Cannes, France is renowned for being the biggest and most important Film Festival in the world. It is where every famous superstar goes and where the biggest movies premiere. It's a dream for every filmaker to make it to the grandoise capital city of film.

On the 15th of May, I picked up my 'March Du Film' pass and entered the legendary Palais to hand in our movie WARRIOR, which was to have its premiere market screening in the historical building on the 23rd of May.

We were excited to be able to accept an invitation to represent our film at the Cannes Film Festival, as WARRIOR was to appear in the Australian Film Commission's book on Australian films of 2007. It was already an honour to be heading there but thanks to the persistence and support from the Australian Film Commission, we were offered a screening by the Official Festival organisers a month after the deadline.

WARRIOR secured a screening alongside eleven other Australian Films which included the Australian blockbuster 'Kenny' and four Croatian movies including the premiere of 'The True Miracle' (Pravo Cudo) with Hollywood star Rade ŠERBEDŽIJA.

On the 15th of May our European Executive Producer of WARRIOR, based in Germany, and myself arrived in Cannes.

Getting over the emotional side of actually stepping on the Red Carpet, we were ready to start promoting WARRIOR amongst the World's Film community. We settled into our temporary office with the Australian Films Office on the 8th floor of our building on the Croisette sitting between the ritzy Carlton and Hilton Hotel. The big balcony overlooked the French Riviera Festival beachfront and the partying rooftop of the Hilton Hotel, with swimming pool and all. This was a little too overwhelming for me.

Not here to watch movies, after a few days of getting the word around about WARRIOR, It was time to take a break so we decided to to bypass the opportunity to sit in the same theatre as Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio so that we can watch famous Horror Director Dario Argento's SUSPIRIA in a special Cannes Classics screening which Dario Argento (Demons, Phenomina) introducing it with a speech for the special presentation. Sitting two rows behind the man himself was a bigger thrill for me, being that he was my favourite Horror Director since I was a teenager in the 80s.

I took a few pictures with fans (who obviously never knew who I was, but the big stars would never stop for them so I was a consolation prize). We gave them some WARRIOR posters and they jumped around with joy. Even though we were not Hollywood superstars, the people really appreciated we could make time for the fans on the other side of the fence.

One of the inspirations of WARRIOR was the award winning movie BLOOD IN BLOOD OUT starring Damian Chapa in the main role, who co-starred with Steven Seagul in UNDER SIEGE and a notable role in Van Damme's STREET FIGHTER. We were walking around in the Riviera building and out from nowhere, the man himself, Damian Chapa, actually approached us. We ended up having a discussion which ended up in his Cannes office where we exchanged material and contact details. Who knows, it may lead to a potential collaboration of some sort in the future.

Well, if that was not enough, right next to his Cannes Office, I found the office of Troma Films where another legendary Horror Director was based. Lloyd Kaufman, who made Horror classics 'Bloodsucking Freaks' and 'The Toxic Avenger' invited us in and out of nowhere, I was suddenly exchanging ideas with another legendary filmaker I looked up to. We discussed a collaboration and exchanged contact details.

I now had the option to soon travel to Los Angeles, to have proper meetings with all of these important people I was meeting. Co-incidently, our Co-Producer and Second Unit Director, Neil Johnson, had just opened a studio in Hollywood where he wants me to work on his next movie.

I came to Cannes expecting to promote WARRIOR and all of a sudden a wealth of opportunities were presenting themselves. Being so busy, I still made the time to watch two Croatian Films 'The True Miracle' and 'Armin' but besides being one of only a dozen people viewing the Australian Film 'Kenny', that was it as far as movies went.

Meeting after meeting and all of a sudden it was the big day.

It was May 23, 2007 and WARRIOR made its premiere world market screening at 10pm in Theatre F on the third floor of the famous Palais. It was an enlightening experience and from that moment on, I knew that I could continue making films. It was a huge honour and it felt strange, I mean... I was just this kid that grew up in St. Albans and now I was witnessing my own movie screening at Cannes. The only thing missing was all those great people that worked with me who I wish were there to experience it with us!

Neil, Bruno, Nic, Virgil, Mirko, Snez, Simon, LT, Ben the rest of the gang and people that helped us get here like Cro Travel, Vesna Smolic, Advance Management and Melbourne Accounting Partners and my family of course: wish you were all here...

On our last day, we took a quick glimpse of Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and George Clooney gracing the red carpet. Vesna and myself headed across the street to the great Upside Down Cafe to enjoy each others company. All in all, lots of meetings ahead and once the paperwork is done, we can release the movie to the public!

Cheers from Europe!

Steve Ravic

CLICK THE THUMBNAILS BELOW FOR FULL-SIZED PHOTOS FROM CANNES