Australian Guide to the

Cannes Film Festival 2023

The Cannes Film Festival is the biggest and most important
celebration of cinema on the annual festival calendar and a unique
opportunity to build a network of international film industry
professionals.

Cannes is a festival, market and huge media event that can be

overwhelming. As a market it attracts virtually every buyer and
seller of any importance in the industry. As a festival it attracts
producers, filmmakers and financiers, as well as the directors of
other major film festivals and thousands of film journalists, who
provide international coverage of big premieres and market stunts.
As a spectacle it attracts large numbers of film fans.

This guide provides an overview of the festival, market and

accreditation (why you need it and the screenings it will get you
into), as well as some useful contact details and tips for first-
timers.

The Festival de Cannes has remained true to its founding

purpose: to raise the profile of films – contributing towards the
development of cinema, boosting the film industry worldwide and
celebrating cinema at an international level.

In 2023 the festival will run from Tuesday 16 – Saturday 27 May.

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The festival and its sections
Cannes is composed of three major events, each with its own sections and programs.
These are the Festival de Cannes, Directors’ Fortnight and Critics’ Week, and they
comprise what is commonly referred to as the ‘Cannes Film Festival’.

Festival de Cannes ► CINÉFONDATION

Cinéfondation curate La Cinef which is the festival’s
► OFFICIAL SELECTION competition for short and medium-length films made at
The Official Selection highlights the diversity of cinema film schools around the world. La Cinef has its own jury
through its different sections, the two most important of which presents three different awards. Cinéfondation
which are In Competition and Un Certain Regard. Films also run The Résidence du Festival and L’Atelier which are
that are representative of ‘auteur cinema with a wide selective development and financing labs.
audience appeal’ are presented In Competition, while Un
Certain Regard focuses on works that have an original ► CANNES CLASSICS
aesthetic. The Official Selection also includes Out of
The Cannes Classics sidebar is a showcase section that
Competition films, Special Screenings and Midnight
screens a selection of classic films, tributes to foreign
Screenings and the Cinéfondation.
cinema, documentaries on filmmaking and, occasionally,
rare or rediscovered footage from days gone by
► FILMS IN COMPETITION
This is the festival’s main event. Films in this section
are referred to as being ‘In Competition’ and compete for Directors’ Fortnight
a variety of awards. The Palme d’Or for best picture is
one of the most prestigious awards a film can receive. ► LA QUINZAINE DES RÉALISATEURS
The Competition welcomes both features and shorts, The Directors’ Fortnight was founded with the intention
and there are different awards in each category. of opening up Cannes to lesser-known filmmakers.
This sidebar for edgier films is organised by the French
► OUT OF COMPETITION Directors Guild (Société des Réalisateurs de Films).
Films shown in this category are typically high-profile
showcase films, special events, films that the festival Critics’ Week
feels deserve the honour of screening at Cannes or
films which did not necessarily meet the criteria for ► LA SEMAINE DE LA CRITIQUE
Competition.
Each year, a panel of international critics selects around
10 features and 10 shorts from first and second–time
► UN CERTAIN REGARD filmmakers to compete in this section.
Un Certain Regard is a reflection of current quality world Independent from the Festival de Cannes and organised
cinema. The Prix Un Certain Regard is awarded to the by the French Union of Film Critics, this sidebar has a
best film. tradition of discovering new talents from all over the
world.

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The Market
The Marché du Film is the largest film market in the world, where the industry
gets together to do business: financing, buying and selling. The Marché also
runs programs for producers – the Producers Network and Workshop. This
year the market will run from Tuesday 16 – Wednesday 24 May.

