Film critic Agnes Poirier : The Cannes Film Festival is the Olympics of cinema . It was created as a reaction against Americans dictator Mussolini promoting fascist- Italian films . Poirier : At Cannes directors are free to throw tantrums and tell critics what they really think . The festival , which this year celebrates its 67th edition , stands firmly apart -- and , some would argue , above -- the rest of the crowd . 2004 success at CNN is ` Fahrenheit 9/11 '' directors and actors secretly covet , says Agnes Poirier .
Film critic Agnes Poirier : The Cannes Film Festival is the Olympics of cinema . It was created as a reaction against Americans dictator Mussolini promoting fascist- Italian films . Poirier : At Cannes directors are free to throw tantrums and tell critics what they really think . 2004 success at CNN is ` Fahrenheit 9/11 '' directors and actors secretly covet , says Agnes Poirier .