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My Experience at the Cannes Film Festival May 25, 2008 Recently, I returned from a five-day trip to the Cannes Film Festival. The purpose of the trip was to find short films that might be a good match for another festival. Last Year Last year, Sophie and I lived in Antibes, a neighboring beachside medieval village a short bus ride from Cannes. On two or three occasions we visited Cannes during the film festival and watched all the hoopla feeling the fantastic energy and buzz created by the exciting event. We had gone to Cannes to visit one of our favorite little Chinese restaurants a couple blocks from the water. A perfect little walking street for observing locals and tourists alike. The streets were crammed with oversized cameras, often carried two or three at a time, slung over the shoulders of determined photographers in desperate need of getting the perfect shot. I found the event quite exciting which surprised me. I'm from LA, born and raised. Celebrity and the commotion surrounding it had never been an attraction to me. But all of a sudden, it was fun. I found myself enthralled. Interested. It was light-hearted and something of an adventure that sort of fell in our laps. After we finished our shrimp spring rolls, Thai rice, and chicken in curry sauce, we made our way to watch the activities while wondering who everyone was lining up to see. The spectators lined the main street of the festival nestled together like sardines wiggling around trying to maneuver into a better position as to gain a momentary glimpse of their favorite stars and experience an evening undoubtedly to be talked about for years to come. The endearing press - which allow the world to know the greatness of the Cannes Film Festival - strategically place their short, medium and tall ladders within the barricaded area to ensure proper worldwide coverage of the glorious event. The sponsored event cars chauffeuring the ever prestigious celebrities to the event would line up to drop them off in front of the theater, then zip down to the end of the street where the car would pick up yet another celeb and make the trip again. During our fan-crazed moment of experiencing one of the Cannes Film Festival's greatest public rituals we watched the ever-so-lovely couple of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in her beautifully graceful yellow gown. Both were extremely kind to the fans spending ample time shaking hands and signing autographs. They were humble and gracious toward those who purchased tickets and supported their craft. Another fan experience for us was to watch cinema at the beach. It was quite a lovely surprise and pleasant event. The festival sets up a huge screen literally on the beach. The spectators can sit in chairs (I don't know if you need a badge to have access to these seats), in the sand, or on the cement slab benches that line the sea. The weather is generally kind to visitor this time of year, so it's a lovely way to spend an evening. Cannes tends to pick a variety of famous international films from all time periods both newer and older. This Year This year, my experience at the festival was different in every way. I was there for business this year. I wouldn't have time to loggygag around checking out the Cannes Film Festival experience from the point-of-view of a fan. I had gone to Cannes with a specific task to accomplish. The goal was to watch as many short films as possible - 100 shorts was the goal - in the five days I would be in Cannes, in hopes of adding to the overall number of countries represented and quality of the Strasbourg International Film Festival. The Strasbourg International Film Festival actively seeks the works of new and emerging filmmakers. We know that not all quality films that fit our criteria will be sent to SiFF. Hence, the trip to Cannes. The Short Film Corner For a few years now, Cannes has offered the Short Film Corner as a way for filmmakers of short films to try to sell their films to buyers or, in our case, perhaps be offered a spot in a film festival's line-up. There are three main aspects of the Short Film Corner which were relevant to our festival's purposes. First, the Short Film Corner has several shelving units attached to columns where filmmakers can promote their work - by displaying posters, flyers, postcards, business cards and in some cases DVDs - in hopes of creating interest from buyers and festivals. Second, at the Short Film Corner, there are several small booths each containing nine theatre seats and a medium-sized screen with very nice sound - but which should be soundproof as the noise from outside can be quite distracting while viewing films. These booths are used by filmmakers as a way to promote their work directly to a specific and interested buying audience. Third, the Short Film Corner offers several individual and two-person screening booths where you can reserve time in one-hour increments and not back-to-back to watch short films. All films offered through the SFC are listed in a catalogue and available in these booths. Basically, you sit down in front of a computer, enter in your badge number and password, click on the film you want to watch, and then have the option to communicate with the filmmaker, via email, if you so desire. How it Worked I would start out gathering flyers, postcards and business cards of films that looked interesting which I then planned on viewing in one of the booths. This was a particularly useful strategy on the day of my arrival since I had not had time, at that point, to sit down with the Short Films Corner Catalogue to determine which films looked to be of interest. The 9-Seat Screening Rooms On my first day, I was 'invited' to view someone's short in one of the 9-seat screening rooms. The director was very excited because she had sold the film the day before she arrived. She explained how she really didn't need to be there anymore and