What are the two things dreamers and adventurers love? Travel and films! Have you ever seen a breath-taking movie and hit the road, or, hit the road to see a breath-taking film?
Film festivals are packed with stars, artists, parties, glamour and a lot of adventures. Are you ready to discover the world through films? Let’s take a look at the greatest film festivals around the globe which worth travelling for:
1) Sundance Film Festival/Utah
Time: 24 Jan – 3 Feb 2020
Website
The Sundance film festival is held in Park City, Utah every year and a great chance to explore Utah. It began in 1978 with a mission to promote and develop independent filmmakers. It made many indie projects box-office successes such as Coen Brothers and Quentin Tarantino’s. Approximately 200 films are screened during the festival’s 10-day run and prizes in various categories are presented. Around 50,000 people attend the festival including Hollywood’s A-List actors and actresses, directors, artists, playwrights, composers, critics, both industry insiders and film-going pubic. In addition to screening films, Sundance Film Festival hosts many workshops, concerts, parties and panel discussions and the city buzzes with creativity at every corner. Sundance film festival tickets, season passes, packages and individual tickets are some of the different options to book online. Starting from the airport you’ll find signs and booths informing festival attendees about shuttles, film schedules and ticket counters. Make sure you spare some time from the festival to do winter sports.
2) FESPACO-Panafrican Film and Television Festival / Burkina Faso
Time: 23 Feb – 2 Mar(in 2019), held every two years
Website
Known as Africa’s most established and most influential film festival, FESPACO is held every two years in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. It celebrated its 50th birthday last year which was an astonishing event. There were over 400 screenings and 20 films were competing for Étalon d’Or de Yennenga – Fespaco’s equivalent of the Oscars.
FESPACO is a great occasion for African filmmakers to promote their work and contribute to the development of African cinema. During the time of the festival, around 100,000 people gather from across the continent and beyond. Film-makers, stars and fans come together to share and discover Africa’s diversity through cinema. The city becomes the centre of African storytelling and it boasts with creativity, art and culture. Many workshops are held, dances and concerts are performed. Cinema becomes a part of daily life with thousands of people mingling together and running from one venue to another to catch the screenings. What a great time to visit Burkina Faso and become a part of this great collective storytelling event which represents and promotes African culture.
3) Cannes Film Festival
Time: 12 – 23 May 2020
Website
Every May, the elegant town of Cannes is transformed into a beehive of cinema. With around 200,000 attendees, Cannes Film Festival is the biggest, densest and most amazing film festival on the planet, well, perhaps in the universe. Filmmakers, fans, studio executives, film industry and artists descend on the city of Cannes which makes star-gazing a pass time. Though it’s an industry festival and you can’t attend some of the movies, the dreamy atmosphere of Cannes still makes your journey worthwhile.
Cinéma de la Plage is an exciting chance to see films for free. It’s an outdoor film screening at Mace beach. Even if you don’t get a seat, you can spread a blanket and soak up the charming atmosphere while sipping your chilled French wine. You can visit The Marché Forville to buy some fruits or local delicacies for your picnic before heading to the beach. There’s a high chance you will run into a celebrity here. La Croisette is an iconic long boulevard ornamented with charming architecture and palm trees, right next to the golden beaches of Mediterranean. It is a must-enjoy in Cannes, you can grab a coffee, or an ice cream and stroll down to enjoy the mesmerizing coastline.
4) BFI London Film Festival
Time: 7 – 18 Oct 2020
Website
Known as the festival of festivals, BFI celebrates its 64th birthday this year. BFI (British Film Institute) was founded in 1933 and it is now the primary organisation for the preservation and promotion of the screen arts in the UK. Every year, more than 300 films, documentaries and shorts from over 50 countries are screened. The festival attracts an increasing number of an international crowd of filmmakers and spectators. BFI is committed to being an open educational platform as London continues to build on its reputation as an international centre for moving picture.
The festival promises to be entertaining for anyone interested in film. Venues for screenings and seminars are all over London. BFI Film Festival can be the reason for your visit to London as you are guaranteed a fun time.
5) Berlin Film Festival (Berlinale)
Time: 20 Feb – 1 Mar 2020
Website
Berlinale takes place in the German capital since 1951. From international productions to arthouse cinema, Berlinale hosts around 400 films and more than 300,000 people from 120 countries every year. It’s the biggest cultural event and most important in the film industry’s calendar.
The Golden Bear is awarded to the best film in the competition by the public. Berlin draws the largest audience of any film festival in the world. Many workshops with A-list directors and actors, panel discussions and projects encourage participants to collaborate. If you were looking for an excuse to visit Berlin, this is your chance to celebrate the city to the fullest with a great crowd.
6) Toronto Film Festival
Time: 10 – 20 Sept 2020
Website
Toronto’s festival has launched many Academy Award winners since it started in 1976. Roughly 300 films from 60 countries are scheduled for over 10 days. The city is packed with 5,500 actors, starlets, directors, and half a million fans. Make sure to allow plenty of time for all the parties, concerts, talks and many other events too. Ask around where the stars prefer eating and hanging out. Half the fun lies in the possibility of pulling up a chair next to your favourite actor. Toronto festival is what you make of it they say, make sure you make the best of it!
You can find the most economical and finest hotels if you make your reservations earlier. It’s important as they run out quickly during the season of these great events. Make your film schedule and make sure you are an early bird to score a ticket for the films. By booking your film tickets in advance, you can save a lot of time from standing in the long lines.
Don’t miss these cities during film festivals to double the adventure. Viva la cinema!