The Cannes Film Festival has just begun, and already there is much hype around one of the most prestigious film events. The 78th Cannes Film Festival is making waves among the people attending it, the films being premiered, and, interestingly, the high number of influencers who are seemingly walking the red carpet as well.
This time, there has been a lot of discussion around all the influencers and celebrities attending the film festival, including Kusha Kapila, Sakshi Sindwani, Parul Gulati, Nancy Tyagi, Shalini Passi, Urvashi Rautela, and more.
While the film festival still remains an exclusive invite-only event, there has been chatter about how true that really is, whether people can pay to walk the red carpet, and what other secrets the event is hiding.
Pay To Walk The Red Carpet
Fashion influencer Urfi Javed recently, in an Instagram story, talked about the reality of walking the Cannes red carpet. In her post, she revealed that although she had an opportunity to go to Cannes this year, she couldn’t due to her visa getting rejected.
Along with this, she also said that walking the Cannes red carpet is ‘not an achievement’ and that brands are the ones paying for the tickets, which they then give to influencers or celebrities to represent their brand. Urfi wrote, “Going to Cannes is an opportunity which isn’t based on your merit. Brands buy tickets to the red carpet and give them to influencers/celebrities to represent the brand. Individuals can also buy tickets. Walking the Cannes red carpet is not an achievement, not even for me. It’s an opportunity to promote yourself. That’s the truth. Here I said it. Unless your film is being premiered at the festival (yeah then it’s an achievement), other than that anyone can do it (if you have money or brands are ready to sponsor you).”
Content creator Anupriya Kapur also took to Instagram recently, where she posted a screenshot of an email in which someone is allegedly proposing various ‘packages’ that influencers can pay in order to attend Cannes. The screenshot showed packages ranging from Rs 8 lakhs (for mid-level experience) to Rs 12 lakhs (for elite experience).
Kapur wrote, “Just in case you think ‘Influencers’ get ‘invited’ to Cannes and international fashion shows. They have to pay for it, and there is nothing wrong with it, but then they pretend they didn’t pay and try to act like they are representing the country.”
While it’s not clear whether this was an authentic offer or just a scam, more and more questions are being raised due to the rising attendance of individuals who are not yet connected to the film industry.
Dress Code
New York super-publicist Peggy Siegel, in a 2016 report to Vulture, talked about the strict dress code that is adhered to at the Cannes Film Festival. She said, “Black tie means black tie here. They have the regular police in Cannes, but they also have the fashion police. They pull you out of line and send you across the street to buy proper shoes and a proper tie.”
Read More: ED VoxPop: We Asked Young India If Cannes Is Overrated Or Not?
The Pierre Cardin Guest House
As per a 2013 report by ET, POP claims that the Pierre Cardin guest house is the place to be if you really want to rub shoulders with those from the big leagues or the super-rich. It states, “All the old guys run fiefdoms from the hotels they stay in and stick to the bars there. And the super-rich or the heads of agencies typically drink with the likes of Maurice Levy at an exotic location like the guest house of Pierre Cardin, which is a 40-minute drive away in a stretch limo or on a private boat.
If you are the youngest, you are very happy at the Gutter Bar, a wannabe at the parties, and if you are in the big league, you want to be seen in the lounges; but if you head the agency, you want to be at the Pierre Cardin guest house.”
Social Media Can Get Banned
In 2018, the Cannes Film Festival banned selfies on the red carpet. Implemented by Cannes director Thierry Frémaux, this was because “the triviality and slowdown caused by the unwanted disorder created by the practice of selfies harms the quality of the climb up the steps, and so the entire festival.”
He also said that selfies were “ridiculous and grotesque” when he tried to ban them in 2015, but was unable to.
Cannes Jury Rules
A 2016 report by Hollywood Reporter took a look at the secret rules and rituals of the Cannes jury. One of them is being kept away from most of the festival events.
Jeremy Thomas, who served on the 1987 Cannes jury, said, “You are spending four to five hours a day watching films, plus the events protocol, the official dinners, and jury deliberations, where it’s all cigarettes, coffee, and conversation.”
There are also rumours that the jury cannot attend parties or discuss the films with anyone else.
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: Firstpost, The Economic Times, Hollywood Reporter
Find the blogger: @chirali_08
This post is tagged under: cannes, cannes 2025, cannes insider, cannes insider secrets, cannes influencers, cannes 2025 influencers, cannes red carpet, cannes secrets
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