Festival de Cannes Tips for Surviving the Film Festival with the Red Carpet

Ruby Boukabou is an entertainer and a seasoned writer/reporter focusing on travel, culture, and lifestyle. She lives in Paris part-time. Ruby attends the annual Cannes Film Festival and interviews key event organizers between watching the movies and movie stars on the red carpet. As a regular attendee at the annual Festival de Cannes each May, Ruby has developed tips for surviving the busy 11-day film festival.

Please watch the website and our social media profiles. Ruby will share her list of survival tips ahead of the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, which runs from May 13 to 24, 2025.

Festival de Cannes Survival Tips

It may sound ridiculous to need survival tips for the world’s most glamorous film festival, held in spring on the French Riviera. Sun, stars, Mediterranean cuisine, beach parties, red carpet film premiers, and sultry soirées in exquisite villas… what could possibly go wrong?

Actually, quite a lot!

The festival allures stars, creatives, and movers and shakers, but it’s also attractive to thieves, crazy weather conditions, frazzled producers trying to get work financed, and quite a few bugs. There’s a culture clash, hot-headed frictions, fraud, and watch out for sunstroke, pickpockets, overpricing, and energy vampires.

But the festival can also be magical and thrilling and life-changing. After attending (on a press pass) for over a decade, I’ve been asked to share some tips to help you get the best out of your Cannes. They’ll be up in the lead-up to the 2025 festival. But in the meantime, here’s the Cannes wrap video from my visit in 2024. Enjoy.

Who is Ruby Boukabou?

A long-time arts reporter, Ruby Boukabou’s passion for creative processes and products shines through in her work. Her extensive academic background, including an honours degree in the Arts (literature, theatre, film, French, classics), a Master’s in theatre, and a diploma in journalism, has paved the way for her years of experience as a freelance travel and culture journalist. Ruby’s work has been featured in magazines, newspapers, media stations, and websites worldwide, making her a trusted source for all things Parisian.

Paris’s art, architecture, and fashion scenes have long influenced the rest of the country, including Provence. Ruby Boukabou, a passionate observer of Parisian art and architecture, has penned two indispensable books: The Art Lover’s Guide to Paris and The Architecture Lover’s Guide to Paris. These comprehensive guides, enriched with her insights and experiences, are a must-read for anyone embarking on a journey to the city.

Book Review: Paris Art and Architecture

The Spanish influence in Provence is undeniable, from paella to corridas and ferias (horse and bull) sporting events. Barcelona is an easy “weekend away” destination from most parts of Provence and the Côte d’Azur. Before visiting the fascinating Catalan city, pick up a copy of Ruby Boukabou’s The Art Lover’s Guide to Barcelona.  Drawing on a decade of unique experiences in Barcelona, Ruby Boukabou wrote this guidebook. From participating in tap dance festivals and making video reports to exploring museums, galleries, and workshops, she immersed herself in the city’s vibrant art scene.

Saint-Tropez - Jewel of the French Riviera: Full day tour with a winery visit

Spend your day as a movie star in Saint-Tropez! The departure is set early in the morning to avoid the traffic towards the legendary town, with which a thousand stories are associated. The experience will start with a tour of this enchanting small fishing town of Saint-Tropez, which inspired numerous painters and whose beauty of the port always attracted the cinematographic world.

Book this Experience

Carolyne Kauser-Abbott

With her camera and laptop close at hand, Carolyne has traded in her business suits for the world of freelance writing and blogging. Her first airplane ride at six months of age was her introduction to the exciting world of travel.

While in Provence, Carolyne can be found hiking with friends, riding the hills around the Alpilles or tackling Mont Ventoux. Her attachment to the region resonates in Perfectly Provence this digital magazine that she launched in 2014. This website is an opportunity to explore the best of the Mediterranean lifestyle (food & wine, places to stay, expat stories, books on the region, travel tips, real estate tips and more), through our contributors' articles.

Carolyne writes a food and travel blog Ginger and Nutmeg. Carolyne’s freelance articles can be found in Global Living Magazine, Avenue Magazine and City Palate (Published Travel Articles).