Innovation and Film
Guillaume Esmiol on Switzerland, the new Country of Honour of the Marché du Film – Festival de Cannes
05.03.2024
This May, Switzerland will take center stage as the Country of Honour of the Marché du Film, the world’s largest film market for international industry professionals. Executive Director Guillaume Esmiol aims to elevate the film market’s innovation landscape and highlights how Switzerland, known for its versatility and innovation, can contribute to the event.
“It's a huge achievement to be the Country of Honour. We have only been organizing guest country presentations for three years, so Switzerland is only the third country – after India and Spain – to be given such a high status.
This unique opportunity is only extended to countries where it is feasible to put together a comprehensive package. Therefore, it must be a country with a diverse industry and meet certain criteria to participate in the various programs of the Marché. Switzerland fits these requirements and is also such a versatile country, and we want to showcase this in Cannes.
Despite its small size, Switzerland ranks among the top 12 attending countries in terms of the number of participants at the film market. In other words, Switzerland is always well-represented at the Marché du Film.
Switzerland is not only creative in the realm of film, but it is also innovative in many other areas, which aligns perfectly with the profile of our market.
If I were to explain the Marché du Film, I would describe it as three different markets in one: The first market consists of sales companies and distributors who come to buy new films and attend market screenings.
The second market revolves around film financing. This is where producers seeking partners to finance their next film meet. In the Village International, numerous countries present their film funds, co-production funds and incentives for filming in their respective countries. I would also like to highlight a new program we launched last year called Investors Circle, which focuses on questions related to investments in the film industry and new financing models.
Finally, the third area of the market is centered around the future of the industry and innovation. As the Executive Director, I am committed to further strengthening this aspect. Our goal is for the Marché du Film to become the most innovative market in the world, and we have already made great strides towards achieving this.
This year, with Switzerland as our Country of Honour, we have even greater ambitions. I believe that Switzerland, being a highly innovative country, will play a pivotal role in enhancing the Marché du Film this year, especially in the field of innovation and advancement.”
This text is based on the transcript of Guillaume Esmiol's presentation at the Solothurn Film Festival in January 2024.