After
Cannes

Have everything prepared and ready to send before you get there. Not almost ready — actually ready. The moment someone asks for something and you have to chase it down or format it in a hurry, you lose momentum and it shows.

At a minimum you should have a clean presentation deck, a one-page project summary, key stills and any available poster or key art, a trailer or sizzle reel hosted on a secure link, your script in a watermarked digital version, a territory availability list, and a basic production timeline. If you are at a later stage, a top sheet or budget summary and a financing overview should also be ready to share selectively.

Not everything goes to everyone. Know in advance what you are comfortable sharing at a first meeting, what you hold back until there is more genuine interest, and what only goes out when someone has asked specifically and the conversation warrants it.

Yes. A one-page document that captures the essentials of your project is one of the most useful things you can have at Cannes. It is something you can leave with someone after a brief conversation, attach to a follow-up email, or hand over when there is no time for a full deck. It should cover the logline, genre, stage, key attachments, and a line on where the financing stands. Keep it clean and make it easy to forward internally. People pass these around — make sure yours does the job without you in the room to explain it.

Have two versions ready. The deck you present in the room should be clean and focused — concept, project overview, key attachments, market positioning, and a clear sense of where the financing stands without going into granular detail. The fuller version, with budget breakdown, financing structure, and recoupment detail, is what you share selectively after a positive meeting when they have asked to go further.

Holding things back for the sake of it does not work in your favour. But timing what you share and with whom is not the same as hiding things. It is about reading where the conversation is and giving people what they actually need at each stage.

Not necessarily. The deck you present should be clean, visual and focused — concept, key attachments, market positioning, and a clear sense of where the project stands. It is not the place for granular financial detail or lengthy production notes.

What you send after a positive meeting can go further. A fuller version with more detail on financing structure, budget range, and what is still open is appropriate once someone has expressed genuine interest and asked to go deeper. It is about reading the stage of the conversation and giving people what is actually useful to them at that point.

In most cases, no. Unless they specifically ask for a physical copy, do not push one on them. They are carrying enough as it is, and there is a real chance it does not make it back to their office. The smarter move is to email a digital version promptly after the meeting. It is easier for them to file, share internally, and actually read. Have it ready to send before you arrive so there is no delay when the moment comes.

Asking someone to sign an NDA before handing over a script or deck at Cannes is unlikely to land well. In most cases it will not happen, and pushing for one early in a relationship can signal inexperience or distrust before you have even started. The more practical protection is watermarking digital copies with the recipient's name and registering your script with the relevant body before you arrive. That gives you a paper trail without making the conversation awkward.

If the meeting has gone well and there is a finished cut, yes — be proactive and offer to send one. Most people in that position will want to see it, and if they know it exists they will likely ask anyway. The important thing is being ready. Have your screener in a format that is easy to send digitally before you leave for Cannes. Losing momentum because you were not prepared to follow up quickly is an avoidable mistake.

If they have asked for it, you provide it. Not doing so after a positive meeting effectively ends the conversation. The exception is a film that genuinely needs to be seen on a large screen — specific effects, cinematography, or something that would be lost on a laptop. That reservation is legitimate, but it is one that established filmmakers with a strong track record can justify more easily than someone less known.

If you feel strongly about it and the relationship warrants it, there is no harm in suggesting you arrange a proper screening for them when they are back. Keep it simple and frame it as wanting them to see it properly, not as a condition.

Avoid sending a raw file or a WeTransfer link that anyone can forward or that expires without you knowing who has accessed it. The better option is a password-protected screening platform. Vimeo Pro is the most commonly used in the industry — you can set a password, disable downloads, and see who has viewed it and when. Festival and industry platforms like Screener or Kinéscope are also used and carry more weight in a professional context.

Whichever you use, make sure it is set up and tested before you leave for Cannes. The last thing you want is a broken link going to someone you have just had a strong meeting with.

Not very. A first meeting is about placing the project and gauging interest. You need to know your numbers and be able to speak to them clearly if asked, but you are not expected to walk someone through a full finance plan at this stage. Budget range, what is already in, and what is still to raise is usually enough. If they want more detail, they will ask — and that is a positive sign. Going too deep too early can slow the conversation down before you have established whether there is genuine interest.

