Episode 41

In this second half of our Cannes foray, we open the mic in a very relaxed ranch-style setting in the hills of Antibes, surrounded by red bottlebrush plants (Callistemon viminalis). Pete airs his gripe about having to commute via the coastal train and the conversation turns to the benefits of living at a remove, dipping into and out of the action. Paul describes the evening train out of Cannes, along the water: an Agatha Christie-styled compartment with green leather seats and red curtains, the lights of Baie de Cannes twinkling in the crepuscular distance. After some initial joking, the guys arrive at the topic of this breezy episode: Networking in Cannes. Examining the myth that glamorous parties are the best places to network, Paul asserts that a serious meeting in an office in rainy January in London is likely to accomplish more than a drinks-fueled flirt between a randy film director and a hopeful actress in a strapless dress. In fact, the guys saw several attempts at “flirtatious networking” backfire as women were taken less seriously because they were sexually provocative. Pete sympathizes with attractive actresses who must balance sex appeal with credibility as they try to market themselves. The trick is to avoid putting your “tits above your talent” – a difficult proposition for an actress whose looks are part and parcel of her work.

Artwork: Picasso’s 1958 La Baie de Cannes