I have an answer. The party scene in Cannes has grown to become a sideline entertainment of its own. I’ve often sat and wondered how many of the bikini-clad girls and hunky guys at Niki Beach have even a passing relation with the movie-making business.

Whatever, they are part of the scene, and if you want in, here are links to lists of the events in Cannes in 2012.

Where to party in 2012?

Two good Cannes lists I’ve found are Germain Pire’s spreadsheet and this Facebook page.

Another way to get inside information is to hook up with a good publicist. They try and shepherd their talent to the right events and therefore receive invitations to the most high-profile parties. The people at the Film Portal network have several events planned. The easiest and best way to get info is to run along to the Caffé Roma at 11am for their morning Meet & Greet. You’ll find tips for events and hopefully a kind soul with an invitation or the phone number of someone that can help.

If you don’t have the right connections, you might have to buy your way in (this is Cannes, after all). Tickets to the opening night party are being sold for prices topping €700, with events at the Eden Roc going way beyond that. If you are in Cannes for movie business (remember that?) keep an eye on the receptions that are held in the Palais, International Village and Pantiero during the day. They are often a great way to network and make useful connections. They are far more low-key than the evening events, but if you’re trying to raise financing or get distribution in Japan, you need to have your wits about you. Plus, the drinks are usually on the house!

For details about the latest parties, receptions and networking events, follow me on Twitter. If you have an event you want to promote, drop a message below.

For the second time, the TV start-up competition will see companies from around the world pitch innovative business plans and prototypes to a panel of television executives, entrepreneurs and venture capitalists in the hope of being named “2012 most promising disruptive TV start-up.” MIPCube Lab will take place during MIPCube in Cannes on Friday 30 March, just ahead of the 2012 edition of MIPTV (1-4 April).

Game-changing innovations at Cannes

“During MIPCube Lab, we are looking to unearth game-changing innovations that will significantly contribute to altering the face of TV in all its forms,” said Laurine Garaude, Director of Reed MIDEM’s Television Division. “MIPCube attendees will be immersed in a unique, limited-participant highly networked cutting edge environment, before joining the thousands of executives who attend the biggest professional market in the TV industry: MIPTV.”

The choice of Cindy Gallop as a speaker fits the bill. Since her trail-blazing advertising career, she has been advising start-ups across the world with a simple approach: “I like to blow shit up. I am the Michael Bay of business.” Gallop is also the author of the thought-provoking “Make Love Not Porn: Technology’s Hardcore Impact On Human Behaviour”.

MIPCube will also feature an intriguing “TV Hack Day”, where developers will spend the day trying to twist new sources of fun out of the TV format. This sort of event has been very successful at Midem, notably.Other speaks at MIPcube include Ogilvy&Mather, Vivendi and Contagious.

Applicants have until Monday 20 February to submit (free) applications for the competition. Finalists will be mentored by jury members at the show to review and rehearse their presentations.

For further info, visit MIPcube.

Incidentally, Selbst is currently pursuing a Law Degree at Yale Law School in the civil rights field. For details, visit her website. Photo courtesy of Pokerstars.fr

Book your hotel for Partouche Poker in Cannes.

Good rooms from €500

The latest agency to be busted by Cannes Lions is Brazilian agency Moma Propaganda, who lost their Silver Lion in the Press category and the Bronze Lion in Outdoor for the Kia Motors air conditioning dual zone campaign ‘Teacher’ and ‘Princess’.

The ads proved controversial in Cannes itself, due to their portrayal of a man with young girls, and wre immediately dubbed the “paedophile” ads. They also proved too much for car manufacturer Kia, which pointed out that they had never commissioned them, had never worked with Moma and found them “very inappropriate”.

The agency is now banned from submitting work next year. This will doubtless fuel discussions again about how to eliminate ghosts before they reach the finals.

Participants ill be given 30,000 tokens for game plays of 45 minutes. Three tickets for the Super Sat WSOP-Europe are also up for grabs. Satellite games with a buy-in of €150 will be held on Thursday 14 and Friday 15, with a €250 tournament being held on Sunday at 5pm. The last winner walked away with nearly €25,000.

Programme

Thursday 14- 20h00
satellite €150

Friday 15 -20h00
Satellite €150

Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 – 14h00
Freeze out €1000

Sunday 17 – 17h
Freeze out €250

As the conference drew to a close, the director, who won the Palme d’Or with “Dancer in the Dark,” was asked about comments he made in a recent interview regarding his interest in the Nazi aesthetic.

“No, that was a joke”
“I thought I was a Jew for a long time and was very happy being a Jew,” he said (referring to the fact he discovered only late in life that he was German). “Then later on came (Jewish and Danish director) Susanne Bier and then suddenly I wasn’t so happy about being a Jew. No, that was a joke, sorry. But it turned out I was not a Jew – but even if I’d been a Jew I would be kind of a second rate Jew because there is kind of a hierarchy in the Jewish population. But anyway, I really wanted to be a Jew and then I found out I was really a Nazi, you know, because my family was German, Hartmann, which also gave me some pleasure.”

It looks very likely that Von Trier has a mouth that works on its own. But Dunst and the reporters were not sure how to take his comments.

…”not what you call a good guy…”
“What can I say? I understand Hitler. I think he did some wrong things, yes absolutely, but I can see him sitting in his bunker in the end. I think I understand the man. He’s not what you would call a good guy, but I understand much about him and I sympathize with him a little bit. But come on, I’m not for the Second World War, and I’m not against Jews. I am of course very much for Jews. No, not too much because Israel is a pain in the ass. But still, how can I get out of this sentence?”

