Freeway sent a strong representation to this year’s festival and market, led by Cecile Huberts, Martijn Meerstadt, Gadi Wildstrom, and Zoltan Arvay who were joined by Rita Járdán, Katalin Cser, Leila Muhanna, Ágnes Viszoki and Claudia Romero.
In the Marché, discussions were dominated by the issue of inclusion of Netflix titles and despite record attendance and a notable rise in delegates from Asian countries like China, Japan, Korea and India, business seemed more measured.
Gadi Wildstrom says: “It has certainly felt like a sedate year for deals, with buyers acting more cautiously and fewer bidding frenzies that Cannes is so often a hotbed for. With rising dominance of streaming services, the landscape for making and financing both mainstream and independent films is changing; producers seem slower to close deals, distributors are undertaking more financial modelling before making offers and sales agents often seek higher deals for marketable titles.
“Any period of flux brings with it exciting opportunity, and we continue our support for clients as they adapt to changes in the investment and rights acquisition chain and rise to new possibilities that are emerging. Whether by delivering secure and impartial collection and disbursement of revenue streams, connecting rights holders with worldwide distribution opportunities, or safeguarding transactions, Freeway’s role has never been more important.”