- Renault and cinema: a love story spanning more than 110 years.
- Renault has been the exclusive vehicle supplier to the Cannes Film Festival for 30 years, chauffeuring the world’s greatest movie stars to the red carpet.
- For the first time this year, Renault Captur will join ZOE and Twizy as part of the official vehicle fleet.
- Renault will supply more than 200 vehicles to the 66th Cannes Film Festival from May 15 to 26.
110 years of cinema
Renault’s love story with cinema has lasted for more than 110 years. Soon after Thomas Edison invented the ‘Kinetograph’, or motion picture camera, the Lumière brothers started projecting moving pictures on a screen in 1895. At the time, Louis Renault was already working on his Voiturette Type A with direct-drive transmission which he successfully drove up the steep Rue Lepic in Paris three years later.
He was one of the first industrialists to use cinema as a new way of promoting his products. Motor racing and French industrial history soon became regular topics for films screened at the Lumière brothers’ ‘Cinématographe’. In Boulogne-Billancourt, their film studios were located just a few streets away from the workshop of automobile industry pioneer Louis Renault. Unique ties were forged, making Renault the preferred partner of film actors and directors. Today, a special fleet of 40 Renault vehicles feature in some 200 television programmes and films each year. Not only is Renault emblematic of the movie industry, but it is also a partner of major film festivals.
Founded in 1939, the Cannes Film Festival has become a global institution and the world’s biggest film market, attracting over 10,000 participants from 92 countries with 5,000 films on offer, 1,500 of which are screened at the Festival. The event receives more media coverage than the Olympic Games! Back in 1949, a gleaming Renault Vivastella disturbed the quiet village life in Jacques Tati’s masterpiece Jour de Fête (‘The Big Day’).
A 30-year partnership
1983 was the first year Renault supplied 15 Renault 30 models to escort the stars to the red carpet of the Cannes Film Festival. This was something of a revolution; previously some stars were known to walk to the event… In 1992, Cannes played host to the unveiling of Safrane and 45 cars were included in the official vehicle fleet to replace the Renault 25. To mark the 10-year anniversary of Renault’s partnership with the Cannes Film Festival, a special ‘Palme d’Or’ edition of Safrane was released. In 2011, Renault Latitude replaced Vel Satis as the official vehicle alongside Espace. The Cannes Film Festival organisers are exacting in their requirements for comfort on board the official vehicle fleet, calling for more than two weeks of meticulous preparation work prior to the event. ‘Official Partner of the Cannes Film Festival’ branding is then applied to the vehicles together with special flag-holders. Each year, once the cars have been used to escort the world’s greatest movie stars, the Renault network sells the vehicles to fans and film-buffs.
2013 in the limelight
Renault also takes advantage of the Cannes Film Festival to show off its latest models to the stars. This year, the all-new Renault Captur SUV will be on display with eight vehicles joining the official vehicle fleet. As in 2012, Renault will be showcasing its electric vehicles on the Croisette in Cannes. Renault is the automobile world’s manufacturer to offer a full range of Zero Emission vehicles. A high-profile fleet of 15 Twizys and 2 ZOE models will be supplied to the Cannes Film Festival. The official vehicle fleet of 37 Latitude and 55 Espace models will be escorting the stars alongside an additional fleet of 16 Latitude and 85 Espace models for the Festival’s other partners. Renault will also be celebrating with the winners of competitions organised in the run-up to the Festival. The couple who won the ‘Inter-Country Battle’ on Renault’s Facebook page will enjoy a VIP experience in a personalised Renault Captur. And the winners of the competition held to mark the release of Un Prince (Presque) Charmant (‘(Almost) Charming’) will hit the Croisette in a ZOE. The two winners announced at the French Business Council Gala Dinner in Dubai will also be in attendance.
From May 15 to 26, the 66th Cannes Film Festival will pay tribute to 100 years of Indian cinema. In 2013, Renault vehicles will still be driving the stars of the silver screen up and down the Croisette.
