‘Patch’ à Cannes

And so I found myself in Cannes. An overwhelming fair for rookie filmmakers like myself (although I never know what to call myself as a producing actress). I got here two days ago and just today I sort of found a moment to reflect on what I have experienced the last seventy-two or so hours.
As ‘Patch’ is being screened in the Short Film Corner, it was the perfect excuse to personally live the ‘Cannes madness’ for the first time in my life.
I left well prepared, I had well prepared my pitches, I had done research on the professionals I would have meetings with, but honestly did not know what to expect. To be on the safe side, I packed three red carpet outfits, which turned out to be way too modest for Cannes standards (I just like classy cats suits). This is Cannes, which has nothing to do with modesty or being just classy, not even for starting filmmakers. I should have known better, but I was admitted.
I am not going elaborate on how to be lucky enough to obtain a ticket for a Lumière screening at night (the main screen in the Palais, where we see all the stars arrive in their limo’s and shine on ‘les marches’ and where (a lot of them) run off via the artist exit after showing their gowns to the public and the zillion photographers). However, I was lucky enough, I had a ticket. At this screening of the Japanese film ‘Hikari’ (‘Radiance’) (that I found too long for the story, but beautifully shot and in which I loved the (Asian) subtlety), I sat next to a beautiful and very nice woman who was not an actress, but a legal advisor for a film distributors association, also in cat suit. After the screening we were completely dehydrated and she spontaneously asked me to go for a drink with her and her colleagues.
This is also Cannes. You make friends in the loo, standing in line for a coffee, on a terrace, during conferences (yes we work and learn too) and sure, during happy hours. For all I know, we could all be future colleagues..