As film buffs from all over the world converge on Cannes, Wendy Ides reveals how you can join in the fun – and you don’t even have to watch a single film. Photography by Kris Dewitte
So you fancy treading the red carpet at the most glamorous film festival in the world? Sipping rosé wine with the stars? Perhaps a Bardot moment on the beach? The good news is that you don’t have to be an industry bigwig to get a kick out of the Cannes Film Festival.
The killer combination of glitz, glamour and celebrities acts like a magnet to star-spotters, party-seekers and an entertainingly high percentage of out-and-out nutters. You may not get to see many films, but a good time is guaranteed – if you have the stamina.
First up, where to stay? You’ll ideally want a room in one of the four grand dames of Cannes: the Majestic Barrière, the Grand Hôtel, the Carlton and the Hotel Martinez. Relics from a bygone age, these stately seafront institutions gaze down on the shenanigans on La Croisette with a faint air of disapproval. During the festival, the dignity of these august dowagers is somewhat sullied as they’re turned into giant advertising hoardings for whatever potential blockbusters the studios are hawking that year.
Realistically, you’re unlikely to be able to reserve a room in Cannes itself because most hotels are fully booked by the end of January. One answer is to use the Côte d’Azur’s efficient public transport system and set Above The Cannes Film Festival is about seeing and being seen, and it attracts the industry’s biggest names, such as The Motorcycle Diaries star Gael Garcia Bernal and screen legend Tony Curtis your sights a little way down the coast. A few kilometres to the east is Juan-les-Pins, for example, which has a good train link to Cannes and plenty of amenities. Hotel options include the good value Hôtel des Mimosas, set in tranquil gardens, or, for art deco elegance, the seafront Hôtel Belles Rives.
For a taste of the heady intensity of the festival itself, you can’t beat a morning stroll along Le Croisette, the wide seafront boulevard that acts as a stage for the Cannes crazies, as well as a promenade for the town’s ladies and their preened and pampered pooches. You get extra points if you haven’t been to bed the night before. Duck the paparazzi with their stepladders and telephoto lenses, avoid at all costs the luridly costumed representatives of Troma Films, with their buckets of offal, and take a moment to marvel at the busker who makes a living balancing two heavily sedated cats, one on each hand. Grab a croissant for breakfast and sit down to soak up the atmosphere.
The Cannes Film Festival is an umbrella term that covers a multitude of events, many of which are out of bounds to the casual visitor. Invitations to the gala screenings at the imposing Palais des Festivals are like gold dust, so don’t count on a red-carpet moment unless your schmoozing skills are unparalleled. Incidentally, gentlemen, even if you do manage to secure an invitation, you’ll need to wear black tie. The festival security men are particularly strict, so don’t even think about climbing those scarlet stairs in anything less than a full penguin suit.
Running at the same time as the main film festival is the Cannes Film Market, where producers try to sell trashtastic projects with names like Killer Zombie Terrapins or When Japanese Schoolgirls Attack. Their crazy publicity stunts can range from a sad, solitary man wearing a sandwich board to the notorious inflatable cow of a few years ago, which cut loose and nearly ripped the roof off the Hôtel Gray d’Albion. The usual technique, however, is to put a load of semi-naked girls on rollerskates and send them off, wobbling uncertainly, to shed leaflets like confetti. Unless you’re an accredited professional with the all-important laminated badge, you won’t get into the market itself.
However there are two sections of the festival where members of the public can enjoy films alongside the industry movers and shakers. Directors’ Fortnight and Critics’ Week screenings are open to anyone who buy’s a ticket in advance. For Director’s Fortnight (Quinzaine des Réalisateurs) you can buy tickets singly or in packs of six. Most of the main screenings are held in the Hilton – look for the queues snaking around the right-hand side of the building.
International Critics’ Week (Semaine Internationale de la Critique) claims to have launched the careers of, among others, Bernardo Bertolucci, Ken Loach and Wong Kar Wai. But be prepared to queue because the ticket doesn’t guarantee entry into your chosen film.
For those less motivated by movies, there are plenty of opportunities for stimulating retail therapy. Window shop in the big boutiques along La Croisette, where designer names vie to display the most fabulous red-carpet outfit.
More manageable prices are to be found on the Rue d’Antibes, a thronging thoroughfare with outlets selling everything from high fashion to high-street trends. Festival punters looking for something chic and simple head to the Agnès b boutique on pedestrianised side street Rue des Frères Casanova. Particularly popular with the cheap and cheerful crowd is the massive Zara shop at the corner of Rue de Riouffe, which, by the end of the fortnight, looks like it’s been shredded by locusts. Foodies should head to the magnificent gourmet market, the Marché Forville, not far from the picturesque Old Town or the port, both pleasant locations for a picnic.
Which brings us to the other preoccupation of film fans – where to eat. There are options to suit all budgets, but a favourite is the lovely art deco bistro Le Caveau 30 (45 rue Félix-Faure, tel. +33 (0)4 9339 0633), where immaculate waiters serve seafood and countless bottles of rosé. A hidden gem in one of the backstreets is the Italian restaurant Da Laura (8 rue 24 Aout) and the outside tables are highly prized as the perfect place for a long lunch. A stroll up the atmospheric winding rue St Antoine also yields charming eateries.
But if you fancy an elaborate cocktail or a local wine, the place to mingle with the stars is the bar of the exclusive Hotel du Cap. But be warned: the door policy is strict and the prices are astronomical – and their ‘no credit card’ rule can cause embarrassment when it’s time to settle up.