You can tell by the type of follow-up questions they ask and how specific they get. If they are interested, they will go back to what is actually confirmed and what is still open — "Is that cast locked or still in discussion?" or "How much of the budget is already in and how much are you still looking to raise?" That is them checking what is real versus what is still in development.

They will also ask questions that place them in the project. A distributor might ask which territories are still available. A sales agent might ask who is handling international sales. A producer might ask who you are working with on the co-production side. These are not general questions — they are working out if there is a role for them.

Stronger interest shows when they ask for something specific to review: "Can you send the script?" "Is there a screener or rough cut?" "Can you send me the finance plan or top sheet?" That means they want to assess it properly with others, not just based on the conversation. After the meeting, a simple "good to meet you" with no question or request usually goes nowhere. If they follow up asking for materials or asking to continue the conversation, it is still active.

A strong sign is when they reference something specific from your meeting and build on it. One positive sign is asking for the script and clarity on the market — "As discussed, can you send the script and confirm which territories are still open?" or "We had a quick internal chat and would like to take a closer look." That shows it has already gone beyond you.

Another positive development is when they bring in other people — copying a colleague, mentioning their acquisitions team, or saying they have shared it internally. That means it is being considered, not just parked.

You may also see them start to ask questions about how they could be involved — "We would potentially be interested in this territory if it is still available" or "Let us know where you are with financing and what you are looking for." That is them placing themselves in the project.

There is no definitive timeframe — it all depends on what else is going on on their side. It is rare to hear back immediately after the festival, as they have so many meetings and contacts to catch up with. The exception is if there is time pressure, they are aware others are circling to sign a deal, or there is buzz around your project and they know the longer they take, the more they risk losing out.

Sometimes a follow-up within a few days of the festival ending is simply to request further information they forgot to ask about in the meeting. Whatever you do, do not compulsively refresh your email or start chasing because you have not heard anything in a few weeks.

Give it at least a week after the festival ends before you reach out. Everyone comes back to a full inbox and a backlog of meetings to process. Following up too quickly reads as anxious and can work against you.

When you do follow up, keep it short. Reference the meeting, remind them of the project in one line, and ask if they had a chance to look at anything you sent. Do not re-pitch. Do not apologise for chasing. Just make it easy for them to pick the thread back up.

If you hear nothing after that, you can try once more a few weeks later — particularly if there has been a development on the project worth mentioning, a new attachment, financing update, or festival selection. That gives you a genuine reason to be back in touch rather than just chasing.

After two attempts with no response, leave it for now. The door is not necessarily closed, but pushing further damages the relationship more than the silence does. If something significant changes on the project later, that is your moment to re-engage.

Certainly deals do happen at Cannes. If you have been in conversations before you arrive and already had prior engagement around your project, or dealings at other festivals, the Marché du Film is where you can close.

For most people, Cannes is where those conversations and relationships begin rather than where they close a deal — especially if this is a brand new project or you are relatively unknown. The focus should be on working the relationships that come out of positive meetings, the further contacts worth pursuing, and the conversations worth building on.

The deal that matters rarely happens in the rooms at Cannes if this is a completely new pitch. It happens in the months after, if not longer. You may have to follow up at other festivals and markets, give updates on further developments, and convert those positive signs over email into something that becomes an actual deal.

It is rare but it does happen. What you are more likely to encounter than a formal contract is a letter of intent, a term sheet, or a memorandum of understanding. None of these are binding contracts in the full legal sense, but they are not nothing either. A letter of intent signals that both sides are serious and want to move forward on agreed terms. A term sheet sets out the headline commercial points — territory, fee, recoupment, timing — as a basis for a formal agreement to follow.

If someone puts something in front of you at Cannes, do not sign it on the spot without understanding what you are agreeing to. That is not being difficult — it is being professional. Ask for time to review it and if possible get someone with legal or business affairs experience to look at it first. A serious partner will respect that.

In this industry a handshake or a strong verbal commitment in the room carries weight in terms of relationship and intent, but it is not enforceable. What matters is what happens immediately after. If they follow up in writing, reference what was discussed, and start moving toward something more formal, it was real. If nothing follows, it was enthusiasm in the moment.

Do not restructure your project or turn down other conversations on the basis of a verbal commitment alone until there is something in writing that confirms it.