I'm passing thru Cote d'azur in mid May & wondering if it's worth staying around for the Film festival. I'm a film buff & have always dreamed of visiting Cannes during the festival.
Is it worth the huge crowds & the high hotel rates? I've read mixed reviews about Cannes anyway...I hear the nearby islands are nicer.
Lucy

I don't think it's very easy to get tickets to see the movies unless you're in the business. Whether or not it's "worth" it is subjective. Don't know about the islands but most Fodorites would prefer Nice, Antibes or the hill towns I think.

I was passing by a few years ago during the festival so I got off the train to see about spending a night. The tourist office quoted hotel rates that I would have thought were for a week, but they were per day. I stolled around a while and saw a lot of people lined up at a barricade trying to see some acting folks. Then I got on another train to continue on to Milano, stopping overnight in Nice.

If you are interested, I would recommend a hotel in Nice and take the 45 minute train ride to Cannes in the morning. Hang out in some of the better cafes in your finest garb in the afternoon and you might get lucky. It would be an experience.

Unless you "know someone" I think I'd pass. But, if you've got the time, and don't mind taking risks -- who knows, you just might "meet someone" who knows someone (or is someone) and you'll have a terrific time. (But most of the "stars" are going to disappear to their own haunts, so you're more likely to find yourself spending time with wannabes.....)

I'm not an expert on the Cannes festival, but from what I have heard, unless you have some connections in the film industry I would skip it.