This Tuesday, as the palace teams rolled out their first red carpet of the Fortnight, a “phew” of relief resounded all over the Croisette. The Cannes Film Festival, which raises the curtain on its 75th edition, the first of the post-Covid era, brings a smile back to an entire ecosystem.
“The last one, organized in July 2021, was not bad. But there, in May, we really find the fundamentals. You can see that there are a lot more people. The Americans are back. And Tom Cruise will be there. Everything is fine, ”blows a member of the gang of stepladders, this group of amateur photographers, melted autographs, at the foot of the steps.
“Catch up a bit”
Socio-professionals are also “full of hope after two very complicated years”, testifies Ilona El Hasnaoui, employee of Kiosque 9 bis, one of the catering points which mark out the Croisette, where the last installations were going well this Tuesday. “We were waiting for this “normal” festival with great impatience. The hotels are full. We should turn well and catch up a bit,” she continues.
On the famous boulevard, already surveyed by many festival-goers, and particularly pampered influencers this year (TikTok is one of the official partners of the event), the private beaches also expect a lot from the event.
“Last year, in July, it was complicated. We didn’t have our usual clientele and the spotlight that the festival provides came too late in the season. So we are obviously delighted to find our event in optimal conditions. It’s a real breath, explains Anne Leroy, director of 3.14. We are really counting on it to make up for the financial delays caused by the health crisis. And while waiting for the summer, reservations are very good. »
“There is a certain euphoria”
Like at La Californie restaurant, which directly faces the convention center. “Festival-goers are calling. The indicators are green”, confides at the entrance, the hostess Mélina Godet. The Croisette will be very crowded this year, with no particular health restrictions. According to the town hall of Cannes, there were already more than “33,000 accredited professionals” at the event at the end of last week.
At the Film Market alone, the business part of the event, the number of participants could even exceed that of 2019 (more than 12,500). “There is a certain euphoria. People have not seen each other for two years, and they have missed the face-to-face, says Jean-Michel Arnaud, president of the Palais des festivals, who also manages the tourist promotion of the destination. There will be people, activity and spin-offs. And that’s great news for the whole season. »