The Cannes Movie Competition’s Marché du Movie is gearing up for a 6% hike in attendance with numbers anticipated to hit shut to fifteen,000 members, in response to projections revealed by Govt Director Guillaume Esmiol within the run-up to its opening on Could 14.
“We’ll solely have the precise quantity on the finish of the market however for now we’re taking a look at a rise of greater than 6%,” predicts Esmiol, on the idea of an increase in registrations forward of the market kick-off.
“Final yr we introduced the report breaking attendance of simply over 14,000 attendees. I count on we’re going to interrupt that report once more to be not far off 15,000.”
Round 4,000 function movies and tasks from 140 territories can be on provide, with screening staking place in 33 venues, whereas the market will even host 200 completely different occasions, together with 70 conferences, throughout its 9 days operating from Could 14 to 22.
Whereas the AFM, Toronto and even the Berlinale’s European Movie Market have struggled to return to pre-pandemic ranges of attendance, Cannes has gone from energy to energy.
“After the pandemic, we had been asking whether or not individuals would come again to the market. Now it’s a query of how we’re going to welcome all these individuals?,” says Esmiol, who’s in his second version operating the market solo, having succeeded Jérome Paillard final yr.
Amid the rising numbers, the market is introducing fast-track channels for consumers and sellers to allow them quick access out and in of the Palais.
“They’ll have a marker on their badge permitting them to go sooner, however I believe we already managed to enhance the circulate into the Palais final yr with the automated steel detector system.”
In different initiatives aimed toward consumers and sellers, the market will reprise the Bistrot du Lérins, which launched final yr, providing an unique area for exhibitors to carry enterprise lunches contained in the Palais, whereas one other various would be the revamped Plage des Palmes on the Plage de Goeland.
“We’re additionally launching a cheerful hour within the lounge space within the Palais [The Viewpoint] as an area for sellers and consumers to relax slightly bit after a busy day,” says Esmiol.
Guillaume Esmiol
MDF
As soon as once more, this version has been put collectively towards a backdrop of rising prices, even when international inflation has slowed down in current months.
“Final yr, it was a little bit of a shock as a result of we had been coping with a 40% rise in vitality prices,” says Esmiol, who says the hike led the market to audit and reconfigure its electrical energy use.
The rising prices have led to a rise in market badge charges, by round 4%, however Esmiol insists the worth stays aggressive compared with different markets.
“We didn’t need to put this burden solely on the gross sales corporations by growing screening or stand costs. Many of those corporations are nonetheless making an attempt to get again to pre-pandemic ranges of enterprise. It didn’t really feel truthful,” says Esmiol.
“We nonetheless have the bottom value in comparison with most the large markets, so we had some margin there,” he provides.
Esmiol says the booming Marché du Movie attendance stats are usually not essentially indicative of a wider uptick on the movie market circuit, suggesting the occasion might have been a beneficiary of corporations reining in worldwide journey.
“Just a few corporations are telling me that they’ve much less funds however they’re placing this funds into Cannes,” he says.
As per current norms, the U.S. would be the largest territory by attendance, accounting for 18% of registered members, adopted by France at 16% after which the UK, with Germany, Italy and Spain additionally out in power.
Esmiol expects further U.S. exercise on the market within the wake of the Hollywood strikes.
“Whereas Thierry (Frémaux) was saying it had an affect on the variety of U.S. movies that had been out there for the competition, conversely available in the market, we’re anticipating there to be extra U.S. tasks, as a result of they had been on maintain resulting from strikes and at the moment are going to be out there in Cannes,” he says.
He additionally notes the robust presence of smaller European territories that punch above their weight within the worldwide movie biz.
“You might have some international locations which might be very small in measurement however which might be very energetic like Belgium, Netherlands. Switzerland,” he says.
Switzerland is the market’s nation of honor this yr, following within the wake of Spain final yr and India in 2022.
The showcase will deal with Switzerland’s prowess in innovation and know-how in addition to its co-production know-how. The territory is concerned in round 80 options productions a yr, 43% of that are co-productions.
Different territories out in power embody Canada, South Korea and Japan.
There was speak of late that Asia has decoupled from the worldwide movie scene within the wake of the pandemic, with its professionals focusing extra on dwelling territories and regional partnerships.
Esmiol says this development is just not born out in Asian attendance which is again to pre-pandemic ranges.
“Already final yr we felt an enormous comeback from Asian international locations. Japan was up plus 10%, and South Korea was up plus 16%. In the event that they’re coming to Cannes, it’s to attach with the worldwide enterprise,” he says.
One Asian territory lagging behind is China, though numbers are up on final yr.
“In 2022, there have been virtually no Chinese language professionals, other than these residing in Europe. Final yr, there have been round 250, which was a pleasant shock. There can be 250 to 300 this yr, however it’s nonetheless off pre-pandemic ranges when it was 600 to 650.”
Alongside its long-running Highlight Asia initiative, the market is launching the brand new Asian IP Showcase, presenting authentic Asian IPs spanning performing arts, animated collection, graphic novels and video video games appropriate for function movie variations.
Different new initiatives embody the Cannes Remakes day aimed toward fostering remake alternatives for European function movies which have confirmed profitable of their dwelling territories.
Titles within the inaugural line-up embody Audrey Dana’s Males On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown, Stéphane Castang’s Vincent Should Die, Gerardo Herrero’s Underneath Remedy and Gianluca Ansanelli’s The Conflict of The Grandpas.
The market will even roll out the second version of its Buyers Circle aimed toward connecting 10 function movie tasks with high-net price buyers. Filmmakers presenting their tasks will embody Palme d’Or winner Ruben Östlund, with upcoming airplane catastrophe film The Leisure System is Down.
These two initiatives are a part of a concerted transfer by the Marché du Movie to do extra to help professionals on the undertaking stage.
“The Marché du Movie primarily revolves round three poles: the marketplace for accomplished movies, which is our core enterprise; the undertaking market, then there’s our position as a B2B platform, with our conferences serving to professionals rise up to hurry with key matters,” says Esmiol.
On the B2B program entrance, one spotlight for Esmiol, who started his profession in enterprise improvement and digital media innovation, is a partnership with Microsoft, which is a sponsor of the broader competition for the primary time this yr.
The corporate can be current available in the market with the Microsoft Café on Majestic seaside the place the main focus can be AI and the way it’s set to affect the movie enterprise.
“They’re bringing in consultants and case research of the place AI utilized in cinema. They received’t be afraid to take a look at a number of the tougher questions on the desk just like the affect of AI on jobs and the implications for rights,” says Esmiol.