By Mira Advani Honeycutt
Main Street has returned to a sense of normalcy, even though the festival is not over.
That’s because it’s a wrap for the lounge scene. For the first five days of the fest, lounge-mania was in full swing. In fact there was such an abundance of gifting/networking lounges, that Main Street looked more like the Lounge Corridor.
There was the Lia Sophia Lounge at the Lift and the Red Carpet/Green Lounge across the street gifting expensive Lamborghini watches to selected VIPs.
Discretionary gifting was the key word at the Luxury Lounge showcasing socially conscious products. Guests could test drive the green Tesla car or use the lounge’s concierge services such as special access passes to the fest. In between bites of organic mini cupcakes, guests could get a luxurious Clarisonic skin treatment from Dr. Rob Akridge.
Eco-treats and green products were handed at ALIVE! Green Expo Pavilion and Lifestyle SKYN condoms at Gen Art’s VIP Daytime lounge.
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Amidst a background of high end apparel brands and consumer electronic products, Smashbox Studios’ Tweet House was an ideal place as an industry hangout for panel discussions.
Off of Main, Village at the Yard returned for the fourth year at the Anderson Lumber space on Kearns Boulevard. The 100,000-square-foot space was one big gifting/party lounge: home to official sponsor Honda, Fred Segal Fun boutique, the T-Mobile Diner, Philadelphia Industry Lounge, Nintendo’s Wii Fit Fitness Club and Aveenos’ salon, where celebrity hairstylist Patrick Melville was on hand to tend the tresses.
Overheard on the shuttle as a fest-goer spotted some VIPs stepping out of a lounge with masses of swag-bags: “Why do the rich celebrities get all this stuff, it’s us struggling filmmalkers who need it?” Spoken in the true spirit of Sundance.
January 30th, 2010 at 11:34 pm
“Why do the rich celebrities get all this stuff, it’s us struggling filmmalkers who need it?”
Here is the answer: Because celebrities influence buying decisions. Plenty of marketing studies have shown that the implied endorsement that brands gain from celebrities and sports figures can translate into sales. The pictures collect are used by brand sales teams to influence retailer buying decisions. There is potential press opportunties because of participation (how brands are mentioned above?).
February 6th, 2010 at 2:37 am
Dear Mira,
This is a very important message for you!!!!!!!!!!
I am writing this letter to bring your attention to an alleged fundraising scam involving the Ziyi Zhang Foundation spearheaded by Chinese superstar Zhang ziyi and managed by Lucas Ling (organization now closed; previous address at 525 Broadway Rm 201, New York, NY). This is now the hottest scandal in China.
February 6th, 2010 at 2:49 am
In May 2008, Miss Zhang founded the Ziyi Zhang Foundation and organized a fundraising campaign in Cannes(on which you made a report as ‘Zhang Ziyi joins in China quake aid:Launches foundation at Cannes to raise funds By Mira Advani)
February 6th, 2010 at 2:52 am
claiming that all donations collected would be channeled through her foundation and used to help Sichuan,the area in southwestern China that was struck by a scale 8.0 earthquake earlier in the month. People who were present at her campaign included Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele, head of Swiss jeweler to the stars Chopard, Christian Slater, THR publisher Eric Mika and Festival de Cannes president Thierry Fremaux,her fiance Mr. Vivi Nevo, etc. She allegedly collected one million US dollars.
February 6th, 2010 at 2:55 am
However, as of today, the money she collected has allegedly still not been received by any organization related to post-quake relief. Moreover, the Ziyi Foundation seems to be closed and no longer in operation; in other words, the money she collected seems to have “disappeared.”
February 6th, 2010 at 2:57 am
The recent tragedy in Haiti reminded me of the Sichuan earthquake and brought my attention to the opaque operations of the Ziyi Foundation. I hope that they spent the money on legitimate causes and if not, justice could be served. I trust that you as a THR reporter who had witnessed and reported the Cannes donation ceremony will thoroughly look into the matter and make sure that the truth be revealed.
Thank you very much for your attention, and please let me know if you have any questions.
February 6th, 2010 at 5:58 am
Zhang Ziyi: Celebrities Involved in fake donations, Including THR publisher Eric Mika & Chopard’s Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele
China actress Zhang Ziyi, who is well-known as the main actress in and , caught Earthquake Donation Scandal recently, as Zhang allegedly holding donations collected for Szechuan earthquake victims during the 2008 Cannes Film Festival. To redeem her honor, Zhang made a terse statement on 28 Janurary, says “as most of the donations were did by oral promises from foreign donators… and you know it is quite hard for me to chase those money, but I will continue making effort to get all donations back”.
February 6th, 2010 at 5:59 am
By citing the related news, we found that many celebrities from Europe and the U.S. appeared in Zhang’s fund raising ceremony, such as THR publisher Eric Mika and Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele, Co-President of Chopard. If if the truth as stated by Zhang, it is undoubtedly surprising, and they will face the double blow on their reputations and brand images.