New Brunswick film Catherine included in Cannes

Saint John filmmaker Jarrod Hachey is looking forward to learning as much as he can about film-making while attending the Cannes Film Festival in France in May.

Hachey's film, Catherine, is included in the festival's short-film catalogue,giving him access to films, workshops and industry insiders.

"I read a Cannes survival guide that called it 'Old Hollywood on steroids,'" saidHachey. To be in that for my first festival is scary, but I'm looking forward to it."

While Hachey's film is not one of the festival's official selections, inclusion in the short film catalogueallows Hachey access to almost everything the festival has to offer.

"It's just the red carpet premieres that we can't go to," said Hachey. "All of the other screenings we're welcome to, so that's going to be great.

"Just last night I finally got to see a movie that won the second prize at Cannes last year and it's only just become available here."

The Cannes short film catalog describe's Hachey's 15-minute film as "an examination of the space between a medical student and his common law lover. The emptiness of endeavour and the loneliness of being surrounded by people."

Catherine was also nominated as best short film at the Los Angeles CineFest this year.

Not an official selection

Hachey said he takes the selection at Cannes "all with a grain of salt."

"Short Film Corner is different. It's not an official selection. It's open to any short they review and deem it has artistic merit."

About 1,000 films are included in his category, he said.

Hachey, 23,plans on using the opportunity at Cannesto network and learn more about filmmaking to reach the next step in his career.

"That's a little bit daunting I think," said Hachey. "But, I think I'm ready to jump right into it.

"It's always been a culture that I've known existed, but it's always been really far out of my reach."

While at Cannes, Hachey plans to shoot another short film based on his experiences at the festival.

Cannes runs from May 11 to22.