Emerging technologies and innovations redefining the film industry will once again take center stage at the Cannes Marché du Film, which will take place from May 12 to 20, under the executive direction of Guillaume Esmiol. Through Cannes Next within the Innovation Village, the Immersive Competition and its related market, the AI for Talent and Creator Economy summits, and a new online experience from Cinando.
New this year is the Creator Economy Summit, which will explore the opportunities arising from the intersection of traditional cinema and content from digital creators who are expanding into long-form storytelling and film production. From the adaptation of digital IPs into film projects to the discovery of emerging talent, and from audience engagement that brings “communities” into theaters to the most innovative and recent marketing strategies.
For the second year, the Innovation Village will return to the Pantiero side of the Village International, featuring its stage for XL virtual production demos: it will be the main hub for Cannes Next, the Marché du Film’s innovation-focused program.
The second edition of the AI for Talent Summit will also take place on the mornings of May 15 and 16 (by invitation only), bringing together leading technology companies and talent to explore the latest applications of artificial intelligence in creative and business processes. This year, the focus will be on the introduction of AI into the production workflow, the ethical and responsible use of AI, and education. The lineup of prestigious speakers will be announced soon.
The Immersive Market will be located at the Carlton Hotel alongside the festival’s Immersive Competition, which for the first time this year introduces a competition of this type specifically designed for collective viewing, in a space reconfigured to accommodate 80 to 225 spectators simultaneously. Selected works will be presented on rotation in this 450 m² venue, suitable for hosting a wide range of formats, from cutting-edge VR experiences to large-scale video mapping.
This space will also be where the 150 producers and catalog owners participating in the Immersive Market can screen demos of their works to 90 major distributors and curators. The market, which will run throughout the 11 days of the Immersive Competition, aims to be the most effective platform for location-based immersive distribution, and will schedule pitch sessions, networking events, and concrete business opportunities.
Finally, the new, enhanced Marché du Film Online platform becomes Marché du Film by Cinando, migrating to the completely rebuilt system of the famous database and networking platform created by the Marché. This evolved version will include online screenings, conference videos, and networking tools in a single market environment.
