Cannes’ Marché du Film announces program focusing on makers, AI

The leading Marché du Film, Cannes’ prestigious market, has strengthened its commitment to looking ahead as it prepares to deliver its 2026 edition to the vibrant French city between May 12 and 20. Having recently announced the first-ever Creator Economy Summit, the marketplace has now also confirmed that it will be bringing back last year’s AI for Talent Summit, as well as hosting specialized events around innovation and immersion.

Cinando, the leading networking and database platform launched by the Marché in 2003, was relaunched this year with “smarter tools and enhanced features.” For the upcoming edition, the market’s online platform will completely migrate to the new Cinando. This new online platform, renamed Marché du Film by Cinando, will “bring together online screenings, live and catch-up conference videos and networking tools within a single, unified market environment – ​​providing a seamless and intuitive experience for sales agents, buyers and professionals worldwide.”

The initiatives all respond to the Marché’s desire to “show how emerging technologies and bold storytelling approaches are reshaping creation, production and distribution practices.” They are also intended as ways to maximize connection and networking with industry, both on the ground and within the market’s virtual offering.

“We advocate innovation that benefits both artistic creativity and the growth of the industry as a whole,” said Guillaume Esmiol, executive director of the Cannes market. “At the Marché, we are committed to supporting and driving innovation, from technological advancements that have continually changed the way films are conceived, produced and distributed, to a broader mindset that is reshaping business models, partnerships and relationships.”

The previously announced first Creator Economy Summit will “explore opportunities at the intersection of traditional cinema and the creator economy.” The event taps into a broader effort across the Cannes ecosystem to talk to the creator industry, with TikTok coming on board as a festival sponsor in 2022 – the first digital media app to do so. The summit will “provide a comprehensive overview of how the two worlds are connected – from adapting digital IP to cinematic projects and scouting emerging talent, to engaging audiences that drive communities to theaters and exploring innovative marketing strategies.”

The AI ​​for Talent Summit returns for an “enhanced edition,” held over two mornings on May 15 and 16, and is on an invitation-only basis for top film and technology executives. The summit will bring these two worlds together to “explore the latest real-world applications of AI in creative and business processes,” focusing on three main themes: integrating AI into production workflows, the ethical and responsible use of AI, and education. A line-up of high-level speakers will be announced soon.

Another second-year effort, the Village Innovation, will return as the main hub for Cannes Next, the Marché’s innovation-focused program. The venue will offer hands-on virtual production demonstrations on the largest VP stage ever presented at a film market, plus office spaces and a curated conference program. The Immersive Market is expanding to the Carlton Hotel this year and introducing a new demo area. It runs parallel to the film festival’s Immersive Competition, which will introduce the first competition of its kind in 2026 – specifically designed for shared audience experiences in a new space that can accommodate up to 225 participants at a time.

The Immersive Market will also use the new space to host live demos from 150 immersive producers and catalog holders, presented to 90 leading distributors and curators. The newly strengthened Immersive Market aims to be “the most efficient platform for location-based immersive distribution, offering high-impact pitching sessions, curated networking events and concrete business opportunities.”

The 2026 Marché du Film takes place from May 12 to 20, while the Cannes Film Festival takes place from May 12 to 23.