Where the real Cannes happened: A view from Mallory and Kaitlyn

With the overwhelming amount of events, panels, parties and pop-ups, the Cannes Lions festival can feel a lot, especially if you’re a first-timer. As this year’s MSQ Young Lions winners, we headed to Cannes excited to figure out how to make the most out of our week on the Croisette.

Fairly quickly, we learned that no matter what we had planned, we weren’t going to see it all. So instead of trying to hit every event, we set out to shape our week at Cannes the best way we knew how – seeking out the most inspiring panels, impactful events and thoughtful networking.

What we found? It was often the in-between moments, the unexpected encounters and true “pauses” in our schedule that ended up defining our experience the best.

With that, we’ve put together our unofficial (and very non-exhaustive) guide to Cannes – just a few moments, people and panels that made our first time unforgettable, and might help you do the same.

Best breakfast spot: Empower Café

Early on in the week, we realised Empower Café was not only a fantastic place to stop by but also a home base for us throughout the week. Created as a women-focused, inclusive space at Cannes, the Empower Café was full of encouraging people and thoughtful programming. (And perfect croissants and cappuccinos. Can’t forget about those.)

We kicked off a series of mornings at the Café, and it allowed us to ease into otherwise hectic days with intentional conversation, genuine people and advice from veteran Cannes-goers.

Sharpest panel: Shonda Rhimes and storytelling

Shonda Rhimes is in a league of her own with Shondaland, and it was inspiring to hear her speak not only about her journey building her TV empire, but also about the love of craft that got her there. Rhimes described her writing as a constant practice – something that she is honing and exploring, even decades into her career.

There’s something so tangibly motivating about a woman as successful as her, still sitting down every morning to brainstorm, throw new ideas around and find out what sticks. Standout quote from her panel? “I don’t know any weak women.” Same, Shonda.

Most empowering moment: Billie Jean King and E.l.f. Cosmetics chief marketing officer Kory Marchisotto

Being in the presence of Billie Jean King is motivating enough – but hearing her speak about her legendary career, business acumen and fight as a woman in sport was special. Billie’s and Kory’s panel “Pressure is a privilege: how sports supports female leaders”, dived into five Ps: pissed, passion, pressure, progress and persistence. Billie broke down how each of those Ps has been involved in her fight for equity in sport and business.

At the wise age of 81, King is now back in college getting her degree and in constant search of more knowledge, more wisdom, more progress. How can you leave a panel like that without feeling empowered to do the same? 

Best spot for networking: The Female Quotient Lounge

The Female Quotient Lounge wasn’t just a beautiful space with a beautiful view in Hotel Martinez – it was also a space ripe for networking with and unfiltered career advice from women in the industry.

Especially as first-timers, it can feel overwhelming to strike up conversations at the beaches you visit – so many executives, brand leaders and teams who know each other or their Cannes routine. This is precisely why the Female Quotient worked for us: it was a space the organisation of which was built on the premise of advancing women and their careers. Introducing ourselves to panelists and fellow attendees felt accessible and fruitful here, with everyone genuinely interested in connecting and learning about each other.

…Plus, there was a dedicated coffee cart in the FQ space. Immediate win.

Most powerful partnership: Sport Beach – Unrivaled x Sephora

At Sport Beach, the partnership between women’s basketball league Unrivaled and Sephora showed what it looks like when beauty, sport, and strategy collide with intention.

Built on shared values and a mutual commitment to rewriting the rules, this partnership goes beyond marketing. Unrivaled’s president, Alex Bazzell, and Sephora’s vice-president of marketing partnerships, Celessa Baker, highlighted Sephora's continued support and backing for Unrivaled’s mission to disrupt the women’s sports space.

What stood out most was how naturally their partnership made sense. It isn’t forced. It doesn’t feel opportunistic. It’s rooted in a shared ambition and a belief that doing good and doing business can absolutely go hand in hand, and drive revenue.

One message rang loud and clear: when you put female athletes at the center of business growth, everyone wins. Representation is power, but real investment is what drives change.

Beyond the agenda 

Although Cannes might be known for its big stages and names, what made it unforgettable for us weren’t just the headliners or main stage events. Those in-between moments, the conversations over coffee, panels about craft that struck us, brand activations that made us feel part of something special, were what we’ll take back to New York with us.

As two Cannes first-timers (and proud Young Lions), we learned quickly that there’s no one or right way to “do” Cannes. But if there’s one piece of advice we’d give – it's intentionally plan your days and seek out the moments and meet-ups that matter most to you. Don’t just follow the official schedule – the best learnings you get might not be found on the programme.

This article first appeared on Campaign here.