Since antiquity, alcohol has been an intrinsic element of culture. The eminent Dionysian festival, the precursor to modern European drama and contemporary Film Festivals, is named after the god of wine who came to be the god of theatre. Just as in Ancient Greece drinking parties were an integral part of the Great Dionysia, being associated with triumph and celebration, prosperity and pleasure, poetic discourse and the birth of marvellous ideas, the alcoholic beverages and the culture around them stand as an important element of the Cannes Film Festival.
The three official suppliers of the 75th Cannes Film Festival are Baron Philippe De Rothschild S.A., Campari, and Rémy Cointreau. Not only do they take responsibility for the atmosphere of pleasure and jubilation, but also pay tribute to a long-lasting tradition. For Rémy Cointreau, it is the nineteenth consecutive year of partnering with the Festival.
Their brand of cognac Rémy Martin has remained the official supplier since 2003, bearing out the company’s proudly declared values of combining many skills and talents to engender high quality, authenticity, and supremacy, which are also summed up in their motto “Team Up For Excellence”. On the occasion of the 71st Cannes Film Festival, Rémy Martin presented its exclusive XO Cannes Limited edition.
The decanter was embellished with a multitude of golden dots, inspired by the ancient movie theatres, Greek vases and mosaics, glorifying the luminous exuberance of the mature cognac. The elegant black and gold box seemed to evolve from the previous year’s brand’s contribution to the Festival, a mysterious dark-coloured carafe offering an ever-changing sensory delight of the XO Cannes 2017 Limited Edition. This year, Rémy Martin threw an open-air party in the Cannes Bay for the guests of the Festival, allowing them to enjoy the sunshine of the French Riviera and experience the ultimate enjoyment through a glass of Rémy Sidecar. A symbol of elegance and refined celebration, this cocktail is a fresh, crisp, and well-balanced classic.
With its brand Mouton Cadet, Baron Philippe De Rothschild has been one of the official suppliers for the Festival for over thirty years. Ephemeral yet glamorous space, the Mouton Cadet Wine Bar played host to the exclusive luxury parties at the Festival, in different years welcoming such stars as Woody Allen, Robert De Niro, Uma Thurman, and John Travolta. Unique in its taste, Mouton Cadet was born from the fruitful encounter of the Bordeaux terroir and the youngest of the Rothschild family.
Thanks to the blending of nostalgia and the contemporary, the wine constitutes a flavourful fusion of emotions. Apart from Mouton Cadet, Baron Philippe De Rothschild produces varietal wines from the south of France, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, and others, highly valued all over the world for their richness and aromatic potential.
The glow of the famous red carpet, lit up by camera flashes, is reflected in the red liquid flowing over ice in a cocktail glass. The vibrant crimson colour of Campari is unmistakable. Having revolutionised the world of liquor in the 1860s, Campari has been connected to arts and culture from the start, when its inventor Gaspare Campari decided to run his business from the newly built Galleria Vittorio Emanuele Il, the cultural epicentre of Milan. Today, the unforgettable Italian bitter notes of Campari lie at the heart of some of the world’s most famous and beloved cocktails, including the iconic Negroni. To mark their very first though certainly not last partnership with the Festival, Campari directed a breathless party, a place of red passion.
While the great stories unfold on the movie theatre screens of Cannes, every sip of Campari embodies a glance, a dream, a story to tell. Prosperity and enchantment emerge in the air, as the global fashion icon Winnie Harlow playfully takes on the role of a bartender at Elvis’s premiere after-party to mix a classic refreshing Campari Spritz, adding an unexpected taste to the 75th Cannes Film Festival.
Article edit by Anastasia Fedosova