Two thousand euros for the world premiere of the newest “Indiana Jones”, or how about 20,000 for a night within the presence of Leonardo DiCaprio?
The black marketplace for the highest tickets on the Cannes Film Festival is in full swing.
While business professionals and accredited journalists get in free, there are lots of basic punters who present up within the hope of blagging or shopping for entry to the most well liked occasions on the Cannes Croisette.
Many grasp round — able to go, in full night gown — exterior the Palais des Festivals with indicators, hoping for a freebie.
“I’ve already seen three films for free. Each time, nice people gave me a ticket,” says Sienna, an Italian lady in her 30s who travelled all the way in which from Berlin.
A 25-year-old from Finland, who requested to not be recognized, mentioned he can be completely happy to cough up a bit of money for “an Almodovar or the new Scorsese”.
Spain’s Pedro Almodovar was on the town with a much-hyped quick movie, “Strange Way of Life”, a “queer Western” starring Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal, whereas Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon”, with DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, was the most well liked ticket on the town final weekend.
But whereas many profit from the generosity of festival-goers, others want to money in.
An AFP journalist was provided a ticket for “Black Flies”, Sean Penn’s grotesque paramedics drama, for 50 euros ($54).
Not far-off, Jenny, a younger American from Miami who didn’t want to give her surname, confided that she is a member of a WhatsApp group bringing collectively some 600 punters and sellers of tickets and invites.
Screenshots of the conversations present somebody providing a ticket to the premiere of “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” final week — within the presence of Harrison Ford and the opposite stars — for two,000 euros.
“I’m have ticket for Campari party. Can give to somebody,” wrote one other member of the group in damaged English.
A sure Alex says he’s eager, and the vendor comes again with: “Hi, yes 300 euros. Do you have crypto wallet?”
Another is providing a ticket to a celebration attended by DiCaprio for “20,000 euros per person”, whereas others for “after parties” vary from 9,500 to 16,500 euros.
Who can afford to pay such sums?
“Influencers who have millions of followers and just want to be seen,” says Jenny. “For them and the brands they promote, 2,000 euros is nothing.”
To have ended up on these teams, the QR codes will need to have been “resold by unscrupulous professionals to make some money”, she added.
The pageant mentioned it “takes action, in consultation with the police and judicial authorities” as quickly as it’s knowledgeable of black-market ticket gross sales.
“Sentences have been given in the past,” the organizers instructed AFP, although police mentioned there had been no investigations to date this 12 months.
© 2023 AFP