Let me paint you a picture. It's May 2025. I'm standing in a room in the South of France wearing sequins and what can only be described as a bridal party sash, clutching a microphone, about to pitch a drag queen horror film to some of the world's most discerning genre enthusiasts. The rosé at the after-party is ice-cold. My hands are not.

And above all else I am stressed because as Australians, we're still collectively butchering the pronunciation of Cannes, but that's fine. Everything is fine. I am completely calm.

Spoiler alert: I was not calm.

But here's the thing. We were there because Skin Side Up, a project I'm producing with the brilliant Annie Thiele, had been selected for the Frontières ‘Proof of Concept’ Platform at Cannes. For context, Frontières is a showcase run by Canada's Fantasia International Film Festival and the Cannes Marché du Film, and it is the place for genre filmmakers who are ready to show the world what they've got. Our project is directed by Robbie Sinclair-Ten Eyck (also known as Lazy Susan, winner of RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under Season 4), and it's a deeply personal, visceral piece of queer horror about identity, control, and survival. It's also one of the most exciting things I've ever worked on.

Over 100 projects were submitted to Frontières in 2025. We got in.

Did I panic? Absolutely.

Did I also have the time of my life? You bet.

So with Cannes 2026 just around the corner, I wanted to share what I've learned about navigating this beautiful, chaotic, sometimes bewildering beast of a market. Whether you're heading there with a finished film, a half-baked idea, or just a really good pair of walking shoes and a sense of adventure, this one's for you.

First Things First: What Even Is the Cannes Market?

Right, so here's the deal. The Cannes Film Festival and the Cannes Marché du Film are technically two different animals living in the same zoo. The Festival is all red carpets, standing ovations, and films that make you weep into your popcorn. The Marché (the market) is where the industry actually does business. Think: back-to-back meetings, deal-making over espresso (**cough**rosé**cough**), and approximately one year's worth of global film commerce crammed into ten absolutely feral days.

It's exhilarating. It's exhausting. It's also deeply weird in the best possible way.

You will have a meeting in a five-star hotel suite overlooking the Mediterranean and then immediately eat a slightly stale panini on the street outside a pharmacy because you forgot to schedule lunch. This is not a cautionary tale. This is just what Cannes is.

Within the market, there are loads of platforms and programmes tailored to different stages of development. Frontières, where we pitched, is all about genre: horror, sci-fi, fantasy, the delightfully strange. It runs over two days with a Proof of Concept showcase and a Buyers Showcase. The 2025 lineup was gloriously eclectic: drag queen horror (hello!), Tolkien-esque dark fantasy, Malaysian folklore, Cypriot mythology. Genre is having a moment, and Cannes is leaning in hard.

Something Worth Celebrating: WIFT Africa Is Coming to Cannes

If you needed extra motivation to show up this year, here it is. For the first time ever, WIFT Africa will have an official booth at the Marché du Film.

This is huge. WIF Los Angeles and WIFT Africa have joined forces to bring a delegation of women creatives from ten African countries to Cannes, and not just as observers. They're here to take up space, make deals, and change the conversation. The WIFT Africa booth will be a hub where you can meet the delegation and learn about the incredible women leading film and entertainment across the continent.

Seven national WIFT chapters have already launched in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, Cameroon, South Africa, and Zambia. Three more are on the way in Rwanda, Uganda, and Côte d'Ivoire.

Five phenomenal African producers will participate in the Producers Network thanks to WIF LA and WIFT Africa's presenting sponsorship: Shirley Frimpong Manso (Ghana), Nicolette Ndigwe-Kalu (Nigeria), Bea Wangondu (Kenya), Bongiwe Selane (South Africa), and Alexandra Amon (Côte d'Ivoire).

As Dr. Inya Lawal, President of WIFT Africa, put it:

"We are no longer asking to be included. We are building the table, and bringing the continent with us."

Go find that booth. Introduce yourself. Buy someone a coffee. This is the kind of moment that makes Cannes worth the jet lag.

