In the run-up to the Cannes Film festival, I’ll be detailing all the competitions I can find that offer free trips as a prize. Remember that many of these will be for specific countries and with set deadlines. So read the fine print before entering.

• If you’re French, between the age of 18 and 25 and can face watching over 20 films in 10 days, why not try and become part of the Youth Jury? Deadline: March 1. Get the details at Prix de le jeunesse.

This list will grow over the coming few weeks. So check back frequently or follow the Cannes or Bust twitter account for instant updates. Out of interest, you could check last year’s competition.

The destinations are Tel Aviv, Barcelona, Athens, Naples, Istanbul and Venice, all of which enter into service from April 2012 – just in time for the Cannes Film Festival 2012.

So if you are intending to attend the Film Festival, double check all these possibilities to get the best combination of convenience and price.

Resources:

Air France

Nice airport

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.

This is certainly true. It might also be a strong message to the countries of North Africa for another reason. Egypt was once indeed a powerhouse of world cinema, but currently only produces some 20 films per year for a population of 73 million. This figure has dropped from 72 in 1995. By way of comparison, South Korea produces about 80 films for a population of 48 million and Iran produces about 83 films for a population of 67 million.

Egyptian cinema needs support. Like other countries such as Morocco, it also needs more resources to stamp out the chronic levels of piracy that have all but killed theatrical releases. Old-fashioned though it might sound, theatrical is still an important part of the financing and promotion of movies.

The tribute to Egypt will take place on May 18 and will include an homage to late Egyptian directing legend Yousseff Chahine, the director of “Al-Massir/Destiny” (photo) who died in 2008. Egyptian directors, actors, producers and technicians will attend the event that will also see the screening of “18 jours”, short films shot during Egypt’s January 25 revolution. The festival will also salute the Tunisian revolution by showing the Tunisian documentary film “No More Fear”.

Majestic Barrière, the Forum venue

After two years of downward trends, we are seeing some signs of recovery. This is the message from the Film Finance Forum that will be held during the Cannes Film Festival 2011. According to the organisers, traditional investors and new equity financiers are investing in Hollywood again, bankers are showing greater interest, mezzanine money is coming in, and many other indicators are pointing to a healthier market.

This is very upbeat. But when it comes to money, God is in the details. This is why the forum will address the impact of the global economy on the industry, emerging trends in deal structuring, capital raising challenges and solutions, capitalizing on digital delivery and other factors affecting film financing today.

There will be sessions on international financing and joint ventures; the state of the film industry on a global scale; risk mitigation using technology; solutions for incentives and tax credit woes; creating content that reaches a wider audience; effective sales, marketing, and distribution strategies; and monetizing on electronic delivery worldwide.

The Film Finance Forum is organised by Winston Baker, in association with Variety, on May 13 2011. Click here for registration. Registration $395 ($495 on the day).

Kusturica has twice won the Palme d’Or and is also a Commander of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. He has also appeared in Cannes with his band, the No Smoking Orchestra. He has a number of projects on the boil, not least a Palestinian comedy which seems right up his street.

There’s a fee to submit films, and screenings take place in the Palais (which actually features  a large number of small screening theatres in addition to the main auditorium) or “other top screening sites in Cannes”.

More details will be available from April 2011. Check this review of last year’s event. For further information visit Cannes Independent Film Festival. If you have good or bad experiences of the event, please fee free to post comments below.

€279 plus VAT instead of €309  for the Producers Network
279 € plus VAT instead of €309  for the Producers Workshop

Inevitably, half the readers are probably going, “Do I have to pay that much?” The answer is no. There are two-day passes for professionals that only cost about €50 (from memory). But they are only available on the site, so you won’t get listed in the directory, nor be able to promote your project or company from the directory before that.

Plus, if you think even €275 is expensive, I recommend that you check the prices for MIPTV as they start at €995. MIDEM starts at €490. No other market in the world has such a concentration of decision makers in the movie business.

To sign up, visit Marché du Film.

For those that are asking themselves the question: Why should I get accreditation for the Cannes film market. That answers most of your questions. If you have any more, ask in a comment blow or follow me on Twitter.

Over the coming days, here are some other events you might want to catch:

• Digital LA cocktails, Fri 14, 4-6pm at the Caffé Roma
• EU’s Observatoire de l’Audiovisuel launches new version of Korda database of public funding for movies May 15, Riviera stand A6
• “Happy Sake Hour” at the Japan Pavilion, Saturday May 15, 3-6pm. Booth No: 141 (Village International)
• New Irish Cinema Reception Rado Plage La Croisette beach between Carlton and Martinez Sunday, May 16 from 5.30
• ‘What Next for Microbudget Movies?’ Monday 17 May, 3.00-4.00 pm at the UK Film Centre
• Networking event organised by VPV at the Brasserie du Casino May 18 at 11am
• Krzysztof Kieslowski ScripTeast Award to be presented on Wednesday, May 19 at Plage des Palmes. 5pm.

If you have any events worth tipping, please fee free to drop a note below. More tips will be posted on the Twitter account as they are announced.

The photo is from “”Mr Nice”, the true story of Howard Marks, showing at the Star 6pm Friday 14 and 5.30 on Sunday 16. Contact Independent Film Company.

[adplacement-1]

People without badges might still get lucky, as a number of tickets are made available at the above cinemas and at the Cannes Tourist Office near the Pantiero during the festival. Note that these are for movie buffs, not gawkers. So they do not entitle holders to attend red-carpet screenings. Visit Cannes Cinema for details. Click this post for a longer explanation and details of the beach screenings.