Madonna Says No to Cannes

Madonna has refused an invitation to join the jury at the Cannes Film Festival because she would have to miss Kabbalah meetings. According to the Daily Mail, the singer doesn't want to miss any of her religious meetings back in London. Festival chief Thierry Fremaux said, "We talked about her being on the jury, but her religion meant this could not happen. It is a regret because she has valuable knowledge." "She would have to return to London every Saturday, or maybe it was every Friday, so for two days during our festival she would not be here and that could not work.", he added. Madonna has been studying the Kabbalah, a religion based on the teachings of the Old Testament, for eight years and attends meetings now near her home in London.