METRO-CHIVALROUS IN CANNES
Text by Toby Rose
Manners might maketh man, but they can cramp the style of the go-getting deal maker - common courtesy versus cuss words is often an unequal fight. And Cannes Film Festival is a stardust place of sharp elbows, hard knocks and no prisoners.
Yes, the glittery festival can be a raucous bunfight to grab attention, to pitch, and to make a splash. Or to get red carpet or A-list party tickets. And you only have little over a week to get a result, so no surprise manners and niceties slip down the list. There is many an affront on the seafront of glamour. To paraphrase Gordon Gekko - who returned to the big screen this year at Cannes in Wall Street II. "Please and thank you is for wimps".
It’s a brave place to launch any initiative to bring back old fashioned manners but Chivas is bidding to relaunch the old fashioned beau geste with a web forum at Cannes 2010 for latter day chivalry and is backing decency with a website highlighting acts of gallantry.
Cheerleader is Olivier Bassil. He might be devilishly handsome but he is a guardian angel of gallantry. This latter-day Lancelot is on the look-out for those prepared to slay the dragon of the rude and ruthless in our rough and tumble modern world.
It's a tall order and this noble cause is not just restricted to hetero ladies and gentlemen, Olivier is keen to embrace the pink and pious. Metrogallantry?
"Yes, we’re keen to embrace everyone and that includes the gay community," explains London-based French web maestro Olivier. “Chivas Regal’s ‘Live with Chivalry’ movement celebrates the concepts of masculine brotherhood, honour, class and sophistication. I like the term ‘MetroChivalry' as it applies to today's modern man living a fulfilled life by inspiring others through his gallant and elegant actions.”
So share your tales of decent behaviour and you will be a contender for a Palme d'Or for politeness. So don't tell people to Smirn-off - consider a little tot of Chivas chivalry.
Find the alerts on http://chivaspresscannes.com, the blog http://blog.squa.re/category/escape/chivalry/ and http://twitter.com/ChivalryCannes
