30 years ago, Pulp Fiction was an event at Cannes

When Quentin Tarantino and his actors climbed the palace steps to eternal glory…

The years pass, but pulp Fiction remains one of the most notable Palmes d’Or on the Croisette. And precisely, on May 21, 1994, exactly 30 years ago, Quentin Tarentino and his team were in Cannes, to climb the steps of the Palais des Festivals.

By his side, Bruce Willis, Uma Thurman, John Travolta or Maria de Medeiros posed on the red carpet, while waiting for the very first screening of the film, four months before its release in American and then French theaters.

During a midnight session remained memorable, pulp Fiction created the sensation. If the violence of the director's cinema Reservoir Dogs generated a wave of controversy, it was quickly extinguished by the enthusiasm of the Croisette, “hyped” by the Hollywood stars of the film, arriving at Cannes.

“A box office star, a legendary figure of the 1980s and a young premiere who is on the rise“, said this report at the time, describing thus Bruce Willis, John Travolta And Uma Thurmanthe three stars of “Octopus Fiction”.

It must be said that producer Harvey Weinstein and his brother Robert had decided to do an XXL promotional campaign on the French Riviera, by placing their stars in numerous lunches and dinners.

Bruce Wilis party a lot on the Croisette, in the Cannes spring of 1994. To the point that he missed the wake-up call for the film's huge press conference the day after the screening. “However, I had briefed everyone the day before: in Cannes, the time is now.” Jean-Pierre Vincent, the film's press officer, told us on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of pulp Fiction. “I call the Cape Town hotel where the concierge tells me he has instructions: no calls for Bruce Willis and his publicist before late in the morning. I contact the driver who explains to me that he made the tour of the Grand Dukes and only returned at 8 a.m….” The star will eventually show up in front of a packed room, full of journalists excited by the film… and a Quentin Tarantino visibly furious with his star.

I have to say that Quentin Tarantino is a little stressed. The American filmmaker arrived in Cannes on the second day of the festival. “And he goes to see two to three films a day.”, confided Jean-Pierre Vincent. According to the American, there is no doubt that the Palme d'Or will go to the film Three Colors: Red by the Polish Krzysztof Kieslowski. He had not planned to attend the closing ceremony. But president Gilles Jacob asks that the entire cast return to the Croisette, for the awards ceremony. QT then imagines a Palme of collective interpretation for its stars. But nothing. No price for pulp Fiction, until the last second. “There, I hear Quentin say: We got fucked! Because only Rouge and Pulp Fiction remained. For him, it was over…” remembered Jean-Pierre Vincent. But it is indeed the name of Tarantino's film that Clint Eastwood, President of the Jury of this 47th edition of the Festival, pronounces which will go down in history.

From, pulp Fiction has earned its cult film stature. Quentin Tarantino and its actors were even treated to a trip up the steps of the Palace in 2014, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the film, punctuated by a night session full of memories on the Cannes beach. An extremely rare tribute.

This year, it's in Hollywood that pulp Fiction celebrated its 30th birthday. Uma Thurman, John Travolta, Harvey Keitel and Samuel L. Jackson gathered in front of the legendary Chinese Theater in Los Angeles for the photo and to continue to keep the flame of pulp Fiction.