MARCHÉ DU FILM CANNES DOCS

By registering with the Marché du Film and gaining Throughout the Marché du Film, Cannes Docs offers
accreditation, you can take advantage of many services multiple opportunities to documentary filmmakers and to
including access to: all professionals working with creative, cinematic, author-
• Marché du Film screenings: driven feature docs, particularly specialized sales agents
34 screening rooms, the majority of which are digitally and top international festival programmers.
and 3D equipped The networking platform brings together major
• the Official Selection of the Festival de Cannes players in the field for a series of customized events
including panels, talks, special screenings, workshops,
• exclusive reruns of the Official Selection films in opportunities to consult with experts, one-on-one
private screenings rebroadcast the next day + reruns at meetings, tutoring, as well as selected showcases of
the end of the Festival docs-in-progress from all around the world.
• areas reserved for industry professionals such as the Cannes Docs is particularly relevant for producers with
Palais des Festivals, the Riviera, Lérins, and the films in advanced stages of production who are looking for
Village International a festival premiere and/or for a sales agent, or for sellers
• Company listing in and an annual subscription and programmers looking for the latest undiscovered
to cinando.com which details contact and other documentary gems.
information for every registered company. A valuable Each year, the program rounds off with Doc Day, a full-
database for business leads. day event composed of keynotes, panel discussions and
masterclasses, featuring inspiring doc filmmakers in
THE PRODUCERS NETWORK selection at Cannes and high profile industry executives.
The Producers Network is the go-to place for producers
seeking to make the most out of their time in Cannes. CANNES XR
Launched 16 years ago, the Producers Network welcomes
Cannes XR is a program from the Marché du Film
more than 500 producers from all around the world for a
dedicated to immersive technologies and cinematographic
series of meetings and unique events specifically designed
content. Cannes XR offers a multitude of networking,
to create opportunities to build their peer network and get
financing and distribution opportunities.
international co-production projects off the ground.
Cannes XR is a networking platform with which
The Producers Network is reserved for producers who’ve
directors, studio executives, XR artists, independent
recently produced feature films. The number of producers
producers, leading tech companies, location-based and
is limited so it is recommended to register your interest as
online distributors all gather to discuss the role of XR
early as possible.
technologies, inspire the art of storytelling and fuel the
future of film.

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Accreditation
Unlike many international film festivals, Cannes is an event reserved for film
industry professionals, who need accreditation to gain access to the Palais
des Festivals. Film industry professionals and those in associated disciplines
can attend the festival but must register prior to arriving. All requests must
be supported by evidence of industry affiliation.

There are various types of accreditation at Cannes THE PRODUCERS NETWORK

and each has different rules, fees, eligibility criteria
The Producers Network is a special type of accreditation
and inclusions.
aimed at producers. The intention is to provide a collection
of services and events to help producers develop their
FESTIVAL ACCREDITATION
projects and to encourage international co-productions.
The Film Professional’s Accreditation, is available to a Registration price for the Producers Network is an add-on
specific range of film industry professions and provides of €74 (without taxes) on top of your market accreditation
access to all festival venues (the Palais, Riviera, Village registration. For more information, visit the Marché du
International and the major hotels) and to screenings in Film registration page.
the official selection and sidebars.

Festival Professional Accreditation is free save for a eco SHORT FILM CORNER (SFC), CANNES COURT
contribution payment to offset carbon footprint. The pass MÉTRAGE
is highly restricted. The Short Film Corner (SFC) is run by the Marché and
Typically Australian industry should register through the has its own registration fee and accreditation. It has an
market accreditation. industry program providing keynotes, pitching events
dedicated to short film,
Other festival accreditation types include ‘Three Days in
Cannes’ which is offered to ‘cinema lovers’ aged between It is important to note that Short Film Corner is not
18 – 28 to enable them to discover the official selection, curated and is not part of the official selection of short
and ‘Cinephiles’ open to school groups, film students and films. It accepts all and any short film submissions
film clubs. (excluding pornography) as long as the registration fee is
paid. It is not a festival screening but a market screening
MARKET ACCREDITATION so should be carefully considered.

Over 12,000 industry professionals attend the Marché We advise all Australians, before registering for the Short
du Film. Market Accreditation is available to the board Film Corner and investing in the vast expense to a trip to
members and employees of companies which either Cannes, it is wise to reflect upon what objectives you have
operate in the film industry or service the film industry. in mind and do some research on what is on offer before
registering. Here is an article with former participants’
Registration price for the Marché du Film is €399 (without observations.
taxes) if registered before March 3 / €459 (without taxes)
after March 3 but before May 3. You can register on the
spot from May 15 for €550 (without taxes). For more
information, visit the Marché du Film registration page.

