Pitt, Penn film booed at Cannes

Terrence Malick lived up to both his public and professional reputation at the Cannes Film Festival, remaining out of sight while premiering a film that left crowds divided over its thematic scope, emotional depth and visual grandeur.

The notoriously press-shy Malick was nowhere to be seen after "The Tree of Life," the writer-director's long-awaited epic drama of creation and one family's place in it, screened for critics and reporters before its official festival premiere.

The film - starring Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and Jessica Chastain - drew a scattering of harsh, prolonged boos, answered by enthusiastic applause from others at the press screening.

"The Tree of Life" is only Malick's fifth film in a nearly 40-year career, and his first at Cannes since 1979's "Days of Heaven," which earned him the festival's directing prize.

Malick has stayed behind the scenes for his subsequent films, 1998's "The Thin Red Line" and 2005's "The New World," and he skipped the Cannes press conference that followed Monday's screening, leaving Pitt, Chastain and his producers to face reporters.

"Mr. Malick is very shy, and I would say that I believe his work speaks for itself," producer Sarah Green said.

Pitt compared Malick's attitude toward publicising a film with building a house.

"I don't know why it's accepted that people who make things in our business are then expected to sell them, and I don't think that computes with him," said Pitt, also a producer on the film. "He wants to focus on the making of it, not the real estate, selling the real estate. It is an odd thing for an artist to start something and then be salesman."

Penn, who had been travelling to Cannes from Haiti, missed the press conference but was on hand for the film's evening premiere.

"Terry Malick is a visionary," Penn, who also costarred in "The Thin Red Line," said before heading into the premiere. "A quite extraordinary individual."

Pitt was joined on the red carpet before the premiere by romantic partner Angelina Jolie. Jolie and Pitt signed autographs and shook hands with the festival's celebrity watchers, who cheered and shouted as the two stars strutted the red carpet.

Cannes organisers had hoped to debut the film a year ago, but it was not ready.

Malick's producers said the form of the film did not change dramatically in the last year. The director just needed more time.

"If you believe that movies are alive and talking back to you, there's a point at which it's very obvious they're not finished," said producer Dede Gardner.