So where can I start? Cannes is and stays to best festival ever! And specially the most interesting one. Why? Because everybody is there! Take Sundance for example: it stays a major festival in the States, but who goes to Sundance? American filmmakers and actors, while to Cannes it's the whole world that goes to it.
Also a big difference between Cannes and other festivals, stays that Cannes, is a place of business and partying. It's all about creating relationships and meeting new people. I went from meeting to meeting, and party to party during 10 days straight and didn't even watched I movie. I could have, but the time wasn't there.
Let's start with the kind of people that attend Cannes: as you all know, Cannes is a closed festival for professionals working in the industry. So the only way you can get in is if you have a professional accreditation.
But as to every festival there is a back road: if you submit a film to the short film corner at Cannes, you will receive two accreditations that will give access to the persons of your choise. Personally it's a cute initiative for young filmmakers, but you get also a lot of people that suddenly start to get in the festival and have nothing to do there. I personally hope that the short film corner will be more selective in the films that they accept for the next years to come.
The huge thing at Cannes stays the Marché du film, where thousands of films around the world are trying to be sold and find distribution. A place to be for every filmmaker, because it shows you a side of the industry that a lot of people might not know: it ain't about the art anymore, but it's all about the bling! Screw quality even, it's all about the money! I passed through a few stands, where they were selling DV feature films shot for less than 100 dollar, with no DoP, no continuity, awful effects, handheld, and other, but they get sold for half a million. And yes, it's not a myth, it's there and it's true. Don't forget that there is a crouwd for every type of movie. Specially cheap horror.
Personally I didn't spend to much time at the marché du film, but more outside of it at the Village international where a lot of countries have their Pavilion.
A lot of people are afraid to venture there I noticed, specially starting filmmakers, but I advise everybody to go there. Why? Because that's where you can meet a lot of producers that just hang around their home pavilion. And they are a lot more relaxed there since the pavilions are on the beach, you got a nice breeze, some cocktails,... Also a few pavilions organise workshops: the Ampav and the UK pavilion are two of them.
Some also need special invitations or a card: to enter the Kodak one you needed a special vip pass.
A special mention though to an extremelly friendly pavilion: The turkish one! They organised a lot of times a few events with free drinks and food, which attracted a lot of professionals and where you could meet a lot of top professionals in the industry.
So if you go to Cannes pass and take your time at the Village International.
Now, we know the marché du film and we know where the pavillions are. But what about the big companies?
Well, they are at the Carlton! Warner Bros, Weinsten, ... have all their suite at the Carlton! Also a thing I noticed a lot of young filmmakers don't dare to enter one of the top hotels: Carlton, Martinez, Hilton, Grand hotel, you name them... and just stay outside. Well, SHAME I say, just enter the mofo, and walk in with your aces up! It's easy and you might end up having a drink sitting next to Tarantino at the Martinez.
Now a special section about the Short Film Market, the new market in Cannes that's been here for three years straight. Well, I didn't spend any time there, except for the happy hours that they had at 17h. It's fun, it's well organised. And it screens a lot of shorts. It gives a lot of media coverage to the films. It's okay, my advice though and again it will be the same one: I met a lot of people at the short film corner and the only place they went to during the whole festival was... the short film corner... Which I find it's a shame, since that's not the place to create new relationships, or meet new people. Well, it is if you want to stay in the short film world. For short film makers it's the best place to be. BUT if you are a feature film maker, forget about it. There is nothing for you there except for the happy hour, and maeby meeting a few people that might want to work with you, or you with them. But it ain't a place of business. And that's what Cannes is about business. Even at parties! It's all about the business and being whitty if you want to make it there!
As for the parties, they rule, you have the parties at the beach, most of them will be with invitation, you got the parties at the boats also with invitations, and the special parties at the villas! AHAH, the main parties aren't at the beach as everyone might think, the big things are at the villas. So always keep that in mind!
A major advice to everybody, bring out the suits, and style! Don't try to walk into a party with your regular jeans, it ain't gonna fly. Cannes is all about the glamour and style. And thanks god it is! It is a pleasure to watch everybody well dressed.
So don't forget the suits!
Well, I've been babbling for a while now, so I think that's all to say for now. In short my cannes trip has been a blast, found investors, met new people, partied with other ones. And worked my ass off the whole time, coz this is all a business!
Take care all, and I hope you did enjoyed this reading.
