Away from the red carpet, the ‘flashy, jazzy and tacky’ descend on Cannes – photo essay

It’s flashy, jazzy, tacky, it’s jet set, totally. From dawn to dusk on the Croisette, the boulevard stretching along the Mediterranean Sea in Cannes, everyone is dressed to the nines. For 10 days, it’s all about getting an invitation to join the Cannes film festival’s exclusive club. But not everyone stops to watch a movie.

• In this image-driven economy, luxury is embodied right down to the skin. The media plays a central role in creating desire. Magazine publishers and social media platforms collaborate with brands to promote their new products and showcase the celebrities who wear them. Now, a new type of celebrity – one with an unconventional career path and who starts from nothing – is invited to the Croisette: influencers.

• From the Carlton to the Grand Théâtre Lumière, the most dazzling outfits are proudly on display. Whether it’s Chanel jewellery or a Louis Vuitton leather bag – genuine or fake – here logos are synonymous with glamour and power.

• Trainers are not permitted at gala performances at the Grand Théâtre Lumière. The festival requires evening wear in the style of a “long dress or little black dress” for women and “a black or navy blue tuxedo with a bow tie or dark tie” for men. Without this attire, entry may be refused. This is a situation I found myself in last year, as I hadn’t found time to change after a day of wandering around.

The scene plays out on the streets: princess dresses, excessive Botox, dazzling jewellery, gleaming Lamborghinis. A fashion show – minus the red carpet – unfolds between the Marriott and the Grand Théâtre Lumière. The festival has become a symbol of the society of the spectacle.

• The crowd jostles at the exit of a screening. Yingying A-tupho has come from Thailand for the festival. She describes herself as a “model, actress, singer and teacher of classical Thai dance” but was unable to be photographed on the red carpet because there are two separate entrances: one for the film crews and official guests, and the other for the public.

• Left: Edward Hollander, whose fortune is estimated at more than £310m and his partner, Amanda Balk, 38, a reality TV contestant, were invited by the luxury jeweller Messika. Right: a couple stroll along the Croisette.

• The French YouTuber Mehdi Jibril, right, brings a Tom Cruise lookalike to the festival. Spotted online a few weeks earlier, this German man is no stranger to making cameo appearances, arriving on a motorbike, wearing aviator sunglasses and sporting a devastating smile: mission accomplished.

I originally started attending film festivals to watch films but I was immediately captivated by the hustle and bustle on the sidelines, that world of glitz and glamour and its eccentric characters. For the past two years, I’ve been photographing the jet set and the crowd of unknowns who surround them, dreaming of a place among the stars. I wanted to know who they were and what brought them here. Photography has given me a way to connect with these worlds.

• The Albert Édouard jetty is located next to the entrance to the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, which hosts events for the festival. While the festival has committed to reducing its carbon dioxide emissions by 21% by 2030, the largest private yachts begin to dock as early as May.

• Left: the owner of Villa Oxygene in Super-Cannes, a neighbourhood on the hills above the Californie district, has placed a statue of Tony Montana, the villain from Scarface played by Al Pacino, on his terrace. Right: tragedy on the Croisette. In the middle of last year’s festival, a palm tree fell, seriously injuring a Japanese producer who had worked on the film Brand New Landscape, which is being screened at the directors’ fortnight.

The Cannes film festival doesn’t just attract film enthusiasts. Every year, the jet set descends on the city. Superyachts take over the Mediterranean and luxurious villas twinkle along the Bay of Cannes. The finest suites in the hills of the Californie district are booked months in advance for prestigious parties away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Whether it’s rooftop after-parties or cocktails on private beaches, the key is not to leave without having been invited.

• Gatsby Randolph is a regular at high society events. On board a yacht he chartered for the occasion, he organised a champagne afternoon to celebrate the release of his second film: Who is Gatsby Randolph? Part 2.

In Cannes, everything is possible. Getting spotted as a model, negotiating a contract with a brand, signing with an agency … The world’s biggest film festival turns into a huge marketplace of opportunities. Such is the case for this jet-setter, who came all the way from the US to present the second part of his biopic: Who is Gatsby Randolph? Part 2. I met him on the Corniche onboard the yacht he had rented for the occasion. It’s hard to know where parody ends and reality begins with Randolph.

• On the red carpet, a bow tie is a must for men

When I crop the faces in my work, I anonymise subjects for whom appearance is everything. Through details of bare backs, closeups of Rolex watches, or shots focusing on bright red lips, I reveal the symbols of distinction in this world of luxury. Among the people waiting for their 15 minutes of fame, a few refuse to be photographed. But most assume star poses, dazzling smiles, show off Chanel necklaces: these models take pleasure in posing at length in front of my lens, even asking me for private photoshoots by the sea.

• A pair of bare backs: a festivalgoer and a dog. On the Croisette, even the dogs are decked out. Since 2001, the Palm Dog has been awarded for the “best canine performance on the big screen”. Here, Felicity, the dog belonging to animal rights activist Julia de Cadenet, struts her stuff.

• Many older people find the nightlife less lively than it used to be. Luc, a pensioner, is nostalgic for the days he spent in Cannes. “Back then, you could bump into Jean-Paul Belmondo on the beach and chat to him without any trouble; now the stars are mobbed by amateur photographers and no longer dare to go out in public.” With his shirt wide open, he spends his days on the beach promenade showing off his deep tan, always accessorised with his watch and gold chain.

• Everyone is showing their love for the cinema. Even so, few manage to get a ticket to the famous Grand Théâtre Lumière.

I’ve seen young women leave the theatre right after their red-carpet appearance because their dresses were too bulky to watch the film. A red-carpet walk is a real goldmine and is at the core of brand strategies. Whether it’s jewellery, beauty products, or luxury clothing, major corporations are working with models and celebrities in order for their products to feature on the red carpet. Partnerships have multiplied. From the Nespresso-sponsored beach to Louis Vuitton handbags, the film festival is becoming a brand festival.

• Mitchell Akat, a South Sudanese model, wearing an outfit designed by Harvey Cenit, who invited her to Cannes.

• On loan from the brands, fashion collections are showcased and photographed throughout the festival.

• Ana Peleteiro-Compaoré Brión, the Spanish triple jumper, is escorted to the Majestic for a photoshoot.

In May, the glamorous world of the jet set mingles with the rest of the hive: Mister and Miss Nobody, dreaming teenagers, scroungers, onlookers on the sidelines, or made-up paparazzi. This mix of the ostentatious and the grotesque is both surprising and fascinating. Who is invited? Who is a gatecrasher? Who will win the Palme d’Or? This cocktail of excess brings us back to a harsh reality: fake it until you make it.