18/04/2024
Posted • Film festivals are some of the most magical and exciting places to be, especially as a young filmmaker/producer. I brought “The Lunchbox” to Cannes. The film was only made possible after I attended the Producer’s breakfast and learned about the treaty between France and India.
There is so much potential in these networks. So here are my Cannes 2024 top 5 must-dos to ensure you make the most of your film festival journey.
1) 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁: If you are a producer travelling to Cannes, try arriving early by 7 am, and figure out where the producers are going to gather. It’s a great place to talk about co-production treaties, and markets and get mentored by some of the top producers in the global film fraternity.
2) 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗺𝗮: Queue up in lines, and celebrate world cinema. Watching films with like-minded people can be an exceptionally enriching experience. I’ve had meetings and discussions at the cinema at 3 am in Cannes and they’ve been so refreshing and exciting - I could go on and on. I never get exhausted.
3) 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗿𝘀, 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲: Engage with peers and industry leaders at film festivals. One conversation could alter your trajectory. Voice your passion for projects to anyone who listens. Persist in pitching despite rejections. Even without resources, be a walking advertisement for your work. Maximize visibility at festivals by any means necessary.
4) 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵: Book the cheapest AirBnb that is closer to your destination a the festival so that you save the time and cost of commuting. I once made a mistake of booking a cheap Airbnb far away from the main festival spot and that wasn’t the right thing to do.
5) 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝟯𝟬-𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 You never know which interaction is going to lead to your next project. So always remember you’re not only representing yourself at Cannes but also the future potential of everything you hope to achieve. Along the way, you’ll be sure to find others with similar dreams or those who dare to dream with you.
