At age 70, multi-Oscar winner Francis Ford Coppola (“The Godfather” film series) says his career is at a place where he always wanted to be, making small-budget, independent, personal film without interference from financiers and producers.

Coppola is regular presence at Cannes: “You're a Big Boy Now” was shown in Competition back in 1967, and he won two Palme d'Or awards for “The Conversation” in 1974 and for “Apocalypse, Now” in 1979. This year, “Tetro” serves as the opening night of the alternative sidebar, Directors Fortnight. Coppola explains: “They had a lot of movies this year, and they had their hands full juggling all the important directors–Almodovar, Tarantino. But they only have 20 slots in competition. They kindly offered me the same kind of gala as the one for “Apocalypse Redux” in 2001. But I felt this is such a persal independent film, that I wanted to be considered as a personal filmmaker who's made a new film. When they couldn't offer me that, I said I'd rather not go. Four days later, I got a letter from the Fortnight asking to see my picture, after which they were enthusiastic and asked if it could open the sidebar.

Brad Pitt was the first actor to join the ensemble cast as Lieutenant Aldo Raine.  Tarantino flew to France during pre-production to meet with the actor.  Say Tarantino: “He’s wonderful.  We’ve wanted to work together for a long time and this was just the right one, completely.  I really didn’t consider anyone else.”

“Terminator Salvation,” directed by McG and starring Christian Bale, is being released May 21, 2009 by Warner Bros.

The practical challenge for the filmmakers of “Terminator Salvation” was to bring to life an America circa 2018 with its sun-blasted expanses, skeletal cities and both human and Terminator occupants.  From finding the ideal locations and shooting facilities, to the fabrication of every physical element, to the type of film stock used to capture the otherworldly vistas he sought, McG worked in close collaboration with his team to create a unified and totally new vision for the post-apocalyptic reality of the story.

Taking Woodstock, Ang Lee’s new feature film about the seminal event, receives its world premiere at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival (in competition), exactly 40 years after the actual phenom took place.

Would the movie, based on a personal memoir, leave imprint on the current cultural milieu?  You will be amused to realize that back in 1969, the following words held meanings beyond their dictionary ones:

Axe: Any musical instrument, or any tool you use to do your art.

Ball:  (as a noun) A good time; (as a verb) Sexual intercourse.

“Taking Woodstock,” the new film from Oscar Award-winning director Ang Lee (“BRokeback Mountain”), receives its world premiere at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival in competition.  It will be released by Focus Features in the summer.