Latest news with #AmericanPavilion
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
IndieWire and American Pavilion Gave Students an Inside Look at the Best of Cannes: See All the Photos
For film students and rising professionals, the American Pavilion has been an unparalleled resource at the Cannes Film Festival since 1989. This year, AmPav (as it's known) hosted more than 200 film students and provided up-close and personal access to the artists and businesspeople behind the biggest films premiering on the Croisette. The 2025 edition of the festival marked the beginning of a new partnership between IndieWire and AmPav, including the first Cannes edition of IndieWire's Future of Filmmaking summit with partner United Airlines. The event featured a Future of Filmmaking keynote address from Richard Linklater (who was in competition for the Palme d'Or with his new film 'Nouvelle Vague'), a ScreenTalk podcast with Neon CEO Tom Quinn, and panels about the current state of distribution. We also hosted Future of Filmmaking panels about AI and about international production. More from IndieWire Spike Lee Would Trade an Oscar for a Knicks NBA Title: 'I Got Two Already' SAG-AFTRA Launches Its Own Producer Portal to Make Dealing with Union Paperwork a Lot Easier MUBI Global Distribution Head Arianna Bocco Explains Why She's Bullish on Theatrical | Future of Filmmaking Summit at Cannes American Pavilion's programming also included appearances from the likes of Spike Lee, LaKeith Stanfield, Kevin Smith, 'Sorry, Baby' filmmaker Eva Victor, and more. If you attended Cannes with education and networking on your mind, it was the only place to be. Keep reading for all of the best photos of celebrities who made their way to the American Pavilion at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. And visit AmPav's website directly, so you can learn how you can join in on all they do next time. Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie Nicolas Winding Refn's Favorite Films: 37 Movies the Director Wants You to See
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Stories Don't Have to Be About Disability' to Feature Actors with a Disability: A Call for Change
'Over 70 million Americans and 1.3 billion globally have disabilities,' Nancy Weintraub said at the 'Reimagining Hollywood: A New Lens on Disability,' panel at the American Pavilion during the Cannes Film Festival. Weintraub is the Chief Advancement Officer at Easterseals Southern California. For over a century has been the leading disability support and advocacy organization in the U.S. Easterseals works heavily to increase opportunities for disabled performers in the film and TV industry, and Weintraub was joined by actor, writer, producer, and founder of the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge, Nic Novicki, for a lively conversation about the state of disability inclusion in entertainment — and the importance of authentic representation. More from IndieWire 'In Your Dreams' Teaser: The Search for the Sandman Powers Netflix's New Animated Sibling Fantasy Sam Rockwell Says 'Sinners' Success Is 'Encouraging' for Hollywood: 'It's a Big Swing' 'One in four of the population has a disability, yet we're in less than 3 percent of film and TV shows,' Novicki, who's appeared in 'The Sopranos' and 'Boardwalk Empire,' said. The time is right for inclusive change. So Novicki founded the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge, 'an annual film competition where you make a one-to-five-minute film that has somebody with a disability involved in front of or behind the camera. The films don't have to be about disability, it's just about including people with disabilities.' The Challenge winners then receive coveted access to already established entertainment industry professionals as a prize. Earlier in the year at Sundance, Easterseals launched a new report on the subject of representing disability onscreen that Weintraub explained looks 'at how far we've come with disability inclusion, but also recognizes there are more opportunities to grow together. Over 50 talented individuals with disabilities helped curate it. We held a national survey in October of 800 adults with disabilities.' Novicki, who has been in over 40 television shows and films, revealed that the Film Challenge had resulted in 135 films being created this year from around the world. Easterseals' report from earlier this year featured an important point from Novicki: 'A lot of times, accessibility does not requiremore money, it requires more planning — strategically planning ahead and integrating accessibility from the very beginning.' Money need not be a barrier. Both Weintraub and Novicki love celebrating successes alongside their ongoing work to increase inclusion. 'There have been some amazing success stories recently,' Novicki said. ''Wicked'! Marissa Bode is a wheelchair user. The future is bright. 'Coda,' winning the Oscars, an all-deaf cast.' 'The buying power, the disposable income of the disability community in the United States is $490 billion, and that translates to over $1.3 trillion globally,' Weintraub said. 'Not only do we have a critical mass of people who want to see themselves represented, but they're a large part of the market. Authentic disability representation has financial incentives.' The report showed the audience wants more representation, and wants networks and studios to fix the lack of representation. 'I wondered why more people with disabilities weren't creating their own content. I wanted to play a gangster. So, I started shooting it myself,' Novicki said. 'I started creating my own opportunities. I created the Disability Film Challenge and it started small. We had 5 films that first year. I partnered with Easterseals in 2017. Now we have had 850 films created from around the world over the last 12 years. These become working databases. The Casting Society of America shares these films. With the challenge, it's not talking about the problem of the lack of representation, it's about being part of the solution.' 'Amazon MGM Studios is a partner of the challenge,' Novicki said. 'They reached out to us looking for an actor on the autism spectrum. We were able to send dozens of talented actors from the challenge. Nic Sanchez ended up booking a role in that film, which was 'The Accountant' sequel, and worked with Ben Affleck. It's a challenging landscape, but I'm optimistic because it's a global population of people with disabilities that hasn't been tapped into.' 