"cette étrange foire d'empoigne à laquelle j'essayai de donner quelque grâce"

Autograph letter signed by Jean Cocteau, president of the jury of the 1954 Cannes festival which was held from March 25 to April 9, addressed to his friend Carlo Rim, 17 lines in blue ink : "cette étrange foire d'empoigne à laquelle j'essayai de donner quelque grâce" ["this strange free-for-all to which I tried to give some grace"]
Jean Cocteau further praises Carlo Rim's impartiality and clairvoyance: "Je dois te dire ma reconnaissance pour ton oeil qui savait voir au dessus du lieu..." ["I must tell you my gratitude for your eye which knew how to see above the place..."] and denounces the struggles of influence troubling and surrounding the awarding of prizes of which he bore the brunt : "Le plus drôle c'est que ma dernière tentative de justice dérangeait encore de combinés - l'entourage de Clément ["The funniest thing is that my last attempt at justice still disturbed some schemes - Clément's entourage"] [This refers to René Clément who was competing that year with Monsieur Ripois] (il n'y est pour rien) espérant un scandale publicitaire, annulé par le prix spécial... Les petits copains que tu connais dirent qu'on m'avait téléphoné de ordres (sic)." ["(he has nothing to do with it) hoping for a publicity scandal, cancelled by the special prize... The little friends you know said that I had been telephoned orders."]
Satisfied to be rid of this cumbersome burden, Jean Cocteau nonetheless advises his friend Carlo Rim, jury member, to be vigilant for the next edition of the festival: "Le jeu n'étant pas la chandelle. L'année prochaine ouvre "l'oeil" sur le travail de mon successeur. il aura bonne mine (comme on dit)." ["The game not being worth the candle. Next year keep an 'eye' on my successor's work. He will look good (as they say)."]
In his letter, Jean Cocteau mentions René Clément who was competing that year with "Monsieur Ripois" which thus obtained, to the great joy and instigation of René Clément's entourage, the grand jury prize, "Gate of Hell" by Teinosuke Kinugasa winning the grand prize.
Fold marks inherent to postal mailing.
Provenance: from the Carlo Rim collection.
Carlo Rim was a Provençal writer, author notably of "Ma belle Marseille", a caricaturist, a filmmaker: "Justin de Marseille", "L'armoire volante", "La maison Bonnadieu", and was notably the friend of Fernandel, Raimu and Marcel Pagnol but also of Max Jacob and André Salmon whom he met in Sanary.