Inside Villa AH, Film Festival Attendees Escape the Frenzy in Cannes

Known for its electric energy, the annual film festival taking place in Cannes this May can feel like a nonstop frenzy for those crisscrossing the Boulevard de la Croisette for business and pleasure. 

Few would guess that just a few steps north of the iconic promenade is a discreet retreat that allows visitors to be in the middle of the action while also being surrounded by blissful tranquility.

Inside this majestic 19th-century mansion, Parisian interior designer Axel Huynh annually creates his Villa AH, a peaceful oasis for festival attendees, who by setting foot inside this still-somehow-secret location know they are likely to be one of a handful of people privy to intimate yet star-studded moments like a fireside concert with an award-winning singer or a pajama party hosted by an internationally renowned multihyphenate. During the day, it is a serene place for high-profile festival participants to do interviews, stage photo shoots or just take a minute to regroup.

Huynh, a former model and entrepreneur who is now the CEO and creative director of Crazybaby!, a digital strategy and event agency for luxury brands, knows the calming effect the location has on people firsthand. 

He recalls stepping into the lush gardens of the beach house overlooking the azure waters of the Mediterranean for the first time. “As an interior designer, I have to feel the vibe. I felt organically linked to the villa,” he says. “When I got into this mansion, I was instantly inspired.”

Since 2017, the space has continued to motivate him creatively, each year showcasing a completely different atmosphere from the summer before. “In order to engage and excite our guests, our goal is to twist it and change it totally from year to year,” he says.

This year, the villa’s aesthetic is inspired by the festival’s official poster that will grace the exterior of the Palais des Festivals et des Congres. In the black-and-white photo, a beloved French icon is captured behind the scenes of the 1968 film “La Chamade.”

“From that, we wanted to create a ’60s pop vibe inspired by French New Wave cinema,” says Huynh. “This year, most of the pieces are vibrant with optical lines and patterns, from the black and white sculptures in marble created in collaboration with the mineralist Anthony Cognaux to the tableware from Legle Limoges. Everything is black and white. We created this kinetic pattern and created our own signature fabric with Charles Burger 1860.”

The interior design of Villa AH is a collaboration with Portuguese lifestyle powerhouse Paula Sousa, owner and CEO of Munna and Ginger & Jagger. “Paula is a real creative force,” says Huynh. “I instantly fell in love with her creations and artistry.”

For the villa, Huynh designed in collaboration with Munna a black-and-white modular sofa called Yin Yang, a cotton velvet creation that he describes as being “as elegant as it is versatile.”

“I really believe in synergy, and what we have is a great creative force,” says Sousa. “What I love about Axel is that he has great energy; he’s very positive. Everything is very easy to do with him. What we have is two polarities. It’s like the Yin Yang sofa, I should say. It’s the balance of the masculine, the feminine, the doing, the thinking. The result of this venture and this partnership is in the celebration of excellence.”

Sousa’s craftmanship is also evident in several objects from Ginger & Jagger, a line of home decor that serves to honor nature in designs that combine metal and woodwork. One of Sousa’s lamps serves, on this occasion, as a nod to the golden palm leaf often associated with the festival.

“Paula opens all her creativity to our villa so we can bring together the most stunning  pieces to create a deep ensemble,” says Huynh, who also assembled masters of international and French crafts such as Henryot & Cie.

Through lighting, textures, scents and culinary offerings, Huynh’s goal is to create an experience that stimulates all the senses. “When you go into our space, there are so many things to uncover,” he says. “What we want to do is to create a surprise in each room. We want to create a sensory palette that will bring you to the next level. The combination of all the sensory delights brings Villa AH to life.”

This includes bespoke cocktails utilizing top brands and products, including French craft gin makers Citadelle Gin (with the exclusive unveiling of Citadelle Rouge and Jardin D’ete Mamma Mia’s prized limoncello and Adriatico, a special amaretto from Italy — available as Classic or Bianco — to name a few.

“These are very special brands to me because they are handcrafted products made with love,” he says. “We have also asked our chef-in-residence, Eric Lepetit, to create exclusive food pairings revisiting French Riviera culinary classics that will enhance the taste of the cocktails served at sunset, complimenting the vibrant electronica mixes from Villa AH’s new muse, Sofia Silvanas.”

In addition to the model and artist providing the villa’s soundtrack, an inspiring LED neon sign from Yellowpop will be on display, featuring a quote that captures the essence of the event space: “Cinema is a place to share and dream.” 

The passion behind Huynh’s chosen vendors fits perfectly with his ethos to make the experience of Villa AH as cinematic as possible. “We are really fond of cinema, and for us, cinema is a way to express art,” Huynh says. “Each year, it’s like we are creating a movie — a sensory atmosphere that can be translated into that art. If you see Villa AH as a movie, we are the directors of it.” 

Villa AH will be open daily from May 18-25, with a special emphasis on an end-of-day gathering at sunset from 6-9 p.m. CET. Exclusive access by appointment only. For more information, please visit here.