wasn't sure what good it would do. Nonetheless, she tried to create more of an audience for her work through the use of screenings. I was happy to have this experience. It seemed fun, rich, different. I wanted to know what the screening rooms were like. This opportunity gave me the chance to judge its usefulness for myself. At first, I was the only person in the room. Then two more groups of people showed up. It was not the director who had invited me but another person associated with the film. They did not know the capacity of my job (if I was another filmmaker, a buyer or with a festival), nor did they ask. Cannes Film Festival badges only state names, not associations. One person from another group the filmmakers had wrangled in to see the film new one of the actors and were there to see his fellow thespian's work. The other group of two people said nothing. They came and left. As I did not think the film would fit our needs, I did the same. Overall, I was disenchanted with how the 9-seat screening rooms worked. The rooms had a lot of potential and seemed untapped, for the most part. I would recommend that if you are going to show your film in a screening room and you run around the Short Film Corner trying to gain an audience, you do yourself a favor and ask each person who they are and what their affiliation is. Honestly, I feel the director could have spent her time more wisely if she had known who was sitting in her screening room. At the very least, once in the screening room ask people their names and what company they are with. As a filmmaker, this is why you are there. Do your job. This is business. Be strategic and direct in your approach. This woman had sold her film. Was she just there to hobnob with other filmmakers, at that point, or would it have been useful to her to add more festivals to the film's resume. At that point, their film had been accepted to one festival. Would it have been more strategic for her to speak with festivals or other filmmakers? Only she can answer that question. Individual Screening Rooms After my initial gathering of flyers, I began to acquaint myself with short film listings in the SFC catalogue. I started at the beginning, took a pen and circled films that seemed interesting and as though they would fit our needs. This way, when I went into the booth I was prepared with a list of films from the catalogue and promotional materials from the columns in the common areas and could begin watching films right away. This became a very efficient mode of preparation for screening. Remember, the goal was to watch 100 films in five day (really, in four days since the last day was travel and I assumed that there would be some inevitable downtime). This meant the more efficient and product I was able to spend my time the better I could server our own festival, Strasbourg International Film Festival. Once the film seemed like it might be appropriate for our festival, or not, I would take notes for later reference and switch back to the screen which would allow us to immediate contact the filmmaker to request the film be forwarded to the festival for screening purposes. The system was set up so interested parties could easily and immediately contact filmmakers. I found this to be a very efficient system. In fact, after about a day of being at the festival, I no longer had much, if any, interest in the 9-seat screening rooms due to the clumsy way they were handled by the filmmakers and as a result of how well the individual booths functions for our film festival's specific needs. Filmmakers Promoting Their Films I had views hundreds of short films before arriving at the Cannes Film Festival. Inevitably, I was familiar with several of the shorts being promoted in the Short Film Corner - a few of which we are quite interested in for our festival. Being at the Short Film Corner gave me the opportunity to see firsthand how these filmmakers promote their work. It becomes quite evident who shows up day after day, each day strategically placing their promotional materials in hopes of gaining recognition. On behalf of our festival, I was able to gain admiration and respect for some filmmakers whose work we already admired. I knew that if the works of these filmmakers was accepted we could rely on them to help publicize their film. Even if they couldn't make the event they would supply us with what we needed to promote their product. Who's Who? The one thing that seemed difficult was trying to find out who the filmmakers were. This was not a problem only for me. Others would come up to me and ask if I had a film in the short corner. I assume they, too, were looking for filmmakers. It was almost impossible to tell who was who. Unless you actually saw a person putting promotional material on the wall you really didn't know who they were. I often found myself waiting for people to put their flyers up so I could see who was attached to which projects. I would have liked a more efficient way to approach filmmakers. In fact, I approached only one filmmaker and as it turns out he wasn't the one I thought he was. People - buyers, festival directors and filmmakers alike - seemed to walk aimlessly in the Short Film Corner. Everyone looking at everyone else wondering if they were a filmmaker, buyer, actor, or what? At the end of the day, from 5-6pm, there was an open bar that allowed people time to mingle and get to know each other. Unfortunately for me, this was also my final opportunity of the day to watch films. By the time I was done with the final group of films the SFC was closing down for the day. Geography One of our goals was to ensure greater international representation of new and emerging filmmakers. The Short Film Corner Catalogue is set-up by countries. This made is very easy to search out films from countries not yet represented at our festival. Fan vs Attendee I stayed at an inexpensive hotel/hostel next to the train station in Nice. It was rather easy, cheap and convenient. It served my needs. I had a roommate who was thrilled with the celebrity hoopla surrounding the Cannes Film Festival. For someone like her, I would recommend the way Sophie and I experienced Cannes, last year. This fan really wanted to be inside to see the inner workings. There is no need for that when what you really want is to see are celebrities. It is better for this sort of visitor to be outside in the midst of the chaos and confusion as it makes the festival all that much more exciting and thrilling to be a part of. Inside the festival, it's work. People are there to work. A great kind of work that I'm honored to be a part of, but it is not where the celebrities hang out and it does not hold the same exhilaration that can be found outside amongst the crowds. The celebs will make themselves available to the public, that's why they are in Cannes. But this cannot be seen in a screen booth or while walking along the Marche de Film. The experience from inside the festival is geared differently than the hoopla outside which is organized specifically and quite strategically with the film festival fan in mind. As a fan, is it worth it to visit Cannes if you can't go inside? Absolutely. All the films in competition can be viewed in the theaters within a block or so of the festival and are open to the public - which means you will be one of the first to view these films. Many film attendees (such as buyers and filmmakers) watch films at these theaters, as well. The city of Cannes, as well as the festival itself, understands the need for an audience and that the average person makes up a vital part of the overall festival, it's ambiance and prestige. There is plenty to do and see, in Cannes, for any fan. It's a delightful way to experience the area and enjoy a special sense of excitement that is only available there, at Cannes. during this special occasion. What I Thought For me, the festival was a success. I went for the right reasons and spent my time doing the things I needed to do to accomplish my goal. BR> If it is appropriate that I return to the Cannes Film Festival next year I will go for the entire time so that I may watch more films. Last year, there were 1800 short films at the SFC. This year there were probably approximately the same number. I was able to watch 120 of them. I would have liked to see more, perhaps around 300. I did not watch a single feature film while I was in Cannes. I simply did not feel my time would be best spent waiting for an hour and a half in a line so I could get a good seat for a film I could later see at a theatre or on DVD. That being said, when I was taking a break from watching shorts I did spend a little time meandering around the market seeing what it has to offer and beginning to acquaint myself with the area. Many of the short films I viewed I would not have the opportunity to view anywhere else. So, I fully took advantage of the opportunity to the best of my ability. An Unexpected Detour On the last day of my trip there was a train strike. This impeded my plans to arrive early to fit in as many films as possible. Instead, I spent the morning trying to figure out the best way to get to Cannes. I ended up taking the bus. On my way to the bus depot, I met a very nice Japanese producer of the film that was showing at Cannes. She was a smart businessperson and immediately asked if I was a buyer. On the bus, a journalist from Spain - who had been covering Cannes since 1985 - with a very intriguing look sat next to me. Her hair was buzzed rather close to the scalp and one side her head was razored in lines revealing the image of a tattoo I could not make out through the salt and pepper hair follicles. She mentioned something about Quentin Tarantino's talk that afternoon. I had all but forgotten about it. Not that I wouldn't absolutely love to hear Tarantino, but simply because I couldn't see spending so much time in a line and missing out on so many short films on my last day in Cannes. Yes, I had already watched 20 films beyond my goal, but what if I didn't get in? What if all that time just went to waste. I simply couldn't justify it. An Unexpected Adventure There was a young, blonde producer from Paris standing in front of us who began to join our conversation. Last year, he had gone to film school in Tuscon at the University of Arizona. Now, he was back in Paris with a desire to produce the works of others. He said he would send a work-in-progress to our festival. Once off the bus, he also said that his friend was already in line waiting to see Tarantino. This peaked my interest. He invited me to join them and suggested I arrive around 1:30 or 1:35pm. I thanked him and went off to watch more shorts. I arrived to join them in the front of the line. Within minutes we were ushered in and we immediately lost track of each other as we began to look for appropriate seating. I found myself gravitating near and near to the front. As I was only one person, I realized there was a chance I might be able to get a fairly decent seat. I walked to the very front of the theater and looked at for a single seat strategically placed when a theater owner and producer from Chili singled to me that there was a seat next to him in the second row, smack dab in the middle of the theater. I smiled and was more than happy to for once during this time in Cannes feel like a fan, like a spectator, feel the enthusiasm in the air and to be so excited about where I was and what was about to happen... just as a fan! I absolutely loved the talk. Tarantino was fabulous as one might expect. Do I sound like a gushing fan? I am! I recorded the entire thing so that Sophie would have the opportunity to hear it, just in case we couldn't find it online. I don't think I have much, if any, good footage. But that wasn't the point. The point was simply so Sophie could hear his thoughts and gain from what he had to share. 
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