A short film pulling together archive footage from the first 19 editions was shown on the opening weekend.
I was thinking about him all the time last night.
I think he would be proud of this festival and the way it has grown.
Mélita Toscan du PlantierMarc Piasecki/WireImage)
When we started there was only making four films a year and now its more like 30.
We couldnt not have them in Competition because theyre good films.
I had two babies to look after, and the love of my life was gone.
We had always worked together.
We were a team.
I was broken, she says.
It was his Majesty who asked me to continue.
At the time, I thought that was very courageous of him to ask a woman.
Its my job and I work hard for that.
Im not sure I would be able to do it for another festival.
This kind of my baby in a way.
She suggests her fighting spirit and determination stems from a difficult childhood in the shadow of a violent father.
I really truly learned how to survive, she says.
Im not driven by money, but Im driven by passion.
I think artists also trust me because Im straightforward and honest.
They know I wont betray them or ever put them in a bad position.
One of Toscan du Plantiers strongest festival allies over the years has been Martin Scorsese.
