Cannes Film Festival 2014

When we visit new places and create happy memories there, we often want to return to those places, sometimes repeatedly. Eventually these places become special to us. This year was my first ever visit to the Cannes Film Festival, and even though my time there passed very quickly, it’s already a special place to me.

I was there as part of the Celluloid Screams programming team, attending the market screenings of new horror films to find potential films for our festival. We were extremely busy each day; there were loads of films to get through. Many of these screenings took place in the Palais (the main building) which was one of the best places to be, due to the free Wi-fi and Nespresso bar. I loved the Nespresso bar.

Other screenings took place in various cinemas around the town, which was good as they do have comfier seats, and walking to and from them gave me a chance to see a bit more of the area. And I’m glad I did, because Cannes is so beautiful! The coastline stretches out for miles, with hills and mountains fading into the distance and dividing the blue sea and sky. The Château de la Castre overlooks Cannes harbour, with rows of boats and yachts which increase in size and grandeur the closer you get to the Palais. The yachts which line the water’s edge beside the Palais are like nothing I’d ever seen before. One of them even had a gym on the top level. Each day the sea was littered with these yachts, gently floating on the glittering water, their owners no doubt soaking up the sunshine while being waited on by their private staff. It was weird getting a glimpse into that kind of lifestyle.

In terms of the films I watched while I was there, there were a few highlights. One of these was Jemaine Clement’s What We Do in the Shadows, a comedy about a group of vampire flatmates. The humour in this was spot on for me; a good mix of character comedy and visual gags (some of the best I’ve ever seen in fact). It had me laughing all the way through. Scare wise, It Follows was stunning; a brilliantly simple yet terrifying concept and great performances being the winning combination here. My favourite film of the festival is tied between Adam Wingard’s The Guest, and a horror/comedy from New Zealand called Housebound. The Guest is not strictly a horror film, but tonally, Adam Wingard’s stamp on this is evident, and I even preferred it to You’re Next. It’s impossibly cool. Housebound was right up my street too; the story had some great twists and turns, it was immensely watchable and funny throughout.

There were a few highlights of the trip overall. We were lucky enough to see the cast of The Expendables 3 rolling through Cannes atop tanks on their way to a press conference. That was certainly memorable! Due to my spot in the crowd, I only got a teeny glimpse of Stallone. Wesley Snipes seemed to be loving it, as did Arnie & Antonio Banderas, but Harrison Ford looked significantly less enthused. It was over quickly but it was fun, and completely surreal.

I also managed to get a ticket to see one of the competition films- David Cronenberg’s Maps to the Stars, screened in the beautiful Grand Théâtre Lumière. I think I enjoyed the experience of going to see it more than I enjoyed the actual film, mainly because...

a) The film wasn’t amazing, and

b) We got to walk the red carpet steps to get in, which was awesome.

The Cinema de la Plage was also a lovely experience. It’s open to the public so we had to get there early to ensure we got a deckchair. For a Few Dollars More was on the night we went, and we managed to smuggle in some bread, cheese and wine. They give you these soft & snuggly blankets to keep you warm, and it was a clear night so the stars were out. All of that plus Clint Eastwood on the big screen; need I say more? Magical.

Walking around Cannes at night was amazing; it gave me a chance to soak up some of the atmosphere, which was always present and always infectious. Activity continues late into the night, everybody is dressed to impress, mixing and mingling and schmoozing. There are bars along the beach and down the Croisette, and enormous hotels with brightly lit film billboards; it’s like the whole town sparkles. I could have spent hours wandering around, just watching the night unfold. And I could have spent my bank balance drinking there. Sadly, I hadn’t that much time or money to spend, but we did have a couple of fun evenings out.

Attending Cannes Film Festival made me feel like I was part of something special, and I hope to go again next year. I’ve made some lovely new friends and some really great memories. Au revoir Cannes, till next time!