At the 62nd annual Cannes Film Festival, there's time for screenings that celebrate new talents and time between screenings to honor the greats. Not to mention all the parties later!

Martin Scorsese's presentation of the Technicolor classic, The Red Shoes, may have delayed the 10:30 p.m. Friday screening of Lee Daniels' inner-city drama, Precious, but the late start didn't dim the enthusiasm of the packed house.

Director Daniels introduced the film, alongside stars Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz and Gabbie Sidibe, who plays the title role, a 16-year-old girl struggling with abuse. Daniels, visibly exhausted, still charmed the crowd: "Je suis fatigué [I'm very tired]. I've had too much champagne, so I'm not able to give the speech I spent three weeks preparing…"

While Daniels described the film's long journey from page to screen, Carey couldn't help but chime in. As Daniels noted, "I say this movie was made with love, bubble gum, popsicle sticks, everyone on this stage and grace…" Carey, from the side, added, "And grease." 

Flustered, Daniels laughed: "Mariah, you're throwing me off." Carey's wisecracks didn't distract the audience (including Elizabeth Banks, who seems to be taking in as many films as possible), who gave Precious a rapturous standing ovation.

Earlier, the American Pavilion was the place to be on Friday afternoon, with two separate events honoring two very different giants of film. First, Roger Ebert was honored by a host of well-wishers in his return to Cannes after several cancer surgeries.

The American Pavilion named its conference center in Ebert's honor, and Scorsese praised Ebert's efforts promoting the best of film. Speaking through a computer-aided voice box, Ebert reminisced about his memories of the fest. "I love this festival. I spent seven years of my life here one week at a time. It's the best place in the world to see movies."

Later in the afternoon, director Francis Ford Coppola took part in a raucous Q&A hosted by L.A. Weekly critic Scott Foundas. Coppola, whose new film Tetro is playing in the Director's Fortnight, looked back on his own mixed history: "I always tell the young people, the things you get fired for are the things they (later) give you Lifetime Achievement Awards for."

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