The AP photographer is based in Cannes

Cannes, France (Abby) – “Matt! Boyfriend! Look over your shoulder, Matt Damon! The moment he returned with a big smile on his face, we made direct eye contact as a tremor ran through my spine. Pam! I caught it.

As an Atlanta-based photographer covering major sports, important news and national politics across the United States, I thought all of my previous experiences would have prepared me for the Cannes Film Festival. But he was wrong.

This task is completely different. It’s totally the opposite of what I normally do, and it’s weird to shout and shout people’s names to see me. My smile, sharp voice cuts through the crowd of low voices and a celebrity looks at me for a second.

It’s hard to communicate with local people because I don’t speak the language, but gestures help me where to stand, where to look, and where to pay. Learning new phrases – “Ain’t I Bar Bar IC” (see here), “over the shoulder” (on your shoulder), “back” (back) – helped draw the attention of the red talents. Carpet.

When I arrived in Cannes, Spike Lee’s eyes followed me everywhere I went, from a huge poster on the red carpet, to shop windows, bakeries, postcards, flyers and advertisements all over town. The film festival has captured Cannes.

The scenery around Cannes cannot be overlooked from the beautiful mountains lined with French houses, tanned leather, beautiful fashion, sandy beaches and food stalls. During a break from action, he dug his toes into the sand and icy waters of the Mediterranean. It was like a dream.

Suddenly you come back to reality when mopeds and cars are driving down the street without worrying about the safety of pedestrians. In addition to the current epidemic that has added a layer of tension. Because I am an American, I need to be tested for COVID-19 every day, even if I am vaccinated.

Pouring sweat from the elbow onto me on the red carpet crowd was like being in a political commotion in South Florida, hot and humid until the strong gusts of wind eased the tension around us. I shout again: “This way! Right here! “

As one of the few women, I wore black in 85 degree weather and filled my disposable black mask. Two weeks later, I was covered in bruises and blisters like walking and standing, hit by someone else’s cameras or my elbows.

But it was a pleasure to work and meet international colleagues. Throughout my life I have known the Cannes Film Festival, the glamor of the red carpet, the celebrities who attended and the exceptional films that came out, but these are all legends to me. I never thought I would be in the south of France. But this year I was a part of tradition, fashion, cinema, red carpets, and it was the opportunity of a lifetime that I will never forget.