\n<\/p>\n
There is no film festival as synonymous with glamour as the fashion-filled fortnight that takes place each May in Cannes<\/a>\u2014and at the heart of the C\u00f4te d\u2019Azur-based extravaganza is its longtime partner, Chopard.<\/p>\n It all began when Caroline Scheufele, the Swiss house\u2019s cinema-loving artistic director, opened a boutique in the postcard-worthy town in 1997. Noting that the prestigious prize given to the festival winner could do with a bit of a zhuzh<\/em> (which is putting it mildly, given that it was made from plexiglass at the time) she asked the then-president for a meeting. \u201cLittle did I know I would come out with the Palme d\u2019Or and the challenge to redesign it,\u201d she told a crowd who gathered to celebrate her latest couture collection at Hotel Martinez on Thursday night.<\/p>\n But enough about the past. As always, Chopard\u2019s week was off to a busy, busy start. As soon as the first celebrity steps touches down in Nice airport, it\u2019s likely that they are soon making their way to a plush styling suite to select their red carpet-ready<\/a> jewels. The house also hosts international friends of the brand, who fly from far and wide to marvel at the 72 different one-of-a-kind haute joaillerie<\/em> creations that will debut during Cannes. You\u2019ve perhaps seen some of them too: jury member Demi Moore\u2019s opening night necklace was just one of the scene-stealers.<\/p>\n On Friday evening, Scheufele was joined at the world premiere of Guillaume Canet\u2019s Karma<\/em> starring Marion Cotillard by Odessa A\u2019zion, Connor Swindells, and Isabelle Huppert. Hours later, A\u2019zion and Swindells would be honored during the Troph\u00e9e Chopard dinner; an annual black tie ceremony spotlighting up-and-coming talent. As the latest recipients, the American actress and English actor follow in the footsteps of past honorees Diane Kruger, Florence Pugh, Anya Taylor-Joy, Joe Alwyn, John Boyega, Mike Faist, and, of course, Cotillard herself.<\/p>\n Huppert was filling the role of Godmother at this year\u2019s event, ready to bestow wisdom on the duo. \u201cI do not with you success. Success is uncertain, capricious, and sometimes deceptive,\u201d she said. \u201cI wish you freedom. The freedom to choose, to refuse, and to explore. The freedom to be yourselves. The freedom to dream. And above all, the freedom to remain faithful to the mystery that brought you here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat was horrifying,\u201d laughed 25-year-old Los Angeles native A\u2019zion, after a montage of her critically acclaimed work was presented to the room. \u201cThis is crazy and weird\u2014I\u2019ve never even been to Cannes before. There are so many actors that I admire who were part of the lineage for this award, so this is really cool,\u201d she continued, reading her acceptance speech from a piece of crinkly paper pulled from her Dior suit pocket.<\/p>\n \u201cUnlike Odessa, I rather enjoyed looking at myself up there,\u201d Swindells joked. The Sex Education<\/em> actor also emotionally thanked his late mother, Phoebe, who passed away before he got his big break. \u201cThis definitely wouldn\u2019t have been possible, if not for her. She\u2019s been an amazing spirit that\u2019s been with me all this time.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n