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PRESS ACCREDITATION Once you are assigned a place at a session, you are
guaranteed that place: arriving long before the start of the
The festival is attended by around 4,000 journalists,
session is not advisable. An arrival window for entering
representing 2,000 media outlets in over 90 countries.
the theatre or screening room will be indicated on the
Media access is managed directly by the Festival de
ticket for most sessions. Please keep to your allotted time.
Cannes via its Press Accreditation Commission.
Professional badges accompanied by tickets give access
SCREENINGS IN THE MARKET to screenings of the Official Selection (in the Grand
Théâtre Lumière, Debussy, Buñuel, Bazin, Agnès Varda -
Access to Marché screenings is by the separate Marché
formerly the Soixantième - and Cineum screening rooms).
badge or by an invitation issued by the sales agent
There is free access to screenings at the Cinéma de la
representing the film. Screenings are held in cinemas
Plage.
in the streets around Cannes or in the small screening
rooms at the Palais. All screenings are listed on a daily For attending screenings at the Grand Théâtre
basis in the Cannes trade dailies. Lumière,you accept that you may be photographed and/or
filmed.
SCREENINGS AT THE FESTIVAL Two Gala screenings take place every night. You should
The box office is virtual and accessible by all accredited arrive at the foot of the red steps wearing a dinner jacket
participants at “MYCANNES”. All the sessions – in every and black tie or evening dress*, along with your badge and
location – require a ticket. ticket, on time and at the entrance specified on your ticket.

These tickets may be presented in paper or electronic *In the absence of this, you may wear a cocktail dress, a
formats. They are strictly personal and their sale is dark trouser suit, a dressy top with black trousers, a “little
strictly forbidden. Anyone breaching this regulation will black dress”, a black or midnight blue suit with a bow tie.
risk prosecution. Elegant shoes, with or without heels, are required (no
trainers).

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Tips for first-timers

MAKE THE MOST OF THE FESTIVAL

• Set up your meetings in advance. Do your research in • The Festival Daily and all the major trades provide the
the weeks leading up to the festival and make contact screening schedules for the day and the following day, as
with those you’d like to meet before you arrive in Cannes. well as key events organised by the festival. The Festival
Cinando provides contac-t information for accredited Daily is distributed each morning at the main entrances of
professionals attending the Marché du Film, details the Palais, information points and select hotels.
on their films and projects, as well as the screening • Track the companies in which you are interested.
schedule. A login to Cinando is provided with your Look at their ads in the trades, keep up to date with
accreditation. Once you have registered for the Marché their acquisitions and sales, and see their movies. Don’t
du Film you can use Cinando to present your company forget, our Directory of International Sales Agents has
and projects, and connect with fellow producers, a list of sellers handling Australian movies and other
distributors and sales agents from around the world. more detailed tips for setting up and meeting with sales
• Read the trades every morning. Daily issues of Variety, agents at the market.
The Hollywood Reporter, Screen International, Le • Keep a diary so that you have a clear record of any
Film Francais and other magazines provide invaluable follow-ups you need to make after the festival (eg to
information on the latest business news and reviews, send a showreel, short film or the outline of the project
what’s happening and market trends. Track the you have discussed).
activities and marketing campaigns of the distributors
• Keep your business cards with you at all times, along
and sales agents with whom you’d like to work. Pay
with your Market Accreditation (also referred to as your
attention to the fortunes of debut feature filmmakers
‘badge’).
with films screening in any sections of the festival,
including the market. • Keep your expectations in check. Your first few trips
to the festival will be research, and after each you will
• Don’t arrange formal meetings with distributors or
understand more about how everything works and how
sales agents if your project is not ready to finance. If
to build relationships with other filmmakers.
you meet someone at a social function, don’t just launch
in with your pitch, but first have a conversation and if • Ensure you leave plenty of time to get to screenings
it seems to be going well, tell them about the project. as most are heavily subscribed – this applies to market
The festival is a very stressful place for acquisitions screenings as well as screenings in the festival selection.
executives. Their focus is on finished movies and
• Remember that while parties are fun in Cannes, they
projects they are tracking. It’s far more important for
are absolutely about business. It doesn’t pay to spend
you to make a connection with someone with whom you
all your time trying to score invites to parties or to
might do business in the future, than to pitch a project
harass people for invitations. You will only annoy
that isn’t ready.
your contacts.
• Try to avoid spending all your time with your friends
• Cannes is a means to introduce yourself to people
– it might be comforting but you haven’t spent all those
in companies based outside your home turf. You can
dollars to hang around with people you already know. The
make appointments with local companies at any time of
festival is huge but it has a very singular focus: films and
the year and Australian companies won’t want to spend
filmmakers. Armed with your knowledge of what’s going
time in Cannes meeting with filmmakers who live down
on (from the trades) and your opinion of the films that are
the road from them. Every serious film company in the
screening (from your viewing) you are well placed to make
world is in one place for 10 days – and so are you.
connections with the other 30,000 festival participants

