Around the World in Film Markets: From Paris’s Unifrance to Berlin’s Berlinale — Buyers’ Guide 2026

Hook: Cut through the noise — what film buyers must know at Unifrance Rendez‑Vous and Berlinale 2026

Too many sales calls, too few reliable signals: distributors and film buyers arrive in Paris and Berlin every winter with the same pain points — information overload, crowded slates, and fast-moving deal cycles. This season is different. Between consolidation in international distribution, French cinema aggressively courting global partners at Unifrance Rendez‑Vous, and a Berlinale opening that signals rising appetite for politically charged, globally relevant stories, buyers must be precise, proactive and prepared.

Executive summary: What to expect this market season

The top-line for buyers in January–February 2026:

• Unifrance Rendez‑Vous (Paris, Jan 14–16): A concentrated showcase of French cinema with 40+ sales companies and 400 buyers from ~40 territories. Expect 71 features in Paris Screenings — 39 world premieres — and stronger TV/audio‑visual presence than prior years (50 AV sales companies, ~100 TV buyers).
• Berlinale & EFM (Berlin, Feb 12 onwards): Berlinale opens with Shahrbanoo Sadat’s No Good Men, a high-profile Afghan-backed title that confirms festival programmers’ continued interest in newsroom, democracy and diaspora narratives. The European Film Market remains the prime place to meet top sales agents and emerging indie distributors.
• Market context: Consolidation and platform rollout (notably late‑2025/early‑2026 deals and streamer expansions) are reshaping rights strategies — expect more pre-sales, boutique label partnerships, and platform-first licensing conversations.

Why this season matters — trends buyers must track

Consolidation as a negotiation factor. Early 2026 deals and merger talk mean buyers are negotiating with more vertically integrated groups and fewer independent gatekeepers. That changes leverage on package deals and format/format extensions.

Diversified windows and blurred release strategies. Streamers continuing rollouts in new territories (HBO Max expansion in Italy and other moves in late 2025) are making buyers rethink exclusivity and holdback calculations. Short theatrical windows are still viable in certain territories but many platform deals demand early global SVOD windows.

French cinema internationalizing. Unifrance’s 28th Rendez‑Vous made clear that French indie companies are pushing harder internationally: more world premieres, stronger TV sales presence and co‑pro offers. Expect French titles to be offered with multi‑territory packages and flexible rights (theatrical + AV) to attract non‑traditional buyers.

"Consolidation will be the buzzword of 2026." — industry newsletter analysis, Jan 2026

Unifrance Rendez‑Vous: Tactical expectations for buyers

Unifrance has evolved into the go‑to mini‑market for French cinema outside Cannes. If you plan to buy, here’s what to prioritize and how to win deals.

What’s on offer

• 40+ film sales companies presenting lineups tailored to international buyers.
• The Paris Screenings: 71 features screened; 39 world premieres — a concentration of festival‑ready auteurs and commercially angled crowd‑pleasers.
• Increased TV and AV presence — 50 audiovisual sales companies and roughly 100 TV buyers were present at the 2026 edition.

How to prepare before Paris

1. Pre‑select must‑see titles. Use the Unifrance catalogue and Paris Screenings list to build a 48‑hour shortlist. Filter by language options, festival track history, and sales agent reputation.
2. Map rights owners. Identify who holds theatrical, TV, and ancillary rights for each title. French films increasingly come with split or packaged rights; know who to call for combo deals.
3. Schedule smart meetings. The Pullman Montparnasse calendar fills fast — book 25–30 minute meetings and reserve time for screening room viewings at Pathé Parnasse.
4. Prepare a fast pitch. Have succinct slate materials ready: your market, release plan, marketing budget range, and one‑pager for your company. Sales agents value buyers who can execute quickly.

Deal strategies that work at Rendez‑Vous

• Multi‑territory packages: French sales agents are bundling titles across territories. Be ready to buy a package if it lowers cost per title and fits your release calendar.
• Co‑pro and negative pickup conversations: For higher‑profile French auteurs, consider co‑pro routes that secure territorial first‑look or sequenced windows.
• TV + theatrical combos: With more TV buyers in attendance, propose split deals that guarantee theatrical windows before AV premieres — and be transparent on your marketing commitments.

Berlinale 2026: What buyers should watch

Berlinale remains an essential market moment for world cinema and bold, politically engaged projects. This year’s opener — Shahrbanoo Sadat’s No Good Men — signals curator interest in newsroom, democratic-era narratives and diasporic perspectives.

Key market differences from Paris

• Scale: The Berlinale and the European Film Market are larger and more global; expect a wider mix of US and international sales agents and higher competition for festival‑ready premieres.
• Programming impact: A Berlinale slot (competition, Panorama, Special Gala) carries strong awards potential and international critical attention — this can trigger pre‑emptive purchases and heated bidding.
• EFM dynamics: The EFM fosters quicker transactional deals and pre‑sale activity to territories with strong arthouse circuits.

How to win deals at Berlinale

1. Target gala and competition titles early. Titles selected for Special Gala or Competition can command attention and quicker offers — have budgets and release windows ready to move fast.
2. Leverage festival programming to secure marketing partners. Use Berlinale selections to approach local distributors and cultural bodies for co‑marketing or funding partnerships.
3. Watch for emerging territories. Some markets now favor festival prestige more heavily (Nordics, Benelux, parts of Eastern Europe) — prices can spike if you wait.

Practical networking tips — in person and virtual

Both markets demand a disciplined networking strategy. Here’s a practical playbook you can apply immediately.

Before you go

• Make a stakeholder map: Identify the sales agents, distributors, event producers, and platform reps you must meet. Categorize into A/B/C priority.
• Arrange pre‑market viewings: Request screeners 48–72 hours before your meeting. Sales agents often prioritize buyers who show early interest.
• Prep materials: One‑pager for your company, key past titles, confirmed platforms, and clear territory acquisition criteria.

At the market

1. Use time blocks: Reserve mornings for screenings and afternoons for meetings. Leave evenings for reverification chats or impromptu parties — many deals spark over coffee.
2. Practice rapid qualification: In a 20–30 minute meeting, cover: rights available, pricing floor, festival commitments, and deliverables (DCP, subtitles, publicity assets).
3. Bring a digital business card: Have a brief link with your acquisition checklist and calendar availability — it reduces follow‑up friction.
4. Follow up the same day: Send a short email summarizing next steps; include a one‑page LOI template to speed negotiations.

After the market

• Prioritize pipeline conversion: Score each meeting (1–5) against your acquisition criteria and convert Priority 1 within 7–10 days.
• Negotiate with data: Use comparable titles’ P&Ls and festival performances to justify offers. Sales agents expect data‑driven buyers.
• Keep relationships warm: Add new contacts to a CRM with tags (title, rights held, follow‑up date) and schedule check‑ins aligned with festival premieres.

Pricing, rights and windows — practical negotiation knobs

Price and windows are where deals live or die. Here are negotiation levers to use at both Paris and Berlin.

Rights bundles to propose

• Territorial exclusivity: Standard theatrical exclusivity for 12–18 months, with an option to extend for platform partners at a higher fee.
• SVOD carve‑outs: Offