Cannes Film Fest Shocker: Is This the End of Indie Film Deals?!

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This year at Cannes Film Festival, it seems like politics is taking center stage over business, with not many deals coming from the marketplace. However, there’s been a significant surge in activism both on the red carpet and beyond, which I’ve found quite engaging as a gamer.

During the initial weekend at Cannes, which is typically when intense bidding wars start and significant purchases are declared, the atmosphere has been unusually tranquil, bordering on eerie. The only substantial transaction occurred — Mubi’s $20 million multi-region deal for Lynne Ramsay’s film Die, My Love, featuring Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson. This was a significant acquisition for a completed movie, yet it highlighted the scarcity of major pre-sales at Cannes to date, despite a bustling market brimming with enticing offerings.

Buyers are adopting a careful, watchful stance, as seen at Sundance and Berlin, due to increasing doubts about financing and distribution methods, not to mention the overall future of the film industry.

Donald Trump’s proposal to levy tariffs on foreign-produced films, unveiled close to Cannes, caused quite a stir and seemed to further destabilize the already fragile independent film industry. The extent of the harm inflicted will only become clear once the market has had time to adjust and the dust settles.

One experienced independent producer expressed concern about tariffs, stating they’re making people uneasy, particularly financiers. Financiers are typically cautious, and any factor that raises doubts about the stability of the local market or the worth of a U.S. pre-sale is seen as harmful.

As a movie enthusiast, I wasn’t overly concerned about the Trump announcement impacting deals, given that tariffs haven’t been implemented yet and it remains unclear if they ever will be. However, the news certainly dampened the optimistic mood among sellers heading into Cannes. To be honest, things on the sales front were already subdued. On the domestic side, the Sundance Film Festival experienced one of its slowest deal-making periods in recent history. The deals for Neon’s ‘Together’, Netflix’s ‘Train Dreams’, and A24’s ‘Sorry, Baby’ (both screening at Cannes) were the highlights of a market that otherwise felt disheartening. Following the Park City festival, smaller companies like Magnolia, Briarcliff, Greenwich, and Mubi have secured some of the best-reviewed films from the fest, leaving many others still in limbo.

Berlin initially moved at a leisurely pace – many of the deals announced during the European Film Market involved smaller domestic releases for international art house features. Notably, Sony Pictures Classics secured the rights to Rebecca Zlotowski’s French-language murder mystery titled “Private Life” starring Jodie Foster (premiered at Cannes), Mubi obtained North American rights for Oliver Hermanus’ gay romance “The History of Sound” (a title in the Cannes competition), and IFC Films and Shudder collaboratively acquired Sean Byrne’s shark and serial killer thriller “Dangerous Animals,” which also screened at the Marché.

However, a competitive bidding process for the purchase of the Lena Dunham-directed romantic comedy “Good Sex,” which features Natalie Portman and was initially sparked in Berlin, concluded following the market’s close. In this contest, Netflix came out on top, securing a global agreement with CAA Media Finance and FilmNation, reportedly valued at around $55 million.

It’s possible that, similar to the Market, numerous festival titles yet to be sold in the U.S. are generating interest. If agreements aren’t finalized during Cannes, many of these deals might still close by summer. Sean Baker, who won the Palme d’Or last year for Anora and went on to win Best Picture at the Oscars, is drawing attention for his work on “Left-Handed Girl,” a feature film he co-wrote, edited, and which screened in Cannes Critics Week. This drama revolves around a single mother and her two daughters who return to Taipei from rural living to establish a stand at a bustling night market. Le Pacte is responsible for the sales negotiations.

In a shift, Harris Dickinson, who directed “Urchin,” his first film, which premiered in Un Certain Regard alongside Babygirl and Triangle of Sadness, has attracted several potential buyers. Frank Dillane portrays a self-destructive addict in the somber drama, with CAA handling global sales. The Hollywood Reporter’s review asserts that Dickinson delivers a compelling case for his status as a multitalented artist. However, the verdict is still pending on whether Kristen Stewart can also claim

Stewart admitted that she hastily completed the film for Cannes, which may lead her to return to the editing room before a definitive version is released. Regardless of the critical reception – with many praising the movie – Stewart’s massive global fanbase ensures its success (WME Independent are responsible for North American sales, Les Films du Losange handles international). The question remains when and at what price it will be sold.

On the international front, Oliver Laxe’s film “Sirat” is generating a lot of interest, with distribution company The Match Factory receiving numerous bids. In this Spanish director’s fourth feature and his first in Cannes competition, a father and son become part of a nomadic rave group in the Moroccan desert. According to The Hollywood Reporter, it is a “techno-infused contemplation on death and sorrow.” Filmed entirely on Super 16mm, “Sirat” might be too avant-garde for studio niche labels, but independent buyers are expected to take notice.

Fatih Akin’s film titled “Amrum,” which premiered out of competition at Cannes, was sold ahead of time with Beta Cinema securing numerous international sales agreements, such as for France, Spain, Japan, and Brazil. Beta is currently in discussions with various domestic buyers for the rights to this coming-of-age story that takes place on a beautiful, windswept German island during the final days of World War II. Diane Kruger, who previously collaborated with Akin on “In the Fade” (2017) and won the Best Actress award at Cannes for her performance, will appear in a supporting role in “Amrum.

Disregarding commercial success, the festival is receiving positive reviews from critics, with several films appearing to be potential winners of the Palme d’Or. At the midpoint, “Sirât” and “The Sound of Falling” are strong candidates for the top award. The latter is the second film by German director Mascha Schilinski (known for “Dark Blue Girl”), which portrays four generations of young women living in a farmhouse in northeast Germany. In an enthusiastic review, THR described the drama as a “chilling exploration of womanhood and rural conflict that signals the emergence of a promising new talent.” However, some viewers found themselves fighting sleep due to the film’s leisurely pace and extended duration (the movie runs for 2 hours and 29 minutes).

In Ari Aster’s highly anticipated film, “Eddington,” the response from audiences at Cannes was divided. The movie features an impressive cast including Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone, Austin Butler, Micheal Ward, and Luke Grimes in a drama set in a small New Mexico town during May 2020. The story revolves around a mayoral campaign between the COVID-sceptic sheriff Joe Cross (played by Phoenix) and the COVID-conscious incumbent Ted Garcia (Pascal). As the election heats up, so does the turmoil of the pandemic era, with media coverage and social media exacerbating right-wing conspiracies, racial tensions boiling over, and protests against police brutality. Critics had mixed reactions to the film, with The Hollywood Reporter finding it incoherent, describing it as a “neo-Western.” [This review can be found on page 34.]

As a movie enthusiast, I’ve learned not to put too much stock in what critics say when it comes to predicting the Cannes Film Festival winner. In just a few days, the esteemed jury, headed by President Juliette Binoche, will make their choice, and they might just surprise us all!

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2025-05-19 10:25