It’s worth remembering that students also get absolute rock-bottom entrance fees to Midem. Get the full details about student rates on the Midem student page.

Amongst the cheap but commendable 2-star hotels in Cannes, le Mistral Hotel is worth checking. It is located on the Rue des Belges, about two blocks away from the Palais. This already means you can forget about taxis, shuttle buses or long walks. It’s easy to drop back to the hotel after a day in the Palais (or beach), freshen up and head to the restaurant.

Friendly service

Rooms at Le Mistral are smallish, but modern and perfectly usable. The service has been friendly from every account I have heard. The breakfast is fine (which is already an exception in Cannes), and you are right in the heart of Cannes anyway so you can always find one to your liking a street away at most. The only real downside of the hotel is the fact that there are no lifts, and you might find yourself lugging luggage to the top of the building. But that’s just one more reason to remember the golden rule of travel: travel light.

So you get a comfortable stay in a pleasant hotel at very competitive rates, which makes Le Mistral a Cannes or Bust type of hotel!

Le Mistral Hotel can be reached by foot from both the station and the bus terminus (which is a little further). Check now for availability.

If you have had any experience at Le Mistral, drop a message below.

Facebook and music

In other news, it has been announced that Facebook’s Dan Rose, VP of Partnerships & Platform Marketing, will be making a keynote address. As music is about to make even bigger inroads into Facebook, this could be significant. If you check your own timeline, you’ll probably find music comes in about every three messages. How can the business capitalise on that? Between now and Midem, we are expecting major news from the social media giant.

Heavyweights Microsoft BizSpark, the globally-renowned incubation program, will provide midemlab finalists with personalized coaching sessions and valuable tips to help prepare their most effective pitch. Berklee Music College and other bodies will also be active during Midem. To sign up, visit Midem.

While you’re saving money, why not pre-book your hotel already.

Early birds get the best beds at the best price.

• The Neotelia Pavilion Bel Air is located just above the railway station, about 15 minutes from the Croisette by foot. What’s interesting is the size of the accommodation. They have special rates from €256 for 2 nights, down from €320.
• The Hotel Beau Séjour is close to the old town and beach. The 3-star accommodation is complemented by a garden and pool. Special ate: €250, down from €360.
• The Hotel Martinez is a grand Art Deco hotel on the Croisette with its own private jetty. This is one of the absolute top hotels in Cannes. Their sea-view prestige room is available from €1424, down from €1962.

For a longer stay, check the Fauvettes studio. 10 minutes from the beach, 15 from the Palais.

Workshops and major brands

Pre-registrations for the exhibition and conference have been “very satisfactory both in the quantity and quality of visitors” compared with last year’s event, which can’t be a bad thing given the current economic climate.

Two breakfast workshops during TFWA World Exhibition will explore the emerging markets of Asia and the airline, cruise and ferry retail channels. This year’s event will also feature over 400 suppliers from across all product categories such as Tommy Hilfiger, Desigual, Fratelli Rossetti, Hédiard, Bourjois, Nuxe, The Sharper Image, Gérard Bertrand and José Cuervo.

Conferences to debate “a brand new world”

The TFWA World Exhibition 2011 conference, to be held on Monday September 19, will feature high profile speakers from the fields of geopolitics, economics and the luxury business. Salvatore Ferragamo CEO Michele Norsa will look at how traditional luxury brands can adapt to a changing world and changing consumers. IMD World Competitiveness Centre director Stéphane Garrelli, economist and business school professor, will take a region-by-region look at the global economy, identifying factors affecting growth and highlighting potential growth hotspots. Former UN secretary general Kofi Annan will give the keynote presentation, bringing his unparalleled global political experience and insight to bear on some of the biggest challenges facing the world today, including the dramatic changes underway in the Middle East and North Africa. TFWA president Erik Juul-Mortensen’s ‘State of the Industry’ address will reflect on an industry in evolution, coping with constant change in the geopolitical, macro-economic and social worlds and adapting to new realities.

For details, visit TFWA.

Book your TFWA hotel right now

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).

