🗣️ Winston Baker to Host 13th Annual International Film Finance Forum and Introduce the China Summit in Cannes
Winston Baker, leading global producer of entertainment conferences, will be hosting its highly anticipated 13th annual International Film Finance Forum, in partnership with the Marché du Film, on the Main Stage of the Palais des Festivals during the 76th annual Cannes Film Festival on Saturday 20 May 2023.
Winston Baker, leading global producer of entertainment conferences, will be hosting its highly anticipated 13th annual International Film Finance Forum, in partnership with the Marché du Film, on the Main Stage of the Palais des Festivals during the 76th annual Cannes Film Festival on Saturday 20 May 2023.
The International Film Finance Forum brings together leading industry executives from around the world to discuss and gain insight on the latest trends, shifts in the market and for networking. The afternoon allows attendees and speakers to learn from visionaries who are bringing game-changing film strategies to the forefront of the industry.
Winston Baker has announced three fireside chats with distinguished filmmakers to share their extensive knowledge of the industry, including:
- Gurinder Chadha, an award-winning writer, director and producer who is behind major box office successes such as the Golden Globe-nominated film Bend it like Beckham, Bride & Prejudice and Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging. Gurinder will also be teaming up with Disney to direct and produce the first Indian princess musical.
- Claudia Bluemhuber, the CEO of Silver Reel who is behind the Oscar-nominated and Golden Globe winner film The Wife, and the Oscar-nominated animation feature Loving Vincent amongst many other award-winning series and films.
- Deon Taylor, an award-winning director, writer and producer who has made very successful independent films including Black and Blue, Traffik, Meet The Blacks, and Fatal.
The speaking faculty for this year’s Forum also include those behind films such as Tár, White Noise, Moonfall, Tesla, Black Mass, The Old Man & The Gun, The Beach Bum, Talk to Me, A Dangerous Method, Fast Charlie, Z for Zacharia and many more. These high-level panelists come with extensive knowledge and varying perspectives from companies such as Head Gear Films, NEOM Media Industries, Bankside Films, Zurich Avenue, FilmHedge, Passage Pictures, Hidden Empire Film Group, Higginbotham, Signature Entertainment, SquareOne Holdings, Palisades Park Pictures and more.
Conversations will focus on film, television, finance, co-productions, sales & distribution, the evolving landscape of consumer trends and creative capital. This Forum will give attendees a well-rounded perspective of the market changes in 2023 and what’s to come; allowing for new filmmakers and veterans to stay agile and relevant in this fast-changing industry.
Amy Baker, the CEO & Co-Founder of Winston Baker, expresses her excitement about partnering with Marché du Film once again. “It is fantastic, this platform allows us to connect an outside event with a global virtual audience, providing people from every corner of the world with the chance to learn, engage, and be inspired by the insights of our industry experts. Ultimately our goal is to facilitate the education and networking of entertainment and media professionals worldwide, by offering them the latest strategies and information to navigate this ever-evolving industry.”
“We are delighted to host the International Film Finance Forum in Cannes once again and provide attendees with access to top industry professionals and invaluable insights. Collaborating with Winston Baker allows us to offer this exclusive opportunity at the Marché du Film, reinforcing our commitment to fostering growth and innovation in the film industry,” says Guillaume Esmiol, Executive Director of the Marché du Film – Festival de Cannes.
In addition, Winston Baker is thrilled to announce a new Cannes event during the Marché du Film programming: Bladerunner Culture & Blue Planet Sci-Fi Film Festival presents the China Summit in association with Winston Baker. Returning to the Riviera for the first time since 2019, the China Summit will present an overview of the current Chinese film industry, especially with sci-fi narratives. The esteemed speakers will discuss new market trends and exciting opportunities to collaborate with China for content, production, and distribution. The summit will be held on Wednesday 17 May from 11:00am – 1:00pm at the Main Stage inside the Palais des Festivals.
Ma Heliang, Co-Founder of Blue Planet Sci-Fi Film Festival, expressed his delight in hosting the China Summit at the Marché du Film. He emphasized that science fiction, which is rapidly growing and widely recognized in China, would open doors for global collaboration in terms of creativity, technology, and distribution.
The International Film Finance Forum is developed with the support of Gold Partner, NEOM Media Industries, as well as supporting partners Marché du Film and FilmHedge. The event is further supported by media partners The Hollywood Reporter and FilmFestivals.com, and is being held in collaboration with the China Summit and in association with Bladerunner Culture and the Blue Planet Sci-Fi Film Festival.
All Marché du Film and Festival accredited badge holders will be granted free admission to the International Film Finance Forum, which will also be available on-demand via Winston Baker’s website after the commencement of the event.