It’s been a few days since last posting, as the Cannes Film Festival got the best of me, along with my co-workers and students traveling with CMF. After one week of 20 hour days, lots of walking, and endless queues to get into everything it seemed to take a toll on all of us. We each battled our own sicknesses and took our days of rest; mine came with a sore throat and restlessness. The CMIC and CMF students finished the festival strong with two incredible parties, including one at the Villa Schweppes beach club and the other on the ritsy rooftop terrace of the Radisson BLU. La Femme, a famous French pop band, hosted their album release party at the CMIC party as Schweppes bartenders mixed up the best of the best in cocktails. We moved the party over to a small local bar, Sun7 (Sunset). Jason, a recent SFSU graduate and long-time CMF filmmaker, was the guest DJ of the night as all of our group danced around and enjoyed the nightlife. 8AM screenings, 11AM workshops, and afternoon-long meetings and connections kept most of us going without any chance to sleep; but when in Cannes, you press on.

Wrapping up Cannes is a really weird feeling. I remember last year, leaving a day or two before everyone else and getting out in great time. This year, I was the last of the group to leave, watching the festivities break-down and the city of Cannes transform back into a standard coastal town. The posters and banners were no longer hanging and every construction team was out taking care of things that were hidden for the festival. It’s slightly depressing when the glitz and glamour disappears and you’re left with a bunch of “has-been” photos with the people you met along the way.

Today, Caitlin and I transitioned from Cannes to Nice; waiting for nearly 5 hours in the airport for our flight due to a bit of chaos with the shuttle systems at our apartment. We arrived in Barcelona tonight after a fairly easy trip from the airport to our new place. Barcelona seems pretty great; our area is pretty quiet at night, as we stopped in a nearby Korean BBQ restaurant and struggled to find much else. Our first stop was to our loft apartment, where we met our AirBNB host briefly. He spoke no English, but gave me a very warm catch-up lesson in Spanish (I still blame my lack of linguistic competency on having three Spanish professors in three years). Three years of high school Spanish did little to help, but I was a bit proud to at least understand the basics of our conversation and walk-thru the home with him. Our meal was a cultural experience in and of itself. Transitioning from French to Spanish (but primarily speaking English) in a Korean restaurant. Culture overload! I tried Kimchi for the first time and played around with a few noodle dishes as well. I’ve been warned of the nightlife and crazy hours of most in Barcelona, so we are laying low for the night in anticipation for a long day tomorrow.

Tomorrow: Las Ramblas, La Sagrada Familia, and our first look at Barcelona nightlife.