Cannes Film Fest Sued by French Director

PARIS — The Cannes Film Festival is being sued by Paul Verhoeven, a Paris-based filmmaker who happens to have the same name as the well-known Dutch director of “Total Recall” and “Basic Instinct.”

Verhoeven, a 73-year-old director with two feature film credits, is suing Cannes for “homophobia” because the festival did not select “Teenagers,” a gay drama dealing with terrorism, back in 2009.

The claim has been perceived by local journos as absurd since the Cannes festival has supported many movies dealing with gay issues, notably Abdellatif Kechiche’s romance “Blue Is the Warmest Color,” which won a Palme d’Or.

Verhoeven’s lawsuit is reportedly the first ever filed against the high-profile festival.

“Teenagers” earned poor reviews but managed to win one nod for best narrative feature at the California Film Awards.

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