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[June 09, 2009|03:20 am] |
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More on Cannes...!
The Short Film Corner at the Festival de Cannes is an enormous meeting-place for filmmakers from all around the world. It's non-competitive, and functions as a market, but in essence it is true forum for the exchange of ideas, and business cards. It's a place where everyone is truly on equal footing and, with film in hand, shows up knowing no one in the hopes of broadening professional horizons on the path to bigger and better things. It is also a big green hallway with fluorescent lights and free espresso.
I attended the Short Film Corner for the final four days, Tuesday, May 19 - Friday, May 22. Each day, after having cafe and croissant for breakfast on the train to Cannes, I immediately went to the coffee counter and ordered a tall espresso. Having such a limited amount of time in Cannes, I wanted to spend as much time meeting people and watching films and as little time as possible eating, so I existed mostly on caffeine, with the occasional sandwich.
I loved spending lots of time sitting in the Short Film Corner meeting area at one of the small tables, watching all of the filmmakers pass. As all the filmmakers would eventually come in to check out what was going on that day, I saw everyone. On the first day, I was invited to drinks at the Hotel Martinez, one of the large hotels on the Croisette, the boulevard in Cannes that runs along the beach, and all of the people I met at that first drinks sessions I met again by sitting in the Short Film Corner and drinking espresso.
As the hours and days passed I met more filmmakers, producers, actors, and networkers, from Brazil, Norway, Australia, England, France, Italy, and even the USA. Of the 2000 films registered for the Short Film Corner, I estimate about 500 were represented by posters, postcards, or people at the Short Film Corner. Of those 500 I probably say hello to about 100, and I'll probably keep in touch with 10. Knowing how wonderful and interesting the people I met are makes me regret not talking to all the people I didn't meet, but I guess that's the case with any huge gathering.
At 5pm each night was the Short Film Corner Happy Hour. The occasion of free drinks usually packs the house, so it was a great time to find the people you wanted to talk to again but just didn't see during the rest of the day. At the final Happy Hour on Friday, I realized there were so many people around I hadn't even seen before, and it made me really feel just how quickly my time at the festival had passed. During the four days, I met several festival "regulars," people who had come to four, five, or six Festivals de Cannes. They all told me I'd be back, and when I think of all those filmmakers gathering at 5pm without me, somehow I think I'll be back, too.
In the evenings, there were red-carpet screenings and free cinema on the beach. There were drinks at the pavillions, white tents lined up on the shore next to the Palais des Festivals. On the final Friday, there was a party for all makers of short films at the Plage Majestic, the private beach annex of the Croisette's oppulent Hotel Majestic. And on the following day, the Short Film Corner was gone, and I spent the day watching movies. And then it was over.
On the final day of the Short Film Corner, I signed out a nine-seat screening room for Puzzled's official premiere screening. At 1:45pm, there were still a few empty seats in the tiny room, but I started the film and to my great relief received a very positive reception. Once 5 minutes and 36 seconds passed and the film was over, I knew my time at Cannes had been well worth the trip.
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