An inside look at the glamorous event on the Croisette

The 75th Cannes Film Festival recently came to a close after two sun-drenched weeks on the French Riviera, where celebrities such as Julia Roberts, Olivia Culpo, Bella Hadid, Raline Shah, Deepika Padukone, and Julianne Moore took to one of the the poshest red carpets in the world (even paparazzi have to wear tuxedos on the red carpet—look it up). The film festival saw the premiere of a slate of the best international films the world over, from Ruben Östlund’s Triangle of Sadness (Sans Filtre), which took home the coveted Palme d’Or, to South Korean films by directorial heavyweights such as Park Chan-wook (Decision to Leave) and Hirokazu Kore-eda (Broker).

Tatler was invited to take part in the glamorous affair by Swiss jeweller Chopard, and to remember all the best moments from the trip, we’ve put together a photo diary from our trip to the Cannes Film Festival, starting off at the exclusive Chopard Rooftop at the Hôtel Martinez and ending on the red carpet at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, all from the perspective of our editor. Keep reading to get an inside look at all the glitzy moments from the trip, and catch up on all the news from the Cannes Film Festival here.

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Arriving in Cannes

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Landing in Cannes after a 15-hour flight from Singapore with a transfer in Paris and we’re greeted with a beautiful—though slightly cloudy—view of the Côte d'Azur. Checking in to the ritzy Hôtel Martinez, where all the top celebrities and friends of Chopard have been staying for the duration of the film festival ( I swear Camille Razat was checking in right next to my counter), and we are swept up to the Chopard Rooftop, with its lush, jewel-toned interiors and elegant outdoor seating overlooking the beach.

According to the Chopard PR, all the stars head up here for light bites, a drink or just to relax—and she’s not kidding. In the span of time we spent at the rooftop, we spotted celebrities such as Georgina Rodríguez, Cristiano Ronaldo's partner and star of Netflix’s I Am Georgina, who was filming for her new season of the show, and Taiwanese actor Ming Dao taking a moment before (or was it after?) heading to the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès red carpet.

In our rooms, we’re greeted with an oversized welcome pack complete with a personalised T-shirt and espadrilles. Oh, did I mention that it’s the 25th anniversary of Chopard’s partnership with the Cannes Film Festival, which is serendipitously celebrating its 75th anniversary as well?

Inside the Chopard Loves Cinema dinner

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The same evening, we don our black tie best and head right around the corner of the Hôtel Martinez, which has been transformed into a cinematic wonderland for dinner. Showcasing their latest Red Carpet collection, Chopard has drawn inspiration from several classic films, including City Lights, My Fair Lady, and In The Mood For Love. Dinner was a lavish black and gold affair, with large, single white roses placed down the length of the table in a nod to Charlie Chaplin. 

Entertainment of the night included an intimate serenade by British singer-songwriter Seal, who sang his top hits such as Kiss From A Rose, Love’s Divine and other songs such as Stand By Me, that got the whole crowd crooning sentimentally. Just before dessert, there was also a runway show for the Red Carpet collection with choreography drawn from famous musical movies, among them Chicago’s Cell Block Tango. At the stroke of midnight, guests were ushered close to the stage, where burlesque performer Dita Von Teese titillated the crowd with a sensual act.

In case you missed it: Cannes Film Festival 2022: Stars Shine in Chopard’s Red Carpet Collection

Celebrities spotted on the red carpet

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What would a Chopard dinner be without a phalanx of stars? Petra Nemcova, Maye Musk, Bella Hadid, Eva Longoria, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Mads Mikkelsen were among those we caught a glimpse of on the red carpet and throughout the night. I actually bumped right into Mads Mikkelsen as we were exiting the venue and it was surreal, to say the least. 

Chopard co-president and artistic director Caroline Scheufele made a statement as she rushed down the runway barefoot with her beloved dog Byron in tow, paying tribute to that iconic Julia Roberts red carpet moment in 2016 at the Cannes Film Festival. After thanking all the guests in attendance that night, she shone a spotlight on Chopard’s longtime friend of the house, Petra Nemcova and the work that she is doing with children’s charity Happy Hearts Fund.

“My heart goes out tonight to a great friend of mine, Petra Nemcova, who has done great [work] for kids in building schools all over the world, whether it was a disaster like tsunamis, fires, earthquakes... but recently she has been helping another big crisis on this planet: Ukraine, and the kids,” Scheufele said proudly. “I know that you were on the front line, so it’s amazing that you’re here with us tonight.”

Nemcova also brought more than a few tears to the guests’ eyes: Bella Hadid broke down in tears when Nemcova mentioned helping children in Ukraine and Palestine, and the two had a long, heartfelt talk at the corner of the dinner venue after Nemcova finished her speech. 

Our takeaway from the night? Nemcova’s heartfelt toast, exhorting, “Let’s choose to love, and bring more of that love to the world together.” Brava!

Don’t miss: Cannes Film Festival 2022: The Glitz and Glamour of the Chopard Loves Cinema Dinner

Previewing the Chopard Red Carpet collection

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Can you think of a better way to start the day than settling in a private suite to admire high jewellery up close? That’s exactly how I started mine. With a glass of sparkling water in hand, I nestled down in the corner suite of the Chopard Rooftop and marvelled at the stunning craftsmanship and details of Chopard’s Red Carpet collection (some of which graced the elegant necks of celebrity guests just the night before at the Chopard Loves Cinema dinner).

Among my favourites included a magnificent diamond and sapphire necklace inspired by the Heart of the Ocean necklace in Titanic, an brilliant emerald bead necklace with a fiery 25.39-carat opal that drew its colours from James Cameron’s Avatar, an Akoya pearl necklace set with diamonds and a 13-carat pear-shaped red spinel (inspired by Anna Karenina) and a breathtaking rose brooch (inspired by Charlie Chaplin’s City Lights) made from Fairmined-certified ethical 18-carat white gold and titanium set with white diamonds (37.62 carats) on the fully articulated petals and black diamonds (0.59 carats) on the leaves.

To sum: stunning.

Read more: Cannes Film Festival 2022: Chopard Unveils Special Edition of the Palme d'Or Trophy

At the premiere of ‘Broker’

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And finally, for the highlight of our trip, we were invited to the red carpet premiere of Hirokazu Kore-eda’s film, Broker, starring Song Kang-ho (who took home the Best Actor award), Bae Doona, Gang Dong-won, Lee Ji-eun (aka IU), and Lee Joo-young. It was a full house at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès screening and there was a veritable thrill of excitement as the director entered the venue with the cast. Lee Ji-eun looked ethereal in a smoky grey gown, while Lee Joo-young’s white number was equal parts elegant and edgy.

The film itself explored the ethics of abortion, South Korea’s baby boxes, and human trafficking that elicited a wide range of discussion among my dinner companions (did Hirokazu push the envelope far enough? Was it realistic? Was it, maybe, a tad too long?). But I guess, whatever gets people talking and thinking is a good sign, right?

With that, our whirlwind trip to Cannes and the glamorous film festival came to an end, but—there’s always next year to look forward to.

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Pakkee Tan

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