I first went to Cannes in 1970 when my dad, John Boorman, had a film playing in competition. It was Leo the Last, about a deposed Italian prince living in London, and I remember holding hands with my sister and its star Marcello Mastroianni as we ran along the beach being chased by paparazzi. Dad won best director. I was so excited.
Eleven years later, he was back with Excalibur 11 years later, based on the King Arthur legend. I spent so long waving to the crowd and having my photo taken, I didn't notice everyone else had gone into the cinema. Dad grabbed my arm, only for the door to be closed in our faces. He turned to me with a look of fury. Eventually, we were spotted by an official, pulled through the crowd, and aallowed in. I arrived on the stage with my beautiful dress in tatters.
Later, in 1998, my brother Charley and I went along with Dad, who was presenting The General, about a heroic Dublin robber. Because there were no spare rooms, we ended up sharing one bed at the Carlton Hotel. In the morning, a waiter brought us breakfast and looked amazed. He winked at me as if to say: "You saucy trollop!" I was horrified.
Now I'm back in Cannes with my first film, a documentary called Me and Me Dad. At the afterparty for the premiere of Lawless, its star Shia LaBeouf told me he watched Dad's Deliverance many times in preparation for the role.
The next day we wake to a deluge. There is not a taxi to be found. So we end up getting taken to my premiere in two Lamborghinis that were sitting around since the car-maker part-sponsors the festival. A leggy blonde emerges out of the car picking up my father, who has a smile as wide as the Croisette. I hop into mine, and next we're on the red carpet, me in a pink sequinned gown and looking like a cross between Barbara Cartland and the Queen Mother. The paparazzi scream our names. In the lobby, we meet Alain Resnais, 91, and still making movies. He hugs Dad who's 81 – but suddenly he seems like a teenager.
