How I Talked My Way Into The Cannes Film Festival
So this was me in 2000. Yep, way back in the year 2000 I lived in Nice, France. I was going to school to learn french and in class one day our teacher told us about some former students who got dressed up and talked their way into the Cannes Film Festival so of course I thought I could do the same thing. And guess what? I DID!
I’m sorry I don’t have a picture of the girl I got into the Cannes Film Festival with but her name was Evelyn and she was from Holland. We both got dressed up and made our way to Cannes. The pic above is the night we were headed for the Film Festival. One advantage I had was that there weren’t many Black Americans in the South of France so when I would see that the bouncers at the clubs were Black I could pretty much just talk to them and they would let us in, and the parties in Cannes were no different. That was fun and easy. But talking our way into the Film Festival took a little more effort.
Our teacher told us that we had to ask for tickets and that many times people had extra tickets and were willing to give them to you if you looked pretty enough. So we got all dolled up and stood outside of the velvet ropes and started asking people, “Do you have tickets?” (in French, of course). Both of us were on as asking frenzy! We figured we would have a better chance with men so we pretty much only asked them.
Have you ever watched the Film Festival on TV and seen when they walk up the red carpet? I put this picture above so you would have some idea of what I was talking about. The whole bottom part of this sidewalk was blocked off with velvet rope and you couldn’t go past without those tickets that we were asking to have.
I’ll never forget the moment when I got the ticket. I walked up to this older gentleman who was dressed in his tuxedo and I asked him poilitely if he had two tickets. He literally looked me up and down and said, “Oui.” And gave me two tickets! I thanked him and hurried to find Evelyn, we were going to get inside of the Festival! (side note, I don’t know why I didn’t take the white tag out of that dress. Seriously, I have no idea).
We couldn’t believe it and when we handed our tickets to the usher we expected him to say, “Get out of here you commoners!” but he didn’t he let us in! We were so excited and as we were walking on the red carpet there were photographers taking our picture and everything. It was a glorious night and no, I don’t remember the movie. All I know is that it was really stupid but we didn’t care, we were watching a film at the Cannes Film Festival! It was a great night and we had so much fun. I mean, how many people get the chance to go to the Cannes Film Festival and actually go inside? I DID!
Wow, Roni, looks like you had a great time. I’m not surprised you got in; you looked stunning. And if you hadn’t mentioned it, I’d never have noticed the white tag. 🙂
I did, I really did. And thank you! I felt great that night. When I look at that pic all I see it the white tag! Thanks for commenting.
Oh my gosh…what an awesome memory! Exciting! This makes me want to try something like this one day!
Thanks! It was so much fun!
What a great memory!!! Love it!
How exciting! My story is too pathetic by comparison but since you asked….someone gave me a “gold card” to Hard Rock Cafe once and I wasn’t really sure what it even was. When a brand new Hard Rock Cafe opened in Myrtle Beach, it was a really big deal with double lines out the door and an impossibly long wait (like hours and you couldn’t even get to the bar). My friends and I decided to go check it out to see if lines were any shorter a week or so in and I think they were actually longer! So we walked up to the doorman that was sending everyone to the two long lines to see how long the wait was and, almost as an afterthought, I pulled out that Gold Card and asked if this “meant anything” and suddenly we were famous! With about 100 people in line watching us, the door man radioed inside and someone immediately came out in a suit and welcomed us, escorted us past the throngs of people right into the Hard Rock and introduced us to another gentleman that walked us to the bar and said we were next on the list for a table. So amazing to catch a glimpse of how “the other half lives”! Also very telling that your story takes place while studying French in Nice and mine is in a redneck riviera of america! Lolol. This is why you are my Guru 🙂
I had no idea there was such a thing as a gold card! That’s a great story.
Wow, what a fantastic experience, love it!
Thank you!
What a great story! I was expecting something crazy involving stars (but maybe you can’t discuss that!), but I enjoyed the writing!
hee hee…I can’t share everything 🙂