A better option is the terrace of the Grand Hotel, a popular hangout for industry types on a balmy evening. When the bar closes, a short walk will bring you to a Cannes institution, Le Petit Majestic (6 rue Tony Allard, tel. +33 (0)4 9339 9492). Slightly down-at-heel and reliably rowdy, this bar’s irresistible combination of low life and high glamour should keep you occupied until it’s time for your morning stroll down La Croisette.
Cannes lowdown
Getting there
The Cannes Film Festival takes place 16 – 27 May. Visit festival-cannes.fr for more information. The nearest airport to reach Cannes is Nice Côte d’Azur. Buses run regularly from the airport to Cannes or you can take a taxi.
Where to stay
Hôtel des Mimosas, Rue Pauline, Juan-les-Pins, tel. +33 (0)4 9361 0416, www.hotelmimosas.com
Hôtel Belles Rives, 33 Boulevard Edouard Baudoin, Juan-les-Pins, tel. +33 (0)4 9361 0279, www.bellesrives.com
InterContinental Carlton Cannes,
58 La Croisette, tel. +33 (0)4 9306 4006, www.ichotelsgroup.com
Majestic Barrière, 10 La Croisette, tel. +33 (0)4 9298 7700, www.lucienbarriere.com
Grand Hôtel, 45 La Croisette, tel. +33 (0)4 9338 1545, www.grand-hotel-cannes.com
Hotel Martinez, 73 La Croisette, tel. +33 (0)4 9298 7300, www.hotel-martinez.com
Festival events open to the public
Directors’ Fortnight, La Malmaison, 47 La Croisette, infos@ quinzaine-realisateurs.com International Critics’ Week Public reception desk and tickets: Espace Miramar, 35 Rue Pasteur
Bons plaisirs de Cannes
Vous aussi vous rêvez de fouler le tapis rouge du festival de cinéma le plus prestigieux du monde? La bonne nouvelle c’est que vous ne devez pas faire nécessairement partie du gratin de l’industrie pour vous éclater au Festival du Film de Cannes.
Il existe deux sections parallèle du festival où le grand public peut assister à des projections aux côtés des vedettes de l’industrie. Les projections de la Quinzaine des Réalisateurs et de la Semaine de la Critique sont accessibles à toute personne qui arrive à obtenir un billet.
Et pour ceux qui sont moins motivés par les films, la ville possède toutes les ressources nécessaires pour stimuler la shopping- thérapie. A ce propos on notera les prix plus abordables proposés Rue d’Antibes. Les pontes du Festival à la recherche d’une tenue simple et chic, iront à la boutique Agnès b, dans une petite rue transversale piétonne, Rue des Frères Casanova. Les gourmets, eux, découvriront le sublime Marché Forville, non loin de la Vieille Ville pittoresque et du port.
Tout ceci pour arriver à l’autre préoccupation des fans de films affamés : où se restaurer ? On trouve des options pour tous les budgets, mais on mentionnera notre coup de cœur, le magnifique bistro art déco Le Caveau 30 (45 rue Félix – Faure. Le petite restaurant italien de quartier Da Laura est un autre joyau caché. (8 rue 24 Août).
Le bar de l’Hôtel du Cap est le lieu exclusif où rencontrer les stars, tandis que le Grand Hôtel s’avère le rendez-vous des professionnels de l’industrie, autour d’un verre, durant une douce soirée. Mais parmi tous ces lieux, seul Le Petit Majestic fait office d’institution à Cannes. Son glamour flamboyant qui côtoie la vie ordinaire, aura de quoi vous garder éveillé jusqu’aux premières lueurs du jour.
Kicken op Cannes
De rode loper betreden op het meest glamoureuze filmfestival ter wereld? Dat kan, want je hoeft geen filmbons te zijn om een kick te krijgen van het Filmfestival van Cannes.
Het festival biedt twee onderdelen waar het gewone publiek samen met het filmvolkje nieuw werk kan bekijken. De vertoningen tijdens de Quinzaine des Réalisateurs en de Semaine de la Critique zijn toegankelijk voor iedereen die een ticket kan bemachtigen.
Ook wie liever etalages dan films kijkt zit goed in Cannes, vooral dan in de Rue d’Antibes, waar de prijzen schappelijk zijn. Festivalgangers op zoek naar chique eenvoud zetten koers naar boetiek Agnès b in de verkeersvrije zijstraat Rue des Frères Casanova. Gastronomen mogen dan weer de overdekte markt ‘Marché Forville’ niet missen, op een boogschuit van de pittoreske oude stad en de haven.
Wat ons meteen bij de volgende vraag van hongerige filmfans brengt: waar eten? Er zijn keuzes voor elk budget, maar onze favoriet is de prachtige art deco bistro Le Caveau 30 (45 rue Félix – Faure). Een verborgen juweeltje in een van de kleine straatjes is het Italiaanse restaurant Da Laura (8 rue 24 Aout).
In de bar van het exclusieve Hotel du Cap kun je filmsterren spotten, terwijl het Grand Hotel op een zwoele avond wemelt van de filmbobo’s. En dan is er nog Le Petit Majestic, een gevestigde waarde in Cannes. De dodelijke cocktail van weinig inhoud en veel glamour houdt je tot in de vroege uurtjes op de been.
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