“The light over the Cap is extraordinary this time of year,” the general manager of the Hotel du Cap, Philippe Perd, tells me. It’s a literal statement: The cool airs of spring have been swept away with the seasons, while the hot, heavy ones of summer have yet to set in. In May, the sun shines warm and sweet, its rays a gentle honeyed diffusion. But it also feels like the light shines because of something that doesn’t have to do with seasons at all: the Cannes Film Festival. Each May, movie stars and celebrities descend on the South of France for the international event, where high-profile films from the industry’s auteurs make their premiere. The best among them receive a standing ovation. The best of the best receives the Palme d’Or—and thus, most likely, a place on the short list for a best-picture Oscar nomination. And while they’re there, the biggest celebrities, directors, studio heads, and agents all stay at one place: the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc. The Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc (not to be confused …