Media-Whore D'Oevres

"Summertime in Cannes may seem like a sun-drenched nirvana of global distribution and untapped world revenue. But for many American independent films heading out to Cannes‘ market, international territories are no easier to crack than the U.S., say producers and sales agents. Often an essential piece of revenue, foreign sales are sluggish, especially for critic-driven films without stars, genre elements or easy promotional hooks. Whether it‘s the result of a worldwide economic dip, a slowdown in moviegoing, widespread piracy or the rise of homegrown product, U.S.-based indie producers and sales agents can no longer count on sweet deals from European TV stations or automatic sales to countries, far and wide. As GreeneStreet International‘s Amy Beecroft admits, 'There is always an ebb and flow, and right now, the market is going through one of those cycles: Buyers are being very particular.'" (Anthony Kaufman/Filmmaker)