And while you're at it, look out for WIFT delegates from all over the world. Last year alone saw new chapters launch in India and Poland, plus buzzing activity from the UK, Bulgaria, Ireland, and beyond. Lean into your international community. These are your people.

Read all about it on Variety by clicking here!

Alright, Let's Get Practical: How Do You Actually Survive This Thing?

Here's what I've learned from years of market-going since I launched Iris Arc Pictures back in 2018 at the American Film Market in Santa Monica, and from the very specific trial-by-fire that was pitching at Frontières.

Claim Your Corner and Work From It

Some of my best market conversations have happened because I parked myself at a table in the Hôtel du Cap, the Carlton bar, or a random café with decent wifi, opened my laptop, and just... existed there. Markets are full of people doing the exact same thing. Waiting for a meeting. Decompressing after a meeting. Looking for a power outlet and a moment to breathe.

Strike up a conversation. Offer to grab someone a coffee. Ask what they're working on. And here's the key: don't immediately launch into your pitch. Just be a human talking to another human. You'd be amazed how far that gets you.

Respect the Clock Like Your Career Depends On It

Because honestly? It kind of does. The top-tier sales agents and distributors at Cannes are running meetings every 30 minutes. Sometimes every 15. They are machines. Efficient, brilliant, impossibly caffeinated machines.

Your window is short. Make it count. Know your logline so well you could recite it in your sleep. Know your one-pager better than you know your own name. Be clear. Be specific. Be confident. Practice until it feels effortless.

Memorable does not mean long-winded. It means punchy, vivid, and impossible to forget.

For the Love of All That Is Holy, Eat Food and Drink Water

I know this sounds like advice your mum would give you before a school excursion, but I'm saying it anyway because people forget.

Film markets are a marathon, not a sprint. The rosé is plentiful. The canapés are everywhere. The energy is intoxicating. It is also very, very easy to confuse "running on fumes and vibes" with "networking effectively."

Eat real meals. Hydrate between meetings. Sleep at least one proper night if you can swing it. You will be sharper, kinder, and infinitely better company when you're not surviving on adrenaline and fancy cheese alone. The best connections happen when you're actually present, not when you're wondering if you're about to faint on the Croisette.

Pro tip: Plenty of brand activations hand out free coffee. Find them. Love them. Also, if the idea of spending €14 on an espresso makes you wince, walk two blocks away from the Croisette. You're welcome.

Set Your Goals Before You Arrive

Cannes is massive and chaotic and wonderful and completely overwhelming if you don't have a game plan. Before you go, sit down and write out three things:

1. The one thing you absolutely must achieve.
2. Two or three things you'd love to make happen.
3. Five bonus goals that would be icing on the cake.

This is your compass. The people who thrive at markets are the ones who know exactly why they're there and what they're hoping to walk away with. They're also genuinely curious about what everyone else is up to. Be both of those people.

Wear. Good. Shoes.

This is not a metaphor. This is a public service announcement. The Croisette is long. The Palais has stairs. Cobblestones are the enemy of feet everywhere. Pack comfortable, sturdy shoes that can handle a 10k daily step count, or live to regret it. Your feet will thank you. Your meetings will thank you. Your entire body will thank you.

Do Your Homework (Or Risk Wasting Everyone's Time, Including Your Own)

Here's a hard truth: showing up unprepared is disrespectful. Not just to the person you're meeting with, but to yourself and your project.

Research who you're pitching to before you walk into that room. What have they financed or distributed before? What genres do they love? What kinds of stories make them light up? If you're a horror filmmaker, why on earth are you pitching to a documentary distributor? Be strategic. Be intentional. Know your brand, and know theirs.

And book your meetings early. Calendars fill up faster than you think. Don't be the person scrambling for slots in week two.

Also, remember this: most people aren't looking for a hard sell. They're looking for a long-term relationship. Financing a film is a serious commitment. These people need to believe in your project, yes, but they also need to believe in you. They need to like you. Trust you. Want to spend the next 7 to 10 years (yes, really) working alongside you.

Be someone worth working with.

You can watch Stage 32's Free Webcast about How To Navigate the Cannes Film Festival, hosted by the Executive Director of the Marche du Film, by clicking here!

Stand Out, But Make Sure It's For the Right Reasons

Look, if you happen to have a famous drag queen on your team who gets stopped every five meters for photos, congratulations. That is genuinely excellent marketing. Lean into it.

But even if you don't have a RuPaul's Drag Race winner in your corner, you still need to be memorable. Have business cards that don't look like every other business card. Create a visual identity that sticks. Give people something tactile to hold onto so that when they're flipping through 47 business cards at the end of the day, they remember you.

Because here's the reality: most people are taking 10, 20, sometimes 30 meetings a day. They are swimming in information. Your job is to rise above the noise. Be specific. Be warm. Be the person they actually want to follow up with.

On Pitching (And Why I Both Love and Hate It)

Pitching is one of the most exhilarating, nerve-wracking, exposing things you can do as a producer. I'm not going to lie to you: I hate it. I suffer from imposter syndrome something fierce, and standing in front of a room full of industry professionals and making myself vulnerable with a project I care deeply about is terrifying.

But I also love it. Because when it works, when you feel the room lean in and connect with what you're saying, there's nothing quite like it.

Here's what I'd tell anyone gearing up to pitch:

Know your audience inside and out. Who are these people? What excites them? What have they backed before? Tailor your pitch to speak directly to their interests. Do not wing this part.

Your proof of concept and pitch deck have one job: to make people feel what your film will feel like. It doesn't need to cost a fortune. It needs to be visceral, specific, and unforgettable.

Being nervous is fine. In fact, it's normal. Most of the people in that room have stood where you're standing. Nervousness and confidence can coexist. Let them.

Follow up on every single conversation. Within two weeks, send a short, warm, personalised email. Reference something specific from your chat. Make it easy for them to remember you. The market is loud and chaotic. The follow-up is how you become the signal, not the noise.

Master email etiquette. Keep it concise. Keep it compelling. Leave them wanting more. Make saying "yes" the easiest thing they'll do all week.

Who Should You Actually Be Talking To?

This depends entirely on where your project is at. But here's a rough guide:

If you're in early development: Look for co-production markets, development labs, and producer-focused programmes like the Producers Network (where you'll find the incredible WIFT Africa delegation this year).

If you've got a proof of concept or you're in post-production: Target genre platforms like Frontières, buyers showcases, and sales agents who specialise in your type of content.

If you're a first-timer without a concrete project yet: You're there to absorb. Go to panels. Attend open sessions. Sit in lobbies and strike up conversations. Introduce yourself as someone who's building something. Most people in this industry are shockingly generous with their knowledge when you approach them with genuine curiosity and respect.

The Part That Actually Matters

Here's the thing about Cannes: it can feel like an exclusive club designed for people who already have the secret handshake. The yachts. The badges. The sense that everyone knows everyone and you're just trying to figure out which way is up.

But every single person who "belongs" there showed up for the first time once. Probably terrified. Definitely underprepared. And they figured it out and now look at them! We can only assume they own one of those many yachts.

The fact that WIFT Africa is arriving at Cannes 2026 with an official booth and a delegation from ten countries proves something important: this market is not static. It evolves. It expands. The people who shape it are the ones who show up with intention, community, and something worth saying.

So go with a plan. Go with good shoes. Go with an open heart and a strategic mind. Find the WIFT chapters scattered across the market and say hello. Claim your table in a lobby with decent wifi. Drink the rosé (it's delicious), but drink way more water.

And remember: you've got this.

Find your WIFT chapter: 60+ chapters on six continents working toward the same goal. Join us at wifti.net/membership

Let's hear your thoughts in the comments below!

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