The fuss will inevitably be misinterpreted, misquoted and used against the film. He looks as if this is supposed to be a joke, but you can judge for yourself by watching the full Von Trier press conference here.

It had to be one of the biggest crowds ever seen on the Croisette in a long time – and that’s saying something. Lady Gaga’s appearance on CANAL+’s Grand Journal was one of the early highpoints of the Cannes Film Festival. Despite rumours that she was going to play a concert, she only performed the single “Judas” against the stunning backdrop of night falling on the bay. Unlike many TV shows, Lady Gaga sang live over the music, which is not that easy when doing such an elaborate dance routine.

The interview that followed her appearance gave her the opportunity to talk about ambition, “I’m relentless”, adding “I wanted to be the most successful female artist of the digital age.” Asked if she was impressed that she was already bigger than Madonna at her age, she replied “I’ don’t believe that – give me more time.” Knowing that she loves Edith Piaf, the host played an extract of “Je ne regrette rien”. “If you think I am going head-to-head with Edith Piaf, you’re crazy,” she laughed.

Asked about the charges of blasphemy around the video, she joked that “the only thing blasphemous is that I’m wearing Christian Lacroix and Chanel at the same time”. Continuing the theme of religion, she commented “I have so much faith; ‘Judas’ is a metaphor for forgiveness.”

Le Grand Journal goes out every night during the Cannes festival. Interviewees include Robert De Niro and Charlotte Gainsbourg and can be found here.

We’ll be announcing competitions at they come up, so expect regular updates here. Remember, this is a worldwide event, so some of the competitions might be restricted to specific countries. Read the rules and regulations before taking part. If you hear of any competitions in your country, please drop a note in the comments section. You could be giving someone the journey of a lifetime!

• First up is the Stella Artois competition based on the fictional character Jacques d’Azur (photo). They are running an online casting call for someone to play his role in  a short to be shown at the festival. Details here. Deadline March 31.
• French singer Jean Roch (“My Love is Over”) is organising a competition for a weekend in Cannes through his Facebook page (in French).
• Delhi Duty Free is running a competition with Chivas until March 31. If you buy a certain number of bottles, you are entered into a  draw for a 24-hour luxury VIP experience with red carpet treatment, a helicopter shuttle and a night at the Martinez. See Delhi Duty Free (not many details, though!)
• Young advertising creatives might be interested in The Guardian’s competition that will see one person attend the Cannes Lions event and mix with the great and creative of the advertising world See The Guardian.
• Another Cannes Lions competition, this one from YouTube. Details on Good Work. I can’t see a deadline.
• If you’re between 18 and 25 and live in France, you might want to try and become a member of the jury for  the Prix de la Jeunesse (Youth Prize). Details in French.
• Australian bloggers can try their luck with Blockbuster SuperBlogger‘s prize of  5 VIP days in Cannes reporting on the event.  The idea is that you create a film-related blog and get lots of people to read it. Hang on, that’s competition for me! Good luck anyway. Details here.
• German visitors might want to try and win two nights in a four-star hotel with flights, courtesy of women’s magazine Laviva. As far I can see, you just have to send a postcard! Try it here.
• Electrolux in the UK are running a competition with three nights of VIP treatment and a red carpet premiere (plus other goodies). Check here before April 12.
• Condé Nast has a weekend at the Marriott (formerly the Palais Stéphanie) for two people from the UK. Nice prize. Try your luck here.
• UK visitors can enter the Cinémoi/Air France/Hotel Martinez competition. All you have to do is spot the stars that were there last year. Easy? Then start here.
• Armenians might want to try their luck with Orange Armenia. Voice subscribers who will use the Orange Kino service until May 8, will get the chance to win a VIP guest package. Details here.
• Italian readers should head over to Vanity Fair Italia for a competition that finishes of May 3. Details here.

Find some tips about attending Cannes.

Poker plays a growing role in Cannes

Hot news this week is that Cannes is going to host another major poker event later in the year: the World Series of Poker (WSOP). For the past four years, this has been held in London. But between October 7-21, the gaming will be held at the Casino Barrière and Hotel Majestic. The new venue will feature 75 tables, effectively doubling the capacity in 2010. Some 450 players are expected.

The event will be the highlight of a major poker tour of France. From April, towns such as Toulouse, Nice, Lille, Dinard, Enghien, Trouville and Bordeaux will have qualifying rounds. The WSOP was founded in 1970 and is one of the world’s foremost poker brands. As well as hosting the WSOP Europe, France’s Lucien Barrière group also has plans to launch WSOP.fr and clearly position itself as a major online and live poker organiser.

Cannes also hosts the Partouche Poker Tour in September.

The list of teachers and performers is impressive, with Cliford Jasmin of Salsabor, Super Mario from London, Falco & Virginia, Oasis Latina, Terry & Cécile and many more. Each night, DJs will keep the dancefloors spinning until the wee hours.

The full course of events and lessons (without the dinner on December 31) costs €189. The meal costs €160. If you just want to dance on the 31st, the party costs €80. For details, ring +33 698 95 66 67. Check our hotel bookings for available hotels in the right-hand column.

Incidentally, Salsa fans should check out the many French salsa websites for details, as there are often events in Nice and Monaco.

Cannes Salsa Congress

Salsabor

Online Salsa

Salsa festivals