The down side to the experience:
The fact that, should you have a film screening at the most prestigious film festival on the planet, you are having to pay exorbitant prices for everything, particularly food and accommodation, makes the experience a little disappointing. However, as it is probably one of the only places on Earth that you can meet, face to face, the people who can move you forward, and if that means you have to pay through the nose just to eat, then, that is how it is.
When you pick up your accreditation, part of your gift pack is a bag, to carry the festival catalogues and other paper goods that are gifted you on arrival. This years bag, was shiny black with Cannes 65, printed in gold, a nice piece of memorabilia. However on my second night there, I heard someone shout my name as I returned to my apartment, I paid no attention, as I thought they were shouting on someone else. and as I shut the apartment door behind me, the door knocked. I opened the door and a man dressed in black security gear, smiled and greeted me, I said 'Hi, can I help you?' he replied, Mr Ronnie, I see you are a film director, you know Robert De Nero? he grinned, I replied, 'No sir, I am just here screening my film', he the asked me if I had received my black bag with Cannes 65 on it, and 'could he have it', as you are a director, you could just get another one. I was a little shocked at this, all happening on my door step, and even more at the brash way in which this guy just came up to me and asked for the bag. I told him he could not have the bag as it was special to me, he continued to ask me for the bag, still smiling and complementing me on my achievements. After about 4 mins of him continually asking for the bag, and offering me drinks, I finally decided to give him the bag, and get him out of my space, probably as I was expecting him to turn nasty at some point. He thanked me, reached out, grabbed my shoulders, and pulled me towards him, giving me two kisses, one on each cheek, again I was a little shocked, and very quickly shut the door on him. After about 10 minutes, I thought to myself, 'Shit, I have just been 'Politely Mugged', ha' :)
The up side to the experience:
Great to spend some time with my good friend Basil Khalil and brain storm some story ideas for when we return. Meeting Mode Steinkjer, a reporter from Norway, we connected through Twitter, and met for the first time at Cannes, top bloke. And spending some valuable time with Linda O, Olszewski, from Shorts International. It was a pleasure to spend some time with her, and learn a little about her life in the world of short films.
During the festival, there were a number of seminars and talks, one of which I had to attend as John Boorman, director of films such as 'Point Blank', Deliverance, 'The Emerald Forest'. To listen to his stories and answer questions on his memories of creating these films was probably one of the highlights of the trip. And to shake hands with him at the end of the seminar was an added bonus, as he smiled at me and thanked me for giving him the screener DVD of my recent works. He was there with his daughter Katrine Boorman, to attend the screening of her documentary , 'Me and my Dad'.
The other seminars I attended, were pretty much the same old, same old, however, the connections made, I hope will all bear fruits in the future, and definitely an experience that I will hope to endure again.
I f you want to see more picture of the Cannes 2012 trip, friend me on FaceBook here http://www.facebook.com/ronnie.b.goodwin and find out about Roy and his exploits at the worlds most prestigious film festival:)
More to come soon
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