If that is you, cheer up! You can stay in Cannes for very reasonable rates if you follow the Cannes or Bust selection.

The bad news is that staying inside Cannes for this year’s festival is almost impossible without staying in the more expensive hotels. If this is your first time and you intend for there to be a second, remember to book by December. In many cases, you won’t be charged beforehand! It’s possible that hotels will be freed up later when people start cancelling (some people book generously for groups and then free them up at the last minute). So don’t despair.

If you’re looking for cheap accommodation, you will most likely end up in Juan-les-Pins,  Golfe Juan, Le Cannet or Cannes La Bocca. They are only 5 minutes by train (one every 20 minutes on average, last one around midnight). Add to that a few minutes to reach the station.

Examples in Juan-les-Pins:

• M Hôtel (roughly €80/night single)
  Best Western Astoria (roughly €75/night sharing)
  Les Strelitzia (photo – roughly €120/night sharing – comfortable and good value, just a little further from the station)
  Hotel Résidence (roughly €85/night sharing)

Example in Le Cannet:

• Hotel Thomas (roughly €125/night sharing. Note that it gets mixed reviews)

You get the picture: Cannes can be cheap when sharing! Prices are indicative, and subject to change. These hotels were available for the Cannes Festival at the time of going live. You can also save money by not taking a taxi from the airport (shuttle bus €17, train €5.20 instead of taxi €90).

I’ve never stayed in a camp site, but know some people that did. They shared a chalet and were laughing at the price. However, they had access to a car.

• Bungalow Camping in Mandelieu has chalets at €340 a week.
• Parc Bellevue is closer to Cannes, has weekend chalet deals for €100 and camping spots €9-13. The issue is always access. There are buses from Cannes La Bocca.
• Le Ranch is in Cannes Le Cannet, just above the town.

It’s advisable to double-check public transport. My gut feeling is still a cheap hotel in Juan-les-Pins!

If you’re still searching closer to the date, let me know. One last thing, Cannes or Bust has preferential rates for apartments in Cannes (10%). At this stage, they are €1500 upwards for the week. For that price, you’re right in the centre of town and it’s handy to be able to nip back for a shower or whatever. For details, join the newsletter.

Note, these include affiliate links. You might be able to get a better rate by finding the hotels directly (not through another booking engine). I’ve given up on this and go with booking.com every time. It’s fast and secure.

Get access to:

• The exclusive Connected Creativity Forum – networking, matchmaking sessions, demo labs, workshops, start-up competition, special events and keynote speeches
• The Content 360 Festival – the international competition for innovative creative concepts and formats in media & entertainment
• The Experience Hub – the custom-built pavilion to touch, feel, watch, hear new technology and new entertainment experiences
• MIPTV – the world’s leading entertainment content market including exhibition zone, conference sessions, and networking events
• The Online Community, to prepare your meetings in advance and network with all Connected Creativity and MIPTV Participants
• Your Company and delegate(s) listed in the MIPTV Guide, the industry’s annual reference tool
• On-site services : Business Center, free Internet Zone access, Concierge services, etc.
• Free copies of all MIPTV Publications including The News
• Reduced rates on hotels in Cannes and on international flights

Special Rate until 24 February 2011: € 1,495

Check for last-minute MIPTV hotel deals.

€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.

The hotel was built on the former site of the Palais des Festivals of Cannes, the original site of the International Film Festival from its inception in 1946 to the mid 1980s. Recently renovated, the design reflects its glamorous film heritage, paying tribute to the film stars of the past including Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot, and Elizabeth Taylor.

On a practical level, the hotel’s location on the Croisette and its ample roof mean that it is often used by film and TV companies as their headquarters during the festival and market. The JW Marriott Hotel Cannes will offer an 820-seat theatre auditorium and 16 meeting rooms with 12,900 square-feet of flexible space. Its recent renovation (and re-naming) brought it a five-star rating. Marriott is currently in acquisition mode in Europe.

To book a sea-view or city-view room on the Croisette. UPDATE: December 2010. The Stéphanie is offering exceptional rates for the end of the year!