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In "The Sea of Trees", an American, played by Matthew
McConaughey, travels to Japan to enter the Aokigahara forest and
kill himself after his wife's (Naomi Watts) death. There he
meets a Japanese (Ken Watanabe) and both start a journey of
self-reflection and survival.
"It's an isolation to get to salvation, how facing death helps
you find life," McConaughey told a news conference on Saturday.
The effort was dubbed a 'dishonest tear-jerker' by The Guardian
and Variety called it a "risibly long-winded drama".
Van Sant, who won the Palme d'Or with "Elephant" in 2003, did
not appear too concerned.
Academy Award winner McConaughey put on a relaxed face, too,
telling a news conference ahead of Saturday's public premiere:
"Anyone has as much right to boo as they do to ovate."
Van Sant said: "I read one review this morning and it was very
definitive. I was imagining everyone was the same person as the
one who wrote it and I was like now I know where we stand - it
was kind of nice but then I got nervous later."
"Elephant" also had a mixed reception from the press before
winning the highest distinction.
"I remember... there was some kind of fight after Elephant's
screening, there was a fisticuffs about whether it was good or
bad," said Van Sant.
"They were punching each other and that was at Cannes."
Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions has acquired US rights to "The
Sea of Trees", an opus that is more reminiscent of Van Sant's
"Gerry" than his more acclaimed "Good Will Hunting" or "Milk",
before the Cannes Festival.
(Editing by Clelia Oziel)
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