How NYU Led Me to the Cannes International Film Festival

About halfway through my first semester, my Sound Image professor Sue Zizza mentioned that she would be bringing in a guest speaker from the American Pavilion to discuss student internships at film festivals across the globe, including SXSW, Venice, and Cannes. NYU has a strong history with sending students to intern with the Pavilion, but it was my first time hearing of such an opportunity. With Sue’s support, I applied to the Film and Business Internship at the Cannes International Film Festival and was accepted. Suddenly, I was thrown into the industry in a way I never experienced before.

The American Pavilion divides their internship opportunities into three sections: Film and Business, Culinary, and Intensive. Within Film and Business, students are divided into assignments that can include working for WME, Variety, Deadline, the American Pavilion, and more. My placement was in the Pavilion’s restaurant, blending my history in food service with my love for the industry. Regardless of your placement, you consistently find yourself surrounded by people from all over the world. In my hostel’s room alone, we called UMass-Amherst, Hofstra, NYU, and Chapman home. This close knit, global community ensured I felt at home the moment I arrived.

While the internship is a large portion of your time, opportunities arise every day to attend roundtables, panels, industry nights, or movie screenings. I was hardly ever back at our hostel between premieres, work, or exploring Cannes with my friends!

Most films in competition for the Oscars premiere at Cannes or other film festivals before their big theatrical releases. I watched four movies, each in a different language! A few of my friends saw upwards of twelve or fifteen movies! It really is choose-your-own-adventure. If you can’t secure tickets online, there are always standby lines!

On a windy day in the Pavilion, I was asked to hold down the sign for production company No Fat Ego’s panel with Ozark creator Mark Williams. Just by saying yes, I represented the Pavilion throughout the panel and even talked with the CEO of the production company. As a ‘thank-you,’ he gave me a company sweatshirt and his business card. While my roommate was working for the Hollywood Reporter, she worked premiere parties with major industry professionals. Another AmPav participant attended every panel with household names like LaKeith Stanfield and NYU’s very own Spike Lee. You never know what could happen just by saying yes!

Cannes is such a beautiful place and we took every opportunity to explore the area. My friends and I had beach days and trips to Antibes, while some people even went as far as Monaco and Italy. Some interns even spent the summer touring Europe before heading back home. Everything is only a train ride away!

As each studio apartment packs four people into its walls, packing light is a must! It sounds scary, but this close proximity offers the chance to bond with your roommates. My room started our days by having breakfast together and ended our days in the Pavilion or a local restaurant. The hostel only a place to sleep, but the views from room are hard to pass up!

I traveled to Cannes with one of my friends from NYU in NYC and later met other interns from NYU’s Abu Dhabi campus. Our global community really shines beyond our campuses. Take advantage of learning from other Violets, Falcons, and Qilins!

One of my favorite moments of the internship was attending the red carpet premiere of “The History of Sound!” I waited eight hours in the standby line, but that was eight hours of meeting new people! I met people in the industry and from other universities like Florida State just waiting in line! My friend and I were randomly placed in seats near the front and could see the entire cast and crew, including Paul Mescal, from where we watched! I never could have imagined I’d be able to walk on the red carpet at a Cannes premiere, but NYU will always surprise you!