UPDATE, 17/5/23 20.58 CET: The Cannes Film Festival has confirmed to Screen that, under pressure from crowds, security at the Palais de Festivals decided to let people without tickets into the 15.00 screening of Pedro Almodovar’s ‘Strange Way Of Life’, ahead of those who had tickets.
Original story:
A large number of Cannes ticketholders have been turned away from the only screening of Pedro Almodovar’s short film Strange Way Of Life.
Long queues formed outside the Palais des Festivals for the 3pm screening of the 31-minute short in the Debussy theatre, which was followed by a ‘Rendezvous with’ conversation session with Almodovar. The line stretched back to the Gare Maritime building, with patrons forced to queue in and around an open road with cars passing by.
The screening was delayed due to a late start for the previous film, Steve McQueen’s Occupied City, which was scheduled to finish at 14.06.
Over 20 minutes after Strange Way Of Life was due to start, a large number of people in the ticketholder queue - with reports of several hundreds - were still outside the venue.
As well as possessing a valid ticket, many of these ticketholders had been queuing for the screening for over an hour, having arrived well within the time required for access on their tickets.
At around 15.30, those not inside the venue were turned away regardless of whether or not they had a ticket. Patrons unable to gain access included critics from several major publications including Screen International; while some people who had been allowed into the building were subsequently removed.
Social media users reported that the ‘rush’ line for those without tickets was opened too early, with at least one user reporting that they made it in via the rush line, before ticketholders were turned away.
Screen critic Jonathan Romney, a ticketholder, tweeted that he spent “nearly an hour queuing in the pouring rain, only to be among hundreds turned away at the gate.”
STRANGE WAY OF LIFE, indeed. Nearly an hour queuing for Almodóvar in pouring rain, only to be among hundreds turned away at gate. With tickets. Quand même, #Cannes2023
— Jonathan Romney (@JonathanRomney) May 17, 2023
The trouble is the latest in a series of difficulties for the festival regarding overbooking. Multiple market badge holders have complained of an inability to access festival screenings through the digital booking system, with tickets becoming unavailable as soon as they are opened for booking.
Screen has contacted the festival for clarification on what caused the over-booking, and comment on the situation.
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