Cannes '08: Times film critic Kenneth Turan discusses 'Blindness' with director Fernando Meirelles

Times film critic Kenneth Turan caught up with "Blindness" director Fernando Meirelles here in Cannes:

When Brazilian director Fernando Meirelles was told that the Festival de Cannes wanted his new film, "Blindness," to open this year's event Wednesday night, he was "surprised, to be honest." Not because of a lack of faith in what he'd done, but because of the nature of his accomplishment.

Taken from the novel by Portuguese Nobel Prize-winner José Saramago and starring Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo and Danny Glover, "Blindness" is in large part a disturbing, unnerving parable about the horrific ways society disintegrates when everyone in it (except Moore's character) goes inexplicably blind. It is not exactly a pretty picture, and, Meirelles says with a smile about opening night, "there's a dinner afterwards, it's not good for the digestion. In France, they like to boo, so I'm a bit worried."

The rest of the interview and story can be read here. See a video clip of the opening night film here. And don't miss Choire Sicha's interview with Alice Braga, in which the "Blindness" actress talks about her agent and religion, here.

-- Sheigh Crabtree

Photo: Director Fernando Meirelles at the opening-night dinner at the Carlton Hotel during the 61st International Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday. (Wireimage)