As the red carpets are rolled up and the glitter settles in Cannes, one truth remains: the most unforgettable parts of the 2025 festival didn’t happen inside the theaters. They unfolded in a suite, on a stage, and aboard a yacht—three very different experiences that told the same story: Cannes is the place to be.
The Elvis Suite: The Brain of the Festival
In an era of influencer noise and endless premieres, The Elvis Suite offered an oasis of substance. Launched by film curator and cultural critic Elvis Mitchell, this cinematic think tank set up shop at Villa des Étoiles right by The Carlton Hotel and quickly became the intellectual HQ of the festival.
With programming that included heavyweights like Wes Anderson, Bill Murray, Sean Byrne, Richard Linklater, and Zoey Deutch, the conversations here weren’t about box office buzz—they were about artistic truth. Discussions tackled everything from global horror trends to Google and Range discussing AI in storytelling. It was a place where ideas mattered more than Instagram moments.
The Elvis suite was a mixture of being perfectly Cannes with the biggest names of the festival in attendance whilst simultaneously the anti-Cannes—smart, intimate, and refreshingly agenda-free.
BLOOD/LOVE: A Theatrical Shock to the System
In contrast, BLOOD/LOVE was a spectacle and it didn’t apologize for it. The immersive vampire-popera exploded onto the scene for a one-night-only event that fused high fashion, live music, and theater with the emotional punch of a headlining rock show.
Set again at the Villa des Étoiles, the May 17th debut had the city buzzing with anticipation. Created by avant-garde mastermind Carey Sharpe and starring multi-talents like Dru DeCaro, the show invited guests into a glimpse of the gothic love story.
The energy was electric. Celebrities like Cuba Gooding Jr., Shannon K, Hofit Golan, and Jason Oppenheim came to experience a first look at the musical. With BLOOD/LOVE slated for a New York premiere in 2026, this Cannes moment was less a sneak peek and more a thunderclap.
THIS IS IT: When a Yacht Became the Star
Finally, Cannes had its literal floating jewel in the THIS IS IT yacht. With its futuristic design and space-age interiors, this 43.5-meter marvel wasn’t just a venue, it was the moment. Owned by Greek visionary Tasos Papanastasiou and curated by IYC, it looked like something out of Blade Runner, but felt like the future of luxury hospitality.
Its opening Bond-themed party on May 13, orchestrated by Christine Panagi, raised the bar for every other event on the Riviera. DJ Cruz kept the decks hot while guests roamed among curved LED-lit walls, water-facing spas, and interior design that felt more spacecraft than sea vessel. The yacht hosted the elite of Cannes throughout the festival including stars like Rhianna, Luke Wilson, Scott Eastwood and more, many of whom sipped AIX rose aboard its glamorous decks.
THIS IS IT was more than a photo op. It was a manifesto: style, innovation, futuristic design and hospitality can exist in perfect harmony.
Cannes Wasn’t Just Watched. It Was Lived.
Between The Elvis Suite’s masterclasses, BLOOD/LOVE’s immersive chaos, and THIS IS IT’s futuristic dreamscape, Cannes 2025 proved something radical: the best stories aren’t just screened, they’re lived.