The 62nd annual Cannes Film Festival takes place later this month and at t5m we are so excited about the event we can almost hear the Champagne glasses clinking, the camera shutters clicking and the red carpet being rolled out. But what is it that makes Cannes the most influential, glamorous and prestigious film festival on the planet? Read on, and we’ll tell you…
Cannes is the ultimate in film festivals, but what most people don’t know is that as well as showcasing movies from Hollywood, Cannes also debuts films from all over the world. Year in, year out it premieres some of the year’s best films, and has some serious A-list celebrity pulling power. Expect to see anyone who is anyone in film- from Brangelina to the Coen Brothers, Robert De Niro and Quentin Tarantino. The best place to go for celeb-spotting is the red carpet staircase of the Palais de Festivals which is where the stars and directors gather to be photographed. However, do not expect Cannes to be all the glamour that you see on television and in glossy magazines if you are not a member of the film-making A-list yourself. For the average Cannes-fanatic most of the day is spent queueing, walking and pushing through crowds, as members of the public are not given much access to screenings. But don’t let this put you off attending Cannes, for any film lover it is paradise, and a great place to network, making your film dreams a reality.
This year it seems that even Cannes cannot escape the crunch. The annual Vanity Fair party has been cancelled, despite last year’s guests including Harrison Ford, Bono, Sir Mick Jagger, Will Smith, Cate Blanchett and a very pregnant Angelina Jolie. Instead, this year’s big opening is Disney’s latest animation ‘Up’, starring Christopher Plummer, an actor best known for playing Captain Von Trapp in The Sound of Music.
The Palme d’or, the festival’s top and most prestigious prize is known to massively boost a film’s profile in terms of world recognition and distribution, with previous winners including Pulp Fiction, Taxi Driver, Fahreinheit 911 and the Piano
The Festival de Cannes 2009 takes place between 13-24 May
