The must-see movie

Charlie Kaufman’s directing debut Synecdoche, New York.

The endurance test

Steven Soderbergh’s Che, starring Benicio Del Torro as Che Guevara, unspools at 268 mins.

The dark horse

Waltz with Bashir, the first full-length animated documentary, about the 1982 massacre of Palestinian refugees.

The evening hangout

Mingle with the British film industry on the terrace of the Grand Hotel.

Dance the night away

The beach bar of London members’ club Century.

The best view in town

The Times BFI London Film Festival’s annual reception is on the roof of the Hotel Palais Stéphanie, high above the Croisette.

This year’s Romania

Last year, Romanian films won the prizes. This year, look to South America, with films from Lucrecia Martel, Pablo Trapero and Walter Salles in competition, plus Fernando Meirelles’s English language debut Blindness.

The hot party

The Soho House bash, held in a château with views over the Med.

The glittering gala

Madonna and Sharon Stone host the annual AMFAR charity gala.

The A-list hangout

The exclusive Hotel du Cap in Cap d’Antibes. Better take a lot of cash – no credit cards are accepted.

The Cannes Film Festival opens on Wednesday 14 May 2008

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