Party Time at Cannes!
The movies, the marketing, the celeb sightings, the rosé, the French police. Cue the White Lotus send up of the industrial entertainment complex.
While the Hollywood studios didn’t field anything for the main event, the entertainment biz isn’t so much shunning Cannes as wholly decamping here for the summer.
Mike White’s decision to set the latest season of “White Lotus,” on the Riviera has gripped Cannes film festival goers. Everyone wants to know where and when the cast and crew are shooting. Laura Dern and British comic Steve Coogan are set to star in this season’s send up of the entertainment business and the selfish scrambling that goes on behind the smiles inside the fame factory. One source close to the set told The Media Mix that they’re going to start shooting in earnest once the crowds have departed next week and that the Palais has been asked to leave the red carpet set-up intact so filming can continue. One can only imagine how Mike White might satirize the fights to get on the most famous red carpet in the world.
One canny tour company Azur Xperiences is first out of the gate with a new “White Lotus” themed tour of Cannes launching as soon as season four airs on HBO early 2027. The Hyatt’s Hotel Martinez and its stunning beach club is already confirmed as one locale, as is St Tropez’ Chateaux de la Messardiere. If it’s true to real life, surely the cigar bar atop Hotel du Cap’s Eden Roc and entertainment industry mainstay La Colombe D’Or should make the cut.
The HBO series is not alone in setting up shop here. Netflix sixth season of “Emily in Paris,” is scheduled to film in Monaco this month. The cast were out in full force this week: Lucas Bravo “Gabriel” attended the Vanity Fair/Carlton lunch while his co-star, Lucian Laviscount “Alfie” showed up at a Magnum ice-cream event and Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu “Sylvie,” vamped for L’Oreal in a hotel suite.
Ten Percenteries
Netflix brought the cast of French talent agency A.S.K. to global fame in “Dix Pour Cent,” which follows a group of back stabbing talent agents as they console and cajole their actor clients. The cast including Camille Cottin Andrea is here to promote the movie of the famed French TV series which ended its run in 2020.
***
Rosé-tinted.
The Cannes Film Festival is primarily about international auteur-driven movies, with Club Kid and Fatherland already generating buzz but there’s a frivolous and fun marketing effort that runs alongside the art. Magnum and Nespresso feature big marketing activations here. Dua Lipa who appears in the Nespresso ads all over French media touched down in Cannes for a string of events with her brother and sister.
Opposite the Carlton Hotel on Friday, Bodvar Hafstrom, the Swedish guy behind Bodvar rosé wine, hosted an afternoon beach party to promote the drink to Chinese buyers. The DJ cranked up Frankie Goes to Hollywood tunes to drown out any attempts at small talk before a singer, Kate Ryan, in red leather pants, belted out 1986 hit “Voyage Voyage,” from Desireless to the attendees. On the guest list Victoria Secret star Sara Sampaiao. Hopefully Emily Cooper can give them a hand with the next steps on the social media marketing front. I captured a little video of the event below. The rosé of course was delightful and a big thanks to Page Six Hollywood who I tagged along with.
Tw-EAT this.
MamoMichelangelo restaurant in Antibes isn’t shy of sharing its guest list. Mamo shared an Instagram post with Adam Driver appearing in “Paper Tiger,” one of only two US movies in competition. The movie party is slated for tonight. Also dining last night at his popular Italian eaterie: Former Twitter boss, Jack Dorsey, Fast and the Furious star Michelle Rodriguez and Francois-Henri Pinault, the Kering kingpin who is co-owner of talent agency CAA. This week Kering’s Women in Motion interview series at the Carlton Hotel featured Julianne Moore, Hannah Einbinder and Fast and Furious’ Jordana Brewster.
All week I’ve been wondering why Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis haven’t taken advantage of their presence on the official Cannes poster which is in almost every store window on the Rue D’Antibes.
It turns out Cannes pin-up Geena Davis will be putting in an appearance to support Amfar at the finale party of the ten day event. Getting a ticket might cost you though. The hunt for the best party tickets is brutal in Cannes but the days of party goers blaging their way into events evaporated with the arrival of barcoded plastic bracelets.
But for those with more money than sense, hotel concierges and a variety of sketchy Facebook groups can help. Amfar’s event at the Hotel du Cap is advertised at a mere 20,000 Euros. The event’s headliner, Geena Davis is fresh from a starring role in Sabrina Carpenter’s Coachella set last month. If that’s too pricey, the Chopard yacht party goes for 14,160 Euros. The Facebook Group comes with a warning however, “prices may change at any moment.” It sounds like a FIFA inspired pricing strategy. The entertainers are: Robbie Williams, Zara Larsson an PinkPantheress. There are also tickets online for Leonardo DiCaprio’s “The After Party,” after the Amfar dinner. Who will be there? Hard to say until you spring for the tickets and show up.
Quote of the Day: Cannes or the Academy?
“This is better than an Oscar,” John Travolta on receiving his honorary Palme D’Or, in a cream berry and a pencil thin beard. Travolta shared a video of him flying along the Riviera coastline with his daughter, Ella Bleu on Instagram. He is making his directing debut with, “Propeller: One Way Night Coach,” for AppleTV.
Beverly Hills Cops
The Cannes Mayor David Lisnard is cracking down on drugs at parties and employing a host of sniffer dogs to locate the cocaine contraband. You were warned. Europol, the pan-continental police force are also joining forces with their compadres to try to prevent luxury watch thieves who operate on vespas. Thanks to new AI tech the police know who they are and have extra staff to help. Code name for the operation is “Beverly 2,” a nod to the movie, “Beverly Hills Cop.” Nice Matin has more.
And finally. The Cannes Caption Competition.
You’ve heard of a lobster bib, now meet the tuxedo bib. When you are eating pasta carbonara in Cannes the last thing you want is cream on the suit. When I saw these guys I had to stop ask for a snap. Now your job is to caption the photo.
No matter where you look during the festival there is someone taking an endless series of photographs of a woman in a giant dress. This one caught me eye because of the incredible clouds. Caption suggestions please.
***
Send your captions, comments and complaints, share your news, or a tip on a great movie screening: Claireatki@me.com. More to come this week.
Thanks all the paid subscribers who make this newsletter possible. Subscribe or click this link to buy me a coffee.
https://buymeacoffee.com/claireatkinson/c/18424753.
Follow me on Instagram, X and LinkedIn for more commentary on the media, marketing and tech space + photos and videos. If you’d like me to moderate your event or join your company for a one hour lunch and learn get in touch for rates.
Maybe it is more fun without much Hollywood presence in Cannes?