Ever since the 2021 pandemic edition, Cannes has adopted a system where you have to reserve your press tickets instead of lining up with your badge, which was the tradition used for many decades.
Of course, by reserving online, you might get shut out of some films you hoped to see. So far, I’ve had no luck booking Pedro Almodovar‘s 30-minute “Strange Way of Life.” It’s been smooth otherwise.
You need to make your online reservations four days in advance of a given screening, and at 7 am, France time, is when tickets become available. The problem is that, even if you follow the protocol, the system might crash on you or a screening will quickly be marked as COMPLETE.
This has gotten plenty of people worried about the one and only press screening for Martin Scorsese‘s “Killers of the Flower Moon” (Salle Debussy, 6 pm, which press will be able to book on Tuesday morning at 7 am).
If this were the badge days of yore then I would have lineup up a few hours in advance and been practically guaranteed a spot. That is no longer an option. Everyone, and I mean everyone, in the press community will be going for a ticket.
I’ve written to the Cannes press office about this and their reasoning for the lack of additional ‘Killers’ screenings is rather vague. Are Apple/Paramount twisting their hands in limiting number of people who can watch the film?
I know some who are flying all the way to the South of France this week just to watch ‘Killers.’ I know, it’s absurd to think that someone would spend all that money just to watch a single movie, but there are plenty who are doing just that. Imagine if they don’t get a ticket.