Cannes Film Festival

When: May each year, the festival typically runs for around twelve days.

Where: Cannes, France - centred on the waterfront and the Palais des Festivals.

Cost: Most screenings and events require accreditation or purchased tickets; high-profile premieres and red-carpet access are by invitation and can be costly.

Don’t miss: The opening and closing ceremonies and the Palme d’Or award night at the Palais des Festivals.

The Cannes Film Festival began in 1946 and has grown into a global platform for feature films, auteur cinema and industry deal-making. It combines an official Competition, the Un Certain Regard sidebar, and many parallel selections and markets that attract producers, buyers and press.

Events centre on Cannes’ waterfront: screenings at the Palais des Festivals, press conferences, photocalls and red carpets along La Croisette, plus satellite parties and industry meetings at hotels and private venues. Outside screenings and industry sessions at the Marché du Film make it as much a business week as a celebration of cinema.

The festival is held each May; the exact dates vary year to year but organisers publish the schedule well in advance. It is not tied to a lunar calendar or religious holiday; instead the programme unfolds from an opening ceremony through a packed screening schedule to a closing night when the Palme d’Or is awarded.

Key rhythm: opening night sets the tone with a high-profile premiere, the middle of the festival is dense with press and market activity, and awards and final premieres cluster on the closing days.

Fly to Nice Cote d’Azur Airport (NCE) and continue to Cannes, France by frequent regional train or a 30 - 45 minute drive; Cannes is well connected by TER trains from Nice and Marseille. Arrive at least a day before your first screening or meeting and book hotels and any accreditation well in advance, as rooms fill and prices rise during May.

• Book accreditation or screening tickets months ahead; many industry passes and hotel rooms sell out early.

• Dress smartly for evening screenings and photocalls (smart-casual to formal); comfortable shoes are essential for walking La Croisette.

• Expect busy streets and crowds around the Palais des Festivals; keep valuables secure and use hotel safes for passports and extra cards.

• May on the Riviera is warm and sunny - bring sunscreen, a light jacket for evenings and a refillable water bottle.

• If you are attending the Marché du Film or industry events, schedule meetings with time gaps for traffic and queues.

• Remember many red-carpet premieres and parties are invitation-only; public access is limited to ticketed screenings or industry accreditation.