Cannes 2023 Recap Part One: Fremaux Under Fire, Awards For Asia & Africa, Arthouse Glimmer Of Hope

When storm clouds and rain were lashing Cannes in the first week, it was easy to think of all the negative forces impacting the market – global streamers upending international distribution, only to savagely cut spending when it hit their bottom line; writers on strike in the US, soon to be followed by directors and actors, and the first evidence of US indie productions, supposedly on sale in the market, being shut down as a result.

Then the sun came out and the mood lifted. Deals were being done – Netflix, Mubi, Neon and Sony Picture Classics all had their chequebooks out – Asia was back, Africa had a seat at the table with seven films in selection, and the Middle East seemed to be shaping up as a major funder of arthouse content. This two-part edition of Streamlined looks at the major trends, from the perspective of industries outside the US/Europe, and summarises all the news reported in the trades during the festival (sales announcements, of which thankfully there are many, will fo…