Cannes, 3 May 2017 Press Release SUMMER IN CANNES 2017 Sail away and spend the summer in Cannes! Against the backdrop of the 70th anniversary of the Cannes Film Festival, the summer of 2017 in Cannes will sail blissfully through all artistic genres. From dance to circus, from cinema to fireworks, from jazz to electro, from art exhibitions to local fêtes, Cannes residents and visitors will have a huge selection to choose from. Throughout the long summer season, 8 festivals, 23 concerts, 5 circus performances, 4 major dance events, 10 exhibitions and more than 60 free events will be organised by the municipal services and the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, under the leadership of David Lisnard, Mayor of Cannes. The richness of this programme is the result of the astonishing creative energy in Cannes, thanks to a bold cultural and entertainment policy. Organising rich, inventive and quality events are part of the town's DNA. The Film Festival, celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, is testament to this constant drive for innovation. What’s new in 2017? Many tributes to the festival’s 70th anniversary Since its creation, the Cannes Film Festival has unfailingly exported the town's reputation around the world and set the cultural bar high. Cannes wanted to pay tribute to the event, by organising events based on a film theme. The Musée éphémère du cinéma (pop-up cinema) will be given over to Georges Méliès, the magician and inventor of the 7th art. Visitors will be able to remake his film The Vanishing Lady, with the help of special effects he created, and at the same time discover 70 years of the Festival and parties through the photographic eye of the Traverso family. The Cirque Éloize from Quebec will be presenting its stunning Western from 27 to 30 July; and as part of the Festival of Russian Art, on 25 August, director, Karen Chakhnazarov’s new film, Anna Karenina will have its world première here. Throughout the summer, the Tourist Office will offer tours of the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, and walking tours, including ‘Cannes and Cinema, a glamorous couple’ and ‘The hidden Croisette’. Page 1 of 4 Ciné Quartier, open-air cinema, will also take over the entire town, with 10 films topping the bill, while Cannes fait le mur [Cannes goes over the wall] will display giant photos of film stars throughout the town from 17 May to 31 August. Elsewhere, the exhibition ARnimaTion at Suquet des Art(IST)s will let you slip behind the scenes to see how animated films are made. The Bocca district will also be celebrating films with a new programme entitled Cannes Bocca Festival which will stage a musical entitled Once upon a time in the cinema with 32 actors and musicians, a live film-concert with excerpts from films and songs, and special events as part of the Nocturnes boccassiennes. Finally, the Festival of Pyrotechnic Art, which this year is celebrating its 50th anniversary, will end with an exceptional Evening on the theme of ‘Music, Film and Fireworks.’ La Terrasse Riviera, the place to be this summer Between swing and indie rock, psychodelic, shoegazing and electro... the Terrasse Riviera is the happening place! The Pantiero Festival, which will be held on 12 and 13 July, will take a radical turn towards rock, while remaining true to its original roots by adhering to the programming requirement of combining well-known bands with hot new talent. Selected by Stéphane Barbiéri, the festival will distil the best of the international and national rock scene with Team Ghost, Rat Boy, Toy, Circa Waves, The Soft Moon and Twin Peaks. Back to the future… on 21 July and 19 August, Radio Modern - Soirées Fifties, will stay on the rock theme with a flashback that will revolve around of two evenings devoted to the 1950s. Synonymous with the post war joy of liberation, both in terms of music and clothing fashion, the fifties remain a fascinating as a fashion phenomenon. As symbols of these years, Brigitte Bardot, Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn were the faces of the first Film Festivals and have since contributed to Cannes’ glamorous reputation. On the programme: Dance classes, fashion area, orchestra, DJ, and food. Summer would not be perfect without this huge party: ‘En attendant les plages’ [while waiting for the beaches] will set Terrasse Riviera alight on 15 July with Kungs, as a precursor of the Plages Electroniques [electronic beaches]. This young DJ from Toulon is already number 1 in 45 countries! The historic electro event will continue from 10 to 12 August on the Beach and the Terrace with Fakear, Flume, Paul Kalkbrenner and many other artists. Circus and dance top the bill On 11 