollar salaries waiting in the bank; no big budgets beyond a quarter of a million dollars annually, which dribbled in by mail, in 10s and 20s.
That's why I felt that my contribution to this meeting in Cannes was like asking a tortoise to train a rabbit for the Olympics.
That's why on being invited, I gave Michael the opportunity to graciously back out, and asked him. "are you sure you want me there? His answer was, "Father!" we need you there. and I said: "I'll be there!"
To Reach Father Heffernan by CELL PHONE in Cannes, France Dial 011 33 685 8800 30
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