Cannes Film Festival

by Emma_Chappel on 17-May-10 10:31

I've been getting more and more excited about the prospect of attending my first Cannes International Film Festival (my first year, but it's in its 63rd). And now I'm finally here.

Having left a drizzling Bristol, it's great to be in the sun and next to the sea. Despite seeing depictions of the Festival on TV and in print every year, I wasn't quite sure what to expect and am pleased to see the town of Cannes has not been entirely taken over by the Festival and retains its old heart and maze of streets. The Palais and all along the Croisette, however, are dominated by film and film-makers of all nationalities, flogging their wares.

The Festival is quieter than I was expecting, though, which may be down to the current financial climate and lack of real blockbuster films/and celebs in town.

A meeting with Nick Mason Pearson, Director of Press and Public Affairs at British Film, ensured an invitation to the London Film Festival party at the Palais Stephanie, where I got to meet Peter Bradshaw of the Guardian and the Daily Mail's Baz Bamigboye and picked their brains about the film I was about to see at the Grand Theatre Lumiere screening, Bertrand Tavernier, The Princess of Montpensier. Baz loved it, Peter was less impressed. Being on the red carpet, was an unforgettable experience, but, sadly, I was to side with Peter on this one.

(Image: Kate Kinninmont, the Chief Executive of Women in Film and TV, interviewing Alison Owen, the producer of Chatroom and Tamara Drewe.)

The highlight of this morning has been Kate Kinninmont, the Chief Executive of Women in Film and TV, interviewing Alison Owen, the producer of Chatroom and Tamara Drewe, both of which are films in official selection at Cannes this year. Tamara Drewe was shot in the South West with guidance from Fiona and Joe from our Locations Department, so it was gratifying to hear Alison (who is Lily Allen's mother, fact fans!) saying how she'd loved finding locations that exactly fit the original comic strip and that Tamara Drewe was shaping up to being one of her favourite films of the 24 she's produced.

(Image: Kate Kinninmont & Alison Owen watch clip from Tamara Drewe which was shot in the South West.)

Later today, I'll be back at the UK Film Centre for the panel discussion South West Screen is co-hosting with Film London and Vision+Media on what next for microbudget filmmaking. Off first to see if I can track down some more journos to introduce myself to. I am reliably informed they all hang around at the Grand Hotel after 10pm - as it's the only place that'll have them!

Tagged:Cannes, Festival, Tamara Drew, Alison Owen

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