Okay guys, buckle up because this whole “Europe film fest on a budget” thing? Total obsession this year. Always dreamed of going but figured big bucks were non-negotiable. Nope! Decided to actually try making it happen without wrecking my wallet. Here’s the raw, slightly messy play-by-play.
The Crazy Starting Point
Right, January hit. Freezing cold here, scrolling film fest dates online, feeling super jealous. Saw Cannes flash by. Nope. Wayyyy too rich for my blood. Then stumbled on a forum mentioning smaller ones – like Karlovy Vary in Czechia or San Sebastian in Spain. Ding ding ding! Thought: “Maybe?”. Resisted booking anything expensive immediately. Started digging.
First Step: Fest Picking & Brutal Reality Check
Wanted a mix – one big name feel, one super chill. Settled on Venice (intimidating!) for the glam buzz and Locarno (Swiss mountains!) for the relaxed vibe. Deep breath time. Pulled up my bank app, stared hard at the numbers. Reality punched hard. Total rethink needed.
Slashing Costs Like a Ninja:
- Flights: My first stupid idea? Fly straight to Italy or Switzerland. Price check = heart attack. Changed tactics. Searched flights to “cheap entry points”. Boom! Ryanair flight to Berlin £28 one way. Yes! Bussed to Prague for pennies, then another flight to Venice. It took ages but saved like £200+. Got back via Milan cause flights were cheaper.
- Where to Crash: Hotels? Zero chance. Scoured hostel sites relentlessly. Venice hostel dorm? Still hurt (£50/night), but way cheaper than £200 hotels. Locarno salvation? Found a tiny family-run guesthouse 15 mins bus ride away for £35/night. Shared bathroom? Yup. Worth it. Packed earplugs and eye mask religiously.
- Getting Fed Without Starving: Restaurant meals every time? Bank suicide. Hit supermarkets like a local. Bought huge baguettes, cheese, fruit, snacks. Ate breakfast and packed lunches most days. Locarno hostel had a kitchen – pasta party! Only splurged on one nice dinner each place, usually lunch menus.
- Festival Passes & Tickets: Full accreditation? Forget it. Venice costs a fortune. Scored 4-day Locarno pass super early bird for about £90. Venice, waited day-of. Scalpers? Nope. Went to official kiosks late morning, got cheaper tickets for afternoon screenings. Got stood up once, totally annoying, but scored tickets elsewhere.
- Getting Around: Taxis? LOL. Venice: Water bus passes! Walked miles daily. Locarno: Bus pass bought upfront. Did so much walking my feet were screaming, but saw amazing stuff accidentally.
The Actually-Going Part (Chaos & Magic)
Flew out late August. Berlin grey and grumpy. Felt broke already. Prague overnight was a blur. Venice… wow. Humidity hit like a wall. Hostel was basic and noisy. BUT! Standing by the canals, cheap gelato, watching crazy premieres from the sidelines. Surreal! Locarno mountains were heaven. Bumpy bus rides, dodgy Wi-Fi at the guesthouse. Saw incredible films – stuff I’d never find back home. Talked to random people in queues. Spent evenings by the lake eating discount cherries. Total mess sometimes (got lost constantly), but magical moments happened.
Flew home exhausted, slightly smellier, massively poorer (but not destroyed!), and buzzing with film love. Did I lounge on the Lido? Nope. Stay in a fancy resort? Nah. Was it epic? Hell yes.
So can it be done? Absolutely. Is it glamorous? Not even slightly. You sweat, eat supermarket cheese awkwardly on park benches, sleep near noisy bins sometimes, miss some films. But the feeling of actually being there? Priceless. Go. Seriously. Figure it out.
