James Franco Makes Mark in Cannes, Talks Up New Film ‘Foster’

Even without a movie in the official selection, James Franco is making a mark at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

The 48-year-old actor turned up Tuesday night at the opening ceremony, posing on the grand Palais red carpet arm-in-arm with longtime girlfriend Izabel Pakzad with whom he has made a handful of Cannes appearances in recent years. He sat in the audience as Peter Jackson accepted an honorary Palme d’Or from his Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood and looked on as jury members like Demi Moore, Ruth Negga and Stellan Skarsgard were introduced, followed by a stage appearance from Jane Fonda and Gong Li to officially declare the fest open for business.

During the gala dinner later in the evening, Franco told Deadline’s Baz Bamigboye that he has been focused on living a “positive life” in the wake of scandal, one filled as much as possible with his passion for acting. “I just try to be the best person I can be,” Franco said. “I think I was put on this planet to make movies. I try to make movies the best I can, and it’s kinda like all I can do.”

Franco teased to Bamigboye that he’s wrapped a role in an unnamed studio film that’s due out next year, in addition to a slate of films he’s shepherding in Cannes. “I’ve been here the last three or four years running, selling things,” he said. “They treat me well, and I get to go and see great movies.”

He spent some time this week watching one of his own. Franco turned up at the Palais on Wednesday in support of a Cannes Market screening presented by Top Film Distribution of his newest film, the action thriller Foster. The Hollywood Reporter has learned that Franco will personally be meeting with international buyers as the Timothy Woodward Jr.-directed film seeks distribution.

He also offered remarks at the market showing. “It was great and turned into a family effort, but on a high level,” he said of production. “It’s just a fun action movie that we got to shoot in L.A., and it felt old-fashioned L.A. in the best possible way. Thanks for showing up, and I think you’re gonna enjoy it.”

Franco stars as the title character in Foster, playing Donald “Don” Foster, a man who is haunted by his past and clawing his way through sobriety in search of peace. When a troubled addict (Natalie Burn) leaves her young son on his doorstep, Don is dragged back into the violent underworld he thought he left behind as he’s hunted by a ruthless crime boss (Ron Perelman) that he previously worked for. But with a young boy to protect, Don now has a reason to seek redemption. James Frain and Wesley River round out the cast.

“Making Foster was a hell of a ride. James challenged us to go deeper, so we went back to page one and rebuilt the script from the ground up. I wanted Foster to feel like a film from another era — gritty, emotional, violent, and completely human,” said director Woodward, who directed from a script by Cory Todd Hughes and Adrian Speckert.

Franco’s other upcoming projects include the comedy Toad, The Razor’s Edge, The Long Home, Golden State Killer and more.