'Stories don't have to be about disability,' Weintraub noted. 'A lot of the stories that come out of the challenge are seeing people with disabilities being moms, dads, lawyers, doctors, gangsters, bad guys, and being in romantic relationships too. The studios can see them in roles outside of roles that are just about their disability.' 'People with disabilities have largely not been given the same amount of auditions and opportunities,' Novicki said. Weintraub added, 'There are a lot of background crowd shots in movies. Always consider putting people with disabilities in those. Again, it's one in four, so they should be represented everywhere as well.' 'When you talk about one in four of the population,' Novicki continued, 'You're also talking about your neighbor, your son, your father, your uncle. Everybody has their own connection to disability. It's just about how do you meet them? That happens here (at Cannes). This is the largest film market in the world.' 'The disability community wants to see themselves represented. There's so much pride in our community,' Novicki said. 'I'm proud to have a disability, to be a little person, to be a part of this community. With 1.7 billion, there's a lot more room for awareness. There are a lot of success stories. We have a lot of our own within the challenge, but there's still room to grow.' Watch the video above to find out how to submit films to the Disability Film Challenge, and learn more about Easterseals' disability inclusion work. Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie Nicolas Winding Refn's Favorite Films: 37 Movies the Director Wants You to See
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Own Your Audience, Shape Your Future: How Filmmakers Are Rewriting the Rules at Cannes
'When you own your audience, you own your future.' That line set the tone at 'Build Your Audience, Own Your Future,' a panel at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival hosted by the American Pavilion. The takeaway: If you're a filmmaker, your success doesn't depend on getting picked. You can start building your path now. More from IndieWire Tom Cruise to Be Celebrated at MoMI with 'Above and Beyond' Retrospective Festival Cannes 2025 Films Sold So Far: Janus Films Acquires Hlynur Pálmason's 'The Love That Remains' Filmmaker Richard Olla shared how her short film 'Cow Heavy and Floral,' a split-screen portrait of a postpartum writer, didn't follow the traditional festival route. 'You wait 12 to 18 months to see if the festivals say yes,' she said. 'But that was unacceptable to us.' Instead, she and her team built their own screenings, connected with parenting groups and policy advocates, and created a companion initiative called Meals About Motherhood to host conversations around the film. 'We're not trying to do it for the money,' Olla said. 'But we have to make it accessible. And it makes me feel like the joy of creating is back in my hands.' The result is a film that's now screened in 19 states and never had a festival premiere. Producer Leila Meadow O'Connor, co-founder of The Popcorn List, took a different approach to audience-building. Her platform, which has been called 'the Black List for undistributed films,' collects strong festival titles that haven't yet found distribution. 'Art houses needed new films,' she said. 'Great movies were out there. We created a signal boost.' The Popcorn List has already highlighted nearly 40 features, many from first-time directors. Next up: a national tour to bring these films to theaters in 10–15 cities. 'Filmmakers may not have money,' O'Connor said, 'but they have social capital. We're asking: How can we all lift each other up?' Few people understand the indie landscape like Ted Hope, who's produced dozens of films including 'American Splendor' and 'Martha Marcy May Marlene.' But even he's looking forward, not back. 'I don't need your films,' he said. 'I've already picked every movie I want to see before I die. The only reason I need your work is because it reflects today's world. That's your power.' Hope now runs Hope for Film, a Substack and filmmaker community focused on ownership, transparency, and sustainability. His big prediction? 'In five years, distribution will be a service,' he said. 'And the core of that shift will be your relationship with your audience.' He encourages filmmakers to think beyond one project. Post updates. Share lessons. Build a community. Just start. 'Success isn't measured by money,' he said. 'It's about sustaining your practice without needing permission.' The message was clear: You don't have to wait. Whether you're making a short, a doc, or your first microbudget feature, you have the tools to reach people now. But it starts with clarity. 'Ask yourself: What's your goal?' Olla said. 'Is it prestige? Impact? Community? That answer shapes everything else.' As the panel wrapped, Ted Hope handed out QR codes for his newsletter—and reminded filmmakers to give something of value, right there in the room. 'The cinema is no longer just your neighborhood,' he said. 'It's global. Everything you've felt has already been felt by someone else, somewhere else. And they're waiting to hear from you.' Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie The 55 Best LGBTQ Movies and TV Shows Streaming on Netflix Right Now
Reuters
15-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
After US tariff shock, Cannes Film Market is cautiously business-as-usual
CANNES, France, May 15 (Reuters) - Buyers and sellers are heading into this year's Cannes Film Market under a cloud of uncertainty as the initial shock of U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed 100% tariff on foreign-made films has faded into a cautious business-as-usual approach. While the Cannes Film Festival conjures visions of glamorous celebrities on the red carpet and yacht parties, the film market, the world's largest, is the main attraction, bringing together industry players, big and small, to do business. With over 15,000 participants from more than 140 countries, this year's market, opens new tab is set to match last year's record attendance, with the United States still the top participating country despite the recent shifts in international policy. The market has become even more important as the indie film industry - still struggling in the wake of the pandemic, opens new tab and the 2023 Hollywood double strike - has to be more selective about where to put resources when pursuing deals, according