All you need to know about the Cannes Film Festival (2024)

The Cannes International Film Festival is the Côte d’Azur’s glamorous event, where the biggest international stars gather every year. The Festival de Cannes brings together over 14,000 professionals and 600 exhibitors. But above all, the Cannes Film Festival is the most high-profile cinema event in the world. The emblematic “montée des marches” and the star-studded red carpet contribute to prolonging the myth year after year.

From May 15 to 24, 2024, the entire international film industry will have its eyes set on Cannes.

How to get to the 77th Cannes Film Festival?

To get the sesame to enter the heart of the Palais des Festivals, you need an accreditation. Several options are available, including a Platinum badge, which offers exclusive access to attend highly prized screenings, producer network talks and workshops. This badge is also a pass to the Bistrot du Lérins or the Lounge area.

If you don’t have accreditation, you can still stroll among the onlookers and the hundreds of paparazzi in search of the most stunning image. You can also attend private parties, the most popular of which are by invitation only.

What to see or do during the Cannes Film Festival?

While waiting for the jury’s long-awaited award of the Palme d’Or, Cannes and its surroundings deserve your full attention.

If the Croisette and its luxury brands offer hours of shopping just a few steps away from the Palais des Festivals, you will also appreciate the immediate proximity of Cannes’ beaches, especially the ephemeral beaches that take place during the festival. All are great venues for a festive and gourmet experience.

To get away from the frenzy and escape, the ideal thing to do is to enjoy the pleasure of chartering a yacht from Cannes for a day or more, which will allow you to discover the Lérins Islands, stroll through the narrow streets of the authentic fishing village of Saint-Tropez or spend an evening in the Bay of Cannes with a view of the facades of the Palais des Festivals and Croisette’s palaces. You can also rent a sports car or a luxury sedan to discover the roads of Monaco’s Principality and spend an evening at the casino before returning to your Cannes palace.

Back in Cannes, you can’t miss the official and private parties organized by the biggest production companies and luxury brands… This is the place to be… and to be seen.
The biggest parties are held in the heart of Cannes palaces, in villas or on the beaches of the Croisette. In exclusive evenings such as those at the “Terrasse by Albane” (Albane Cleret), only members can indulge themselves with the biggest stars.

All these evenings are the pulse of Cannes, from early morning until dusk.
The ephemeral beaches come alive only during the Festival period, when the Martinez beach is another not-to-be-missed spot for festival parties. Here, you can dine on the orgasmic delights of celebrity chef Jean Imbert’s cuisine, before enjoying a signature cocktail to the sound of DJ sets and the world’s biggest movie stars. Carlton Beach will undoubtedly be another must-see venue at this 2024 edition.

How to travel to the Cannes International Film Festival?

The Cannes Film Festival is in the heart of the French Riviera, between Nice and Saint-Tropez. To reach the Croisette, several options are possible. If you arrive on an international flight at Nice Côte d’Azur airport, you can come to Cannes by renting a luxury car or opting for a chauffeur-driven car. It will take between 40 minutes and over an hour to drive, depending on the traffic flow. Ideally, you should take a helicopter connection, which puts Cannes only 10 minutes’ flight from the international airport.

The most comfortable way to become a real festival-goer is to rent a private jet. The Cannes-Mandelieu business aviation airport is particularly popular at this time of year, so it is best to book early if you choose this option. A driver can then drive you to Cannes Center.
Finally, the most exclusive mode of transport and stay during the festival period is the yacht charter. Onboard, you can both enjoy the magic of the Festival and discover the treasures of the French Riviera. Moreover, the yacht rental will offer you the possibility to organize your evening’s rest.

Where to stay during the Cannes Film Festival?

Palaces and luxury hotels are numerous in the area around the Palais des Festivals. The legendary hotels of the Croisette will provide the perfect setting, like the Carlton Cannes A Regent Hotel, inaugurated in 2023, whose beauty will captivate all festival-goers this year.

The Hotel Barrière Le Majestic Cannes, the closest hotel to the Palais, welcomes you in a sumptuous decor. You will benefit from this proximity, the sublime view of the Mediterranean, the well-being provided by the professionals of the Spa Diane Barrière and the gustatory pleasures of the Paradiso Nicole & Pierre.

Further along the Croisette is the iconic art-deco façade of the Hotel Martinez Cannes. It’s in the restaurant La Palme d’Or, that the jury takes part in a made-to-measure dinner, from the plate to the dishes tasted. If you stay at the Martinez hotel, you will undoubtedly appreciate the quietness and the bucolic setting of the Jardin du Martinez for the breakfast that will follow your crazy Cannes nights. Simply cross the Croisette and then relax on Martinez Beach or take part in one of the most popular evenings of the Festival.

Another place, another atmosphere, the Five Seas Hotel Cannes is more trendy, located between the Croisette and Rue d’Antibes. The spot is ideal to stay in a contemporary setting and enjoy the rooftop overlooking the Suquet.

Return to the Croisette, where the JW Marriott Cannes hotel cultivates the glamorous atmosphere of the festival. Finally, if you wish to experience the Festival’s atmosphere during the day but find the luxury and discretion of an exceptional palace, the Cap Eden Roc hotel in Cap d’Antibes remains a legendary address.

The magic and glamour of the Cannes festival create an extraordinary atmosphere on the French Riviera. Hoteliers, party organizers and restaurants roll out the red carpet to turn simple participation into a unique experience.