Shorter queues for market screenings this year may reflect fewer buyers in Cannes than usual but executives from three top Asian distributors are
Shorter queues for market screenings this year may reflect fewer buyers in Cannes than usual but executives from three top Asian distributors are elated with the quality of films on offer and confident they will return home with busy slates.
Elevated arthouse, particularly animation, is a focus for Hong Kong’s Edko Films following the success of Oscar-winning Flow that general manager Mandy Lam secured onsite. This year, Lam has made offers on a couple of good titles from the more than 10 films she had watched by Saturday and is confident she will be able to close deals before the market wraps.
Singapore’s Lighthouse Film Distribution has made two blind offers – one for a festival title and one is an in-development project. “It’s bold but I know the director’s works and the project well. It’s worth the risks,” said company founder Thomas Chia.
Commercial titles from Midnight Screenings are on the shopping list of Phong Duong, business director of Vietnam’s Mockingbird Pictures, which releases films from Japan, Korea, Thailand and the US.
“Despite a slower market, we can still find outstanding titles,” said Phong. “Both buyers and sellers are more strategic, which makes standout titles highly competitive.”
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