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• The Marché du Film Daily Screening Program lists • The office will be open from 16th to 24th May and exact
both market and festival screenings. It’s available opening times will be published in the lead up to the
from 4pm one day in advance, at press counters and market. There will be times where it will need to remain
information points, inside the Marché du Film screening closed for private events so please be mindful of the
rooms, as well as in select hotels. opening hours when they are made available. If need
be, you will need to find an alternative location for any
• To assist parents and families attending the market &
meetings.
festival, Le Ballon Rouge offer family-friendly services
such as child care. The service caters for children • As there is high demand for these tables and very
aged 6 months – 12 years from 10am-6pm and for a limited capacity, we recommend you try to set your
maximum of 6 hours at a time for each child. To learn meetings around the market - like the casual areas in
more, email [email protected] the Palais, at sales agents’ offices, the many cafes, and
great outdoor areas that hotels offer like the Grand and
• The Screen Australia office is located at Level 3, Flat
other popular meeting spots.
3H2, Le Gray d’Albion, 4 rue des Serbes, Cannes
6400. Enter at 4 Rue des Serbes, turn right once inside • Priority to meeting tables at Screen Australia’s office
the building, and elevator to the 3rd floor is on the left. is given to key creatives with films screening in Cannes,
and those with a track record of commercially released
• All entrants are encouraged to maintain social
and internationally recognised long form Australian
distancing whilst in the office.
content. These facilities are only available to Australian-
based citizens or permanent residents.

Australian office

Download the official map

from the Cannes site.

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Practical Info

GETTING TO CANNES Taxi

By plane Allô Taxi Cannes
Nice Cote d’Azur International Airport taxi-cannes.net
nice.aeroport.fr Booking: +33 4 93 992 727
Tel. (in France): 0820 423 333 Email: [email protected]
Tel. (from abroad): +33 8 20 42 33 33 Or they have a free itunes app you can download.

By train
EATING OUT
Cannes Railway Station
Approx five-hour high speed train journey from Paris You won’t have a problem finding a place to eat out in
sncf.com/en Cannes; it is filled with restaurants. You can find an
Tel. (in France): 36 35 array of places to eat along the Croisette. For cheaper
Tel. (from abroad): +33 8 92 35 35 35 restaurants head to the Port area past the Palais, where
you’ll find great pizza places.

TRANSPORTATION FROM THE AIRPORT The official Cannes tourism website has hints and tips on
TO CANNES bistros, restaurants and wine bars.
By bus
One-way: €22 DAILY NEEDS
A/R : €33 Morning markets like Forville, Gambetta and La Bocca
50 min ride, every half an hour from 9am to 7pm have great fresh produce and ingredients on sale, while
1st ride 8am, last 8pm supermarkets like Monoprix and Careefour can supply
Tickets are available at the counters at the bus stop. your daily needs.
By taxi
Around €80/trip (daytime rate: 7am to 7pm) ACCOMMODATION
Around €90/trip (nightime rate: 7pm to 7am) There are a variety of options for accommodation in and
Located at: Gate A1 (Terminal 1), Gate A3 (Terminal 2) around Cannes. View a list of hotels here. For apartment
Central Taxi Riviera Nice: +33 (0)4 93 13 78 78 rentals, the Marché du Film recommends booking with
Car hire its partner Immosol, which offers apartments with or
All of France and Europe’s major car rental companies without hotel services, depending on your budget. There
(Advantage, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Entreprise, are a number of other reputable agencies located in
FireFly, Goldcar and Sixt) have branches at Nice Airport. Cannes. If you need any advice or contacts in Cannes to
Click here for car hire information. help arrange accommodation, please email
[email protected]
GETTING AROUND CANNES
The majority of the festival and market takes place ON ARRIVAL
within approximately two square kilometres. Your best It is a good idea to text or call whoever arranged your
option to get around is by foot. It’s a good idea to allow accommodation as soon as you’re in a cab, bus or train
longer than you think, as the Croisette and Rue d’Antibes from Nice. That way, they can meet you with the keys to
both get incredibly crowded with slow moving foot traffic enable immediate access to your apartment or hostel.
and often the festival security unexpectedly change the
traffic conditions depending on what is happening on the
red carpet. Some people hire bicycles which is a quick way
to get around.

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BEWARE OF FRAUDULENT ACCOMMODATION BANKING AND FOREIGN EXCHANGE
You may be contacted by organisations with attractive Au change Miramar
offers of hotel or apartment rentals for your stay in 57 bd de la Croisette - 06400 Cannes
Cannes, sometimes using the logos of the Marché du Film, Tel. +33 (0) 4 93 94 45 20
Festival de Cannes or the Palme d’Or.
European Exchange Office
Fraud can occur when you arrive at the hotel or residence 65 bd de la Croisette - 06400 Cannes
where the booking was made, only to discover that a Tel. + 33 (0) 4 93 94 45 20
reservation does not exist. In these cases fraudulent
Travelex
companies can no longer be contacted and there is no
8 rue d’Antibes - 06400 Cannes
possibility of having payment reimbursed.
Tel. +33 (0) 4 93 39 41 45
Cannes participants have fallen victim to fraudulent
American Express
accommodation providers presenting themselves as:
8 r Belges 06400 Cannes - AMEXCO 470786 F
Premier Destinations, Euro-Events, Global Living
Group, The Ultimate Living Group, Riviera Network,
Business Travel International and Expo Travel Group. POLICE STATION
If you receive requests or notifications from any of the 1, Avenue Grasse
aforementioned, please be extremely careful. 6400 Cannes, France
Tel. +33 (0)4 93 06 22 22
If you suspect any fraudulent activity, let the Marché du
Film know at [email protected]
INFORMATION POINTS
WARNING Staff at information points will be able to answer your
questions. These are located in the following Marché and
Take care with security in the office, your apartment and
festival zones:
in the streets. There are always incidents of crime during
the festival. We advise you not to leave windows open at Outside the Palais
night (if you’re on a lower floor), as unfortunately there are Entrance of the Village International Pantiero
burglaries every year. In case of lost or stolen passport Inside the Palais
please notify the Australian Embassy immediately here. Level 01: Marché du Film entrance, centre aisle
Level 01: Puits de Lumière
MEDICAL HELP AND ENGLISH SPEAKING Level 0: Hall Méditerranée (on the left of the main entry)
DOCTORS Level F+3: street entrance by the newspaper stands
The Australian Embassy keeps a list of English speaking At the Riviera: seaside entrance
doctors. They can be contacted here.

Riviera Medical Services is an association run by local

doctors who have a list of all local medical personnel who
speak English. The list includes the names and contact
numbers of GPs, specialists, physiotherapists, dentists,
gynaecologists, paediatricians, nurses and ambulance
services. Call to find the medical practitioner or medical
assistance. Assistance in English guaranteed.
Tel. +33 (0) 4 93 26 12 70

Note: As this is a free service run voluntarily, very

occasionally there is no one available to answer. Do try
again later.

It is recommended that you take out appropriate travel

and medical insurance that covers you for any unexpected
costs.