I arrived in Cannes after a glorious drive through the heart of France; I say that with the utmost sarcasm other than the very respectable restrooms. It was a warm trip, considering the air con is bust (it’s a French car that I drive) and the windows don’t wind, I had a fair amount of heat to compete with. However, multiple stops, thoughts of nurturing cinema and layers of classical music served enough joy to see me through.
The Reality of Cannes is that the film industry is like a bombsite, or that it’s actually pretty damn large. There is so much to contend with and so much to scatter your nerve ends around that one either acts like a puppy on acid or decides to take the beach route; sit back, eat a baguette and watch the crowds pass. It is the reality of the film industry and it was also my hopes that it would all finally make sense… Though, if you are wondering why you need to consider marketing and distribution before making a film, then go to Cannes before making it and you’ll soon work it out! Meet a sales agent with strategy before pre-production; the likelihood is it could even effect the minutest details of content that you structure into your film.
Being impressed is what comes to mind most. Impressed by the scope of the international industry and impressed by the ethos of those in attendance, or maybe I haven’t yet seen enough ins and outs to make a concise judgment on behaviors, and so on; interesting, to say the least. People certainly make an effort and the cogs won’t want to stop anytime soon; it definitely feels like an exciting industry to be dipping in to, or rather sinking in to! And sink we shall, ever so deeper into the miasma of this glorious, glorious, and overflowing land of the films.
