A packed programme of 1,200 online film screenings and 150 events, panels and speed meetings will be held between June 22-26.

Instead of the 12,500 visitors walking up and down the Croisette, the rue d’Antibes and gathering at the Palais des Festivals market hub in Cannes, some 8,500 industry people will discuss movies from their homes, via digital devices.

In three months, as soon as the Cannes Film Festival announced that it could not unspool physically as scheduled between May 12-23 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Marché du Film’s executive director Jérôme Paillard and his team, started putting together an alternative to continue to support the international film industry.

The special 2020 online edition consists of 1,200 online screenings and more than 2,300 feature films will be available to buy.

Industry organisations will still gather under 60 pavilions and business talks will be held in 250 virtual stands. Among the sales agents who have booked a stand, Jan Naszewski of New Europe Film Sales says he appreciates the Marché du Film’s efforts to create a platform for professionals in such a short period of time.

“We are part of one ecosystem and we have a responsibility towards producers, festivals and buyers to go on and do what we can to keep up the circulation of films despite not ideal conditions,” he says.

New European Film Sales will use the Cannes platform to launch the officially selected Swedish/Polish entry Sweat by Magnus von Horn. “We'll do many online actions for that movie,” notes Naszewski, citing online Q&A's, online exercise sessions with the actress Magdalena Koleśni who plays the main character and other viral content. New European Film Sales will also screen the Norwegian film Disco, Danish film Perfectly Normal Family, and The Lunchroom (Argentina/Uruguay) on top of promo-reels for upcoming films including Lamb and the family animation Christmas at Cattle Hill.

Helene Aurø at REInvent Studios International, says about Cannes market online: “It is important to attend with a stand. You get to do more meetings with this focused market event held over a few days.”

The company representing SF Studios’ film and TV catalogue as well as several premium Nordic TV dramas will screen among others the Danish films The Day We Died, The Good Traitor, and the Swedish genre film The Other Side.

Top-lining TrustNordisk’s slate of Nordic films screening online is Thomas Vinterberg’s Cannes officially selected Another Round. Other titles are Charter, Daniel, Lake of Death, The Crossing, The Perfect Patient, Mortal and The Spy.

LevelK is screening the Danish chiller Breeder, Icelandic documentary A Song Called Hate and will present a promo of the anticipated Finnish biopic Tove among others.

The Yellow Affair is screening the Swedish drama My Life as a Comedian, kids movie Snip, Snap, Snut & the Squares, Finnish films Ladies of Steel, Master Cheng and German drama Kids Run.

Among Paris-based sales outfits representing Nordic films, Totem Films will screen the Finnish anthology film Force of Habit and will start negotiating Juho Kuosmanen’s Compartment Number 6.

Charades will screen the Norwegian documentary The Painter and the Thief and will discuss the Danish hard-hitting crime Shorta, currently in post-production.

Meanwhile Versatile Film Sales will start discussing the Cannes officially selected Ninja Thuyberg’s Pleasure, in post-production.

Documentary specialists have a dedicated Cannes Doc programme, with a rich line-up of docs-in-progress, workshops, Doc Talks, 1:1 consultations and online get-togethers.

Ten virtual sales companies have an exhibition space: Antidote, Antipode, Article Films, CAT&Docs, Cinephil (representing the Cannes officially-selected Flee), Dogwoof, Metfilm Sales, Rise and Shine World Sales, Ruth Films and Sweet Spot Docs.

The new Cannes Docs Co-Pro Speed Meetings (June 23-25) will platform 14 projects selected by ten key festivals and organisations, including CPH:DOX and IDFA.

Among the plethora of webinars, Scandinavian must-attend talks include the Swedish Film Institute’s ‘Creating the New Normal: Intersectionality in the Film Industry’ (June 22).

Meanwhile Scandinavian Films - the umbrella for the five Nordic Film Institutes - will be hosting five online panels moderated by seasoned trade journalist Wendy Mitchell.

Key topics will range from pandemic production, sustainability, new audience approaches, Nordic genre talents and ‘how to move on to your first feature’.

For more information and to register for the webinars CLICK HERE.

The Scandinavian Films pavilion will also provide information on the latest Nordic films -including the Cannes Label titles - as well as practical information about collaborating with the Nordics.