We didn't quite know what the
organizers meant by saying that the Grand
Palais is difficult to control
until the
show's opening night. Of course, we liked the idea of yurts in Paris and we know that they make
beautiful settings in which to show movies, but there was a practical element to using them to too: Paris in January is
cold and it's very difficult to heat a space that is 72,000 square meters. Yurts, on the other hand, are very good at retaining heat when
necessary. So when we arrived on opening night we, along with the many thousands of other guests, headed straight to the warmth of the yurts.
Each yurt showcased a different film in which people from around the world responded to a
different
question. One film asked individuals what war has meant in their lives. Another spoke to the meaning of family; still another was about how to make love last. The films were honest, moving, and sometimes funny. As we watched regular people from around the world, we understood something more about the similarities and diversity among the world's population. At the same time we realized that we were sitting with people from around the world and there, inside the yurts, we began to feel a little closer to them.
Ask a question about the yurt experience
here.