Date: May 17, 2024
Source: Film- und Medienstiftung NRW

The 77th Cannes Film Festival (May 14–25, 2024) once again shines a spotlight on European cinema, with Creative Europe MEDIA playing a major role in showcasing industry-leading projects, funding initiatives, and networking opportunities. As Cannes remains the epicenter of global filmmaking, this year’s MEDIA presence underscores the continued importance of European collaboration, funding support, and industry innovation.

At Filmmakers System, we recognize Cannes as a gathering point for industry leaders, a stage for visionary films, and a marketplace where future projects take shape. As technology reshapes the industry, regional institutions, film funds, and national agencies must remain at the heart of decision-making to ensure that European cinema remains diverse, independent, and globally competitive.

The Marché du Film remains a key venue for professional exchange, with Creative Europe hosting a diverse program of industry discussions, project showcases, and networking events at the MEDIA Stand (Pavilion 123, Village International Riviera, May 14–22, 9:00–19:00 CET).

Key Events at the MEDIA Stand

Strengthening European Film’s Global Standing

As discussions unfold in Cannes, the presence of Creative Europe MEDIA highlights a crucial reality—the ability of European film to thrive internationally depends on maintaining strong regional support structures. The challenge today is not just about getting films funded, but about ensuring that film commissions, funding bodies, and national institutions retain their influence over how European cinema is developed, distributed, and represented internationally.

At Filmmakers System, we build tools and frameworks that empower regional film institutions that help to stay independent of centralized platforms that try to control access to crew, funding, and industry connections. By leveraging technology that strengthens, rather than replaces, national film industries, we ensure that European cinema remains both artistically free and globally visible.

Cannes is a reminder of what European film can achieve when supported through structured funding, strong institutions, and international collaboration. As we celebrate the success of MEDIA-supported films this year, the focus must remain on ensuring that future European projects continue to have the right foundation for growth—one that prioritizes creative autonomy, regional sustainability, and access to global markets on fair terms.

For more information on MEDIA’s program at Cannes, visit Film- und Medienstiftung NRW.