Cannes Film Festival in a Dartz Prombron

Robert De Niro was Jury President. Mel Gibson, currently circumnavigating the ocean of rumour surrounding his mental state by starring in a film about a toy executive who communicates via a beaver hand puppet (it's called The Beaver), turned up. Nutty Danish auteur Lars von Trier said something deeply silly about Hitler. Yes, 2011's was a vintage Cannes Film Festival. Apparently, there were even some quite good films.

TopGear's mission at Cannes isn't so much impossible as improbable. With absolutely none of the correct accreditation and barely 48 hours to organise a 12-hour round trip, this is a classic TG operation in all but a handful of key respects. 

Words: Jason Barlow
Photography: Lee Brimble