Chapter 172: Pushing Human Limits

Upon arriving in Cannes, there was still some time before the film festival began. Murphy saw a quiet and beautiful seaside town, not the bustling movie capital. After checking into the hotel they had booked and overcoming a day of jet lag, he did not continue to rest. Instead, he followed Erica Stanberg, an experienced producer, to handle the final exhibition procedures for "Planet Terror."

This wasn't typically the job of a film director, but Murphy was willing to accompany Erica for the experience it would bring.

First, they went to the film festival's organizing committee to process their festival passes. With these passes, many things would be more convenient.

After paying a fee of 2000 euros, they received two passes. As they left the office, Murphy noticed his blue pass and compared it to Erica's pink one. He guessed that the different colors represented different roles, having seen media passes, photographer passes, and industry insider passes on others while coming here.

"Our passes are different colors?"

Walking out of the organizing committee's building onto the seaside boulevard, Murphy curiously asked Erica, "Yours is a producer's pass?"

He looked at his own blue pass, which only identified him as an industry insider without specifying "director" or any similar title.

"The color represents the level of the pass," Erica explained as they walked towards their rented car, "Your pass cost 800 dollars, while mine was 1200 dollars."

Murphy was puzzled; Miramax wouldn't skimp on 400 dollars.

"Industry insider passes aren't just given to anyone who applies. The organizing committee has a specific evaluation process," Erica continued as they reached the car and got in. "The fee for the pass is also a source of income for the festival. For example, a standard pass for Cannes costs 399 euros, while passes for producer meetings and workshops start at 460 euros. Each higher level comes with an increased fee."

"I see," Murphy nodded, understanding why Bill had told him that large film festivals were also a game of money.

Erica agreed with a smile, "Different fees result in different levels of access."

She pointed to Murphy's blue pass and her own pink pass, "The colors, from highest to lowest, are expert white, dotted pink, pink, blue, yellow. Those who frequent film festivals know that the color of a Cannes pass can indicate a person's level, from the lowest yellow, slightly higher blue, coveted pink, to the nearly unattainable white."

"I've attended several festivals," she said with a self-deprecating smile, "and only last year did I manage to get a pink one."

Media passes don't have such distinctions and are mainly based on the fees paid. This is another significant source of income for the Cannes Film Festival.

The importance of money in successfully hosting the Cannes Film Festival goes without saying. Although the French National Center of Cinematography, the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, and the Cannes city government cover part of the festival's costs, and there are private and corporate sponsors, the festival still needs to generate its own income.

These status-indicating passes are part of that income generation.

Don't underestimate the color of these passes; they can provide completely different experiences during the festival.

For example, competition films at the Cannes Film Festival usually have a priority screening the day before the official premiere, allowing those with pink or higher-level passes early access.

For other screenings, those with yellow or blue passes must queue up early in the morning. When the screening time approaches, pink pass holders form a separate, shorter line; white pass holders enter the venue directly without queuing, followed by pink and then blue pass holders, with yellow pass holders entering last, if at all.

Thus, for those with blue and yellow passes, it's possible to wait in vain and miss the screening.

Besides these general passes, exhibitors like Murphy and Erica receive a black exhibitor pass the day before the festival starts, valid only at the screening venue of "Planet Terror."

After spending a day with Erica, Murphy's biggest realization wasn't about the artistic atmosphere but about the significant financial requirements for official participation in the festival.

Compared to the developing Saint Denis Film Festival, the expenses for a film at Cannes are much higher.

After obtaining their passes, Murphy and Erica focused on two tasks: signing a formal PR agreement with a local media relations company, part of the contract for "Planet Terror's" participation in Cannes, and producing promotional materials as per the festival's requirements. This included cards, posters, press releases, and press conference materials, all of which involved considerable costs.

The film's box office revenue during the festival goes entirely to the organizing committee, not the film crew.

"Sitting on the hotel room's balcony, Murphy, sipping green tea, told James Franco and others, "If you're going to walk the opening red carpet, do it with pride. Present a good work or engage deeply with the festival in relevant aspects. It's better than seeking unwarranted attention. After all, crashing the red carpet doesn't guarantee recognition."

The conversation shifted to Monica Bellucci's new film "Irreversible," featuring a controversial ten-minute scene that was said to push human limits, sparking a mix of disdain and curiosity among Murphy's group. They debated the artistic merit and the festival's potential winners, highlighting the competitive and sometimes controversial nature of Cannes.

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