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It's not a
good idea to do business with a hangover...
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As the red
carpet is rolled away and another watering hole for celebritychasing
paparazzi is sought, the media circus that was The Cannes Film
Festival has left town for another year. I'm left nursing a hangover,
a fistful of business contacts and a stream of blurred memories
as my lasting souvenir of Cannes, but as the mind clears, and
the real work begins, I ponder on the journey to what is considered
a Mecca for anyone serious about the film business.
In retrospect and preparation for next year's festival, I thought
I'd share the experience and write my own 'Hustlers Guide' to
Cannes 2001. Getting there is no easy feat especially on a tight
budget. I got a discount flight with Easyjet to Nice; the first
or last departure from Luton Airport is great for saving a few
pounds but remember there's no connecting train to Cannes from
Nice Airport after midnight.
Best to book accommodation really early if you can, the more of
you the better. Instead of a cramped hotel room in town, consider
an apartment with a group of friends. Staying just outside of
Cannes is cheaper still, that way you can even hire a car. Loot.com
and holidaynet.com have great deals. Buses are rare and driving
is not for the faint hearted but, staying outside the flurry of
the festival, you get to see and experience a lot more.
Most prefer to attend the festival in the second week, but as
a festival virgin, I arrived a few days early to learn the score
and find my way around. As Cannes gradually doubles in size, forcing
the local dog-loving designer grannies off the street, my first
task was to beat the mad rush to register. After finding the Palais
des Festivals and remembering a few wise words from friends, my
first hurdle was registering late. Although there is a procedure
for attending the festival, like everything, nothing is straightforward.
This year a business card was not enough. I was told by Unifrance,
the agency dealing with my application, that I needed documentation
of promotional material or a printed catalogue of films I was
representing. The lady at the registration desk was clearly in
a bad mood, choosing to deal with people whom she liked the look
of it took me four hours to register.
Eventually I set to work. With registration comes a pack of goodies
to help you find who's in town. The Cannes Market Guide is a bible,
with everything you need to contact all the main players, complete
with photos! It's best to work through it and call all relevant
people as soon as you can, as their schedules are booked weeks
in advance. Visiting relevant stands and pavilions to chase up
your call is important too. Remember the Guide only represents
a small proportion of companies attending the festival. It's up
to you to fish for those illusive contacts and set up meetings.
Armed with a pass for the Festival but with no access to official
screenings, I had to find a way to blagg into them. Security is
tight at Cannes, but knowing when NOT to speak French can be quite
handy. Ignoring rules, like restricted areas, might just get you
into one. Pretending to lose your ticket and/or turning on the
water works is a good one (suggested for women only - and why
not!). It may prompt someone to feel sorry for you; it worked
for me, thanks to a wonderfully resilient designer granny, who
bullied security to let me in!
Unofficial screenings are easier to attend, and there were loads
of films screened at stands and various pavilions. Days are short
if you're not up early. An unrelenting cycle of film viewing,
sleep deprivation and one too many tequilas, can take its toll;
it's easy to see how casualties can occur in the quest to cram
it all in - remember to pace yourself! It's not a good idea to
do business with a hangover or an empty stomach. With very few
cheap eats in Cannes it's easy to go hungry. Stock up at your
local hypermarket and bring your packed lunch. Although a growling
tummy is a good way to stop you sleeping at screenings, it's not
a good way to close a meeting!
For a budget-friendly soiree, the more astute can be found at
Le Petit Majestic bar, off Rue d'Antibes. It's the place to mingle
and serves as a perfect afterparty hangout until 6am but, if like
me you find yourself still networking at 5am, exchanging business
cards in the queue for the one overflowing toilet, you may be
taking things a bit too far. There's always tomorrow.
In retrospect Cannes was an eyeopener. The bottom line is: everyone
is hustling, from rich folk doing business on lavish yachts, to
the humble filmmaker parading La Croisette advertising their latest
short. As hard as I tried to stop myself from cringing in the
face of pretentious business chatter, one can't deny the energy
of the place. It may be just the thing to get you out of the office,
help recharge that flagging project, fuel that penniless film
pitch in the hope of a lucky break. They don't call it the dream
factory for nothing, now it's all over, I can catch up on some
well deserved sleep!
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