As the 50th edition of the Deauville Festival was launched this Friday, September 6, autograph hunters are hiding among the audience. Some return each year with the hope of collecting a signature from their favorite stars.
Some fans of actors and actresses are content to admire them in front of a screen, while others flock to cultural events in the hope of getting an autograph. On the occasion of the 50th Deauville American Film Festival, launched on September 6, autograph hunters are out in force.
The goal: to share a special moment with celebrities, especially those they admire the most.
Sylvie, a 63-year-old retiree, met her husband at this festival more than ten years ago. After several years together, he passed on to her his techniques for obtaining the maximum number of autographs.
“What’s beautiful is being close to these people who are very generous in approaching the crowd, signing words… I didn’t think it was that simple,” she tells BFM Normandie.
Organized hunters
To keep a good memory of these meetings, some hunters, like Manuel, have equipped themselves over the years.
Equipped with sheets of paper, he “sticks the photo” of the celebrity in question and “makes them sign at the bottom” of the page. Everything is carefully stored in a binder, already filled with numerous autographs.
Among all the stars present, Manuel hopes to get an autograph from Natalie Portman. “She’s an actress I love, even if she’s not easy. But hey, we’ll see, maybe in Deauville she’ll be nicer,” he says.
He also has the signature of Michelle Williams, an actress seen in Shutter Island and more recently in The Fabelmans.
The Deauville Festival will end on September 15. Between now and then, the hunters may have the chance to approach the many celebrities present. More than just friends, the autograph hunters have become a real family.
Timothée Peigney with Mélanie Hennebique