June, the dynamic London dance and circus companies, Nofit State and Motionhouse, will rub shoulders in the rose garden with their impressive show, Block presented on free access. The stars of dance will be in Cannes for a prestigious gala evening: on 8 July when Viva Maïa will bring together the soloists from the greatest international ballet companies on the stage of the Grand Auditorium of the Palace des Festivals. To keep alive the memory of Maia Plitseskaya, acknowledged as one of the last ‘Prima ballerina assoluta’, Irma Nioradze has invited to this gala Ballet stars from the Mikhailovsky Theatre of St. Petersburg (Russia), Vienna (Austria), Bolshoi (Russia) ballet, Tbilisi (Georgia), Bavaria (Germany) and the Cannes Youth Ballet (France). Still in keeping with the film theme, harking back to the Wild West era, the Cirque Éloize from Quebec, will descend on the Grand Auditorium from 27 to 30 July. Twelve artists will perform feats of acrobatics, aerobatics, juggling, dance and comedy in a festive saloon, with nods to classic films in the genre. Founded in 1993, the Cirque Éloize is now one of the world's leading contemporary circus troupes. Two hours before this circus epic in the American Far West, Piste d’Azur will be providing entertainment and organising trapeze wire initiations on the forecourt of the Palace des Festivals. Page 2 of 4 Charity concert and future stars at the Palais des Festivals During an exceptional performance on 9 June, Camille and Julie Berthollet, virtuoso violinists, will lend all their talent to the charity ‘Toutes à l’école’ founded by the journalist Tina Kieffer. They will be graciously accompanied by the pianist Guillaume Vincent and the 40 musicians of the Regional Orchestra of Cannes, under the baton of Benjamin Levy. In the prestigious setting of the Debussy auditorium, donated for the evening by the Town council of Cannes, this event will be hosted by the honorary donors of ‘Toutes à l’école’: Claire Chazal, Chantal Thomass and Gwendoline Hamon. Thanks to all the partners and artists, all the proceeds will go to this charity which provides schooling for 1,200 poor girls in Cambodia. For the first time in Cannes, the 8 finalists of The Voice, the pop stars of the future, will make a stop at Cannes in the Grand Auditorium on July 16. Just like on the famous television show, the contestants will perform the most beautiful international songs. 8 talented singers discovered by the TF1’s eponymous show will perform live with 6 musicians for 2 hours! Cultural, traditional and sports events for all the family On 18 June, Cannes will host the first round of the Var Cote d'Azur Provence Jousting Championship, followed by four other dates (including three at night) on 23 June, and 4 & 18 August. The more adventurous can even try their hand at jousting in the old Port of Cannes, then there will be initiation session open to everyone, two Tuesdays each month from June to August. Young and old can enjoy the warmth of the summer evenings from 30 June to 2 July with the festival of open-air storytelling: Fables lab a showcase for fabulous stories, and then they can stroll around Suquet des arts on the last week -end of August, when it takes over the historic district of Cannes, as it does every year. Throughout the summer, there will be plenty of opportunities for holiday makers to dawdle around the town by following the themed walking tours led by guides, both on Ste Marguerite island and the around different districts of Cannes. On top of all this, many local fêtes in Cannes, will honour local traditions, while the warm, family spirit of the South can be found at night markets and the many free events organised in the streets of the town. Events not to miss in 2017 The Summer exhibitions will make you dream of travel. In June, on the Croisette, the town will pay tribute to the charismatic Boxer Muhammad Ali and will offer up its walls to display the giant photos of stars for Cannes fait le mur. Meanwhile, cartoon characters come to life at Suquet des art(IST)s with the crazy exhibition ARnimaTion, Knight Lycklama will take the public on his Oriental adventures at the Musée de La Castre, Yann Arthus-Bertrand will fly us over the most beautiful sites in the world at the Musée de la Mer, the surrealist Man Ray will be the guest of the Domergues and Paul Mansouroff will take his bearings at Malmaison. Finally, the cinematic event not to be missed, is the Musée Ephémère, (pop-up museum) which is dedicating its third season to the film genius, Georges Mélies. From 19 to 23 July, Les Nuits Musicales du Suquet, the great classic event of the summer, will be overhauled by its new artistic director, Misha Katz who will give the event new impetus.