The Other Cannes: Where Films Get Sold, Part 1
Om avsnittet
What happens when a film geek who started at a Philadelphia video store ends up walking the red carpet at Cannes?
The Cannes Film Festival is the one everyone pictures, with stars on the red carpet, but at the very same time, in the very same buildings, there's a second event most people never see: the Cannes film market. That's where distributors, sales agents and filmmakers from almost every country meet to buy and sell films. For a filmmaker who wants a film to earn its money back, Joe says, the market is the part that matters.
In Episode 198, Christian and host Jason Rugg sit down with distributor Joe Amodei of Virgil Films, back from Cannes. Joe has been in the business since the days of VHS. He went from the first video store in Philadelphia to president of USA Home Entertainment, where he worked with filmmakers like Robert Altman on Gosford Park. He tells how Altman once called him "the guy that's not the suit" on a board conference call, and how he picked up a real Oscar at the Governors Ball, thinking it was a table decoration.
Then he takes us to Cannes: the one night he walked the red carpet for a documentary about tsunami volunteers called The Third Wave, people in tuxedos and gowns holding signs that beg for a single ticket, and a convention floor divided into countries. For Christian, this conversation hits home. Her social media is full of photos of her on stage and holding awards, and she's grateful for the people she met at festivals. But she wants to become a filmmaker who actually makes a profit, and she starts to wonder if the money she spent on festival travel could have taken her film to a market instead.
In this episode, you'll learn:
- How Robert Altman came to call Joe "not a suit"
- The difference between the Cannes Film Festival and the Cannes film market
- Why stars leave right after Cannes premieres, with no Q&As
- How tickets work, and why people stand on the street holding signs for them
- How a film market works, from country pavilions to hotel suites
- How to get a market badge, and what it costs
- What it costs to screen your film at the market, even as a rough cut
- Why you need a company representing you when buyers walk out of a screening
- Why Joe tells independent filmmakers to choose markets over festivals
- Why every filmmaker should read the trades
CHAPTERS
0:00 Not a Suit
6:47 What Is Cannes?
9:23 Red Carpet Night
12:59 Stars, Signs, Tickets
18:06 Inside the Film Market
23:16 Badges and Meetings
25:43 Where to Sell It
34:24 Read Every Trade
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the difference between the Cannes Film Festival and the Cannes film market?
Joe Amodei of Virgil Films told Documentary First in 2023 that both run at the same time, in the same buildings. The festival is the red carpet event, with premieres, stars and photographers. The film market is like a convention, where companies from around the world set up booths and hotel suites to buy and sell films. For filmmakers, Joe says, the market is what matters, and it's why he goes every year.
How do you get a badge for the Cannes film market?
Joe Amodei of Virgil Films explained on Documentary First in 2023 that you register on the market's website and prove you're a filmmaker or a distributor, listing your credits and your website. They check you out, and if you're approved as a member of the industry, you can buy a pass. He believed it was about 350 euros, with early bird pricing. The bigger costs are airfare and a place to stay.
Should independent filmmakers go to film festivals or film markets?
Joe Amodei of Virgil Films told Documentary First in 2023 that if you're trying to sell your film and pay back investors, it's much more important to be part of the markets, like Berlin and Cannes, than to play festivals all over the country. Festivals are great for a standing ovation, he says, but at a market you meet people from all over the world who do what you do, all day long.
How much does it cost to screen a film at the Cannes film market?
In 2023, Joe Amodei of Virgil Films estimated it costs somewhere around 1,500 euros to have your film shown at the Cannes market, and about 2,000 euros to show it multiple times. Even a rough cut can work. But he says you need to be associated with a company, because when a buyer walks out of that theater, there has to be an established company to call, not an individual.
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About the Guest
Joe Amodei is the founder and CEO of Virgil Films and Entertainment. He started at the first video store in Philadelphia, worked his way through several studios as a distribution sales rep, and became president of USA Home Entertainment, which released films like Traffic, Being John Malkovich and Gosford Park. At Virgil, he has released documentaries including Super Size Me, Restrepo, Forks Over Knives and I Am Chris Farley.
Virgil Films | Instagram | X
About Virgil Films
Virgil Films and Entertainment is a traditional distribution company founded by Joe Amodei. It acquires the rights to documentaries and independent films and places them on digital platforms, TV, DVD, in theaters and with international buyers. Its releases include Super Size Me, Restrepo, Forks Over Knives and I Am Chris Farley, and it distributes Christian's film The Girl Who Wore Freedom. Full disclosure: Virgil Films distributes The Girl Who Wore Freedom and now sponsors Documentary First. This episode has no sponsor read.
About Documentary First
Documentary First is a weekly podcast about the people behind documentaries and how the work changed them. Host Christian Taylor, director of the award-winning The Girl Who Wore Freedom, talks with filmmakers, distributors, entertainment lawyers, actors and more, from Ken Burns and PBS American Masters creator Susan Lacy to first-timers, across nearly 300 conversations. Each week brings one of two formats: a long-form conversation with the people behind films for HBO, Netflix, PBS and independent film, or The Deep Dive, where Christian takes one insight from a recent conversation and follows it wherever it leads. Listen Notes ranks the show in the top 5% of all podcasts worldwide. New episodes every week.
Resources Mentioned
- Part 2 of the Cannes report, Episode 199
- Joe's first visit, Episode 128
- Marché du Film (Cannes film market)
- Variety
- Deadline
- The Hollywood Reporter
- IndieWire
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