Although New York has been Woody Allen’s lifelong muse, the filmmaker’s cinematic journeys to London, Barcelona, and now Paris prove that he is more than open to broadening his creative canvas.  His latest work, Midnight In Paris, was the opening night movie at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, and at a news conference he described impression of the City of Lights.

“Paris is a very exciting city,” said Allen at a Cannes Film Festival news conference.  “I learned about Paris the same way all Americans do - from the movies.  I didn’t go to Paris until I was a grownup, until 1965.  When I went to Paris, it was the Paris I knew only from American movies.  And that’s the same New York City I’ve shown to people around the world in a picture like Manhattan.  It’s the Manhattan that I don’t see around me but the one that I recognize from movies.  This is the same thing in Paris.  I wanted to show the city emotionally.  The way I felt about it.  It didn’t matter to me how real it was or what it reflected.  I just wanted it to be the way I saw Paris.  Paris through my eyes.”

An avid movie buff, Mr. Allen elaborated on his love for foreign films.  “When I was a young man, my friends and I and those of us in New York were very influenced by French cinema,” added Allen. “We were influenced by European cinema in general.” (click on the media bar and listen to Allen elaborate on his appreciation of such French filmmakers as Rene Clair). 

Midnight in Paris, which stars Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams, opens in New York and Los Angeles May 20th.

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posted by Greg Srisavasdi