20 Problems Only Cannes Film Festival Attendees Will Understand

13. Expensive Publicity Stunts For Films With No Right To Be In Cannes

Irina shayk's shoes at the screening of the film Sicario at the 68th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Tuesday, May 19, 2015. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau)
Matt Sayles/AP

Anyone who has ever made a film has dreamt of the day they've taken it to build publicity at Cannes. The reality of that is a lot of schmoozing in bars and a lot of boring leg-work, rather than the glamorous adventure you probably imagine.

And because it's a ridiculously competitive market, you'll inevitably see grand publicity stunts - like Richard Burton frollicking with a tiger cub on the beach, or the cast of Nuke 'Em High wandering around being all noisy. That's admirable: people want attention for their films.

But then you get the likes of Transformers or Kung Fu Panda putting on a show on the Croisette: films that are so far removed from your quaint, arty vision of Cannes that it's enough to make you choke on your espresso and cigarette.

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