to Scott Roxborough, European bureau chief for The Hollywood Reporter. The American Pavilion, opens new tab, which represents U.S. interests at the market, said it expected tariffs would be brought up during panel discussions but did not plan any talks dedicated to them. "We continue to try to understand what this will mean for our industry," said pavilion president and founder Julie Sisk. Cinthya Calderon from the Berlin-based boutique sales outfit m-appeal said the tariff announcement was "a momentary shock." "For now, it seems that everyone is maybe not brushing this information off, but everybody's just thinking, 'well, you know, it is what it is,' but nothing's settled," she said. Nobody knows how this is going to play out, said Rich Wolff, CEO of Philadelphia-based independent distributor Breaking Glass Pictures, which buys multiple foreign-language films annually. Wolff, whose company also produced about 15 films in the U.S. last year, said he hoped Trump's stated desire to revive the domestic film industry would translate to fiscal incentives. "I would hope as our government wants to bring film-making back into the United States that there would be some sort of level of support given to those who need and deserve it, similar to what is going on in the European Union and the UK," he said. Lifting the market's spirits are last year's commercial and popular success of independent films like "The Brutalist" and Oscar blow-out "Anora", as well as the strong consumer demand for international content, particularly on streaming services. Noah Segal, co-president of Canadian distribution and production company Elevation Pictures, suggested consumer preferences could ultimately transcend political blockades. "Trump can put up barriers all he wants, but consumers still want to watch 'Squid Game,'" he said. "I would argue there is enough momentum as a side that the magnetism of international content will drive us to a better solution than just an absolute turning off the taps." Marc Iserlis, head of film at the Republic investment platform, said those indie successes were a sign audiences wanted more than just reboots and sequels, and were moving away from the current "de-globalised moment" following the pandemic. Iserlis heads Republic's new film financing vertical that allows fans to invest in filmmakers' projects, which he said offered a new way to make films amid industry-wide disruption. "This is offering a third new direction, a new channel for investment other than just the high net worth individuals and the studio deals that a lot of film-makers have to take." The market, which opened Tuesday, will run through May 21.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
After US tariff shock, Cannes Film Market is cautiously business-as-usual
By Miranda Murray CANNES, France (Reuters) -Buyers and sellers are heading into this year's Cannes Film Market under a cloud of uncertainty as the initial shock of U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed 100% tariff on foreign-made films has faded into a cautious business-as-usual approach. While the Cannes Film Festival conjures visions of glamorous celebrities on the red carpet and yacht parties, the film market, the world's largest, is the main attraction, bringing together industry players, big and small, to do business. With over 15,000 participants from more than 140 countries, this year's market is set to match last year's record attendance, with the United States still the top participating country despite the recent shifts in international policy. The market has become even more important as the indie film industry - still struggling in the wake of the pandemic and the 2023 Hollywood double strike - has to be more selective about where to put resources when pursuing deals, according to Scott Roxborough, European bureau chief for The Hollywood Reporter. The American Pavilion, which represents U.S. interests at the market, said it expected tariffs would be brought up during panel discussions but did not plan any talks dedicated to them. "We continue to try to understand what this will mean for our industry," said pavilion president and founder Julie Sisk. Cinthya Calderon from the Berlin-based boutique sales outfit m-appeal said the tariff announcement was "a momentary shock." "For now, it seems that everyone is maybe not brushing this information off, but everybody's just thinking, 'well, you know, it is what it is,' but nothing's settled," she said. Nobody knows how this is going to play out, said Rich Wolff, CEO of Philadelphia-based independent distributor Breaking Glass Pictures, which buys multiple foreign-language films annually. Wolff, whose company also produced about 15 films in the U.S. last year, said he hoped Trump's stated desire to revive the domestic film industry would translate to fiscal incentives. "I would hope as our government wants to bring film-making back into the United States that there would be some sort of level of support given to those who need and deserve it, similar to what is going on in the European Union and the UK," he said. LASTING APPEAL Lifting the market's spirits are last year's commercial and popular success of independent films like "The Brutalist" and Oscar blow-out "Anora", as well as the strong consumer demand for international content, particularly on streaming services. Noah Segal, co-president of Canadian distribution and production company Elevation Pictures, suggested consumer preferences could ultimately transcend political blockades. "Trump can put up barriers all he wants, but consumers still want to watch 'Squid Game,'" he said. "I would argue there is enough momentum as a side that the magnetism of international content will drive us to a better solution than just an absolute turning off the taps." Marc Iserlis, head of film at the Republic investment platform, said those indie successes were a sign audiences wanted more than just reboots and sequels, and were moving away from the current "de-globalised moment" following the pandemic. Iserlis heads Republic's new film financing vertical that allows fans to invest in filmmakers' projects, which he said offered a new way to make films amid industry-wide disruption. "This is offering a third new direction, a new channel for investment other than just the high net worth individuals and the studio deals that a lot of film-makers have to take." The market, which opened Tuesday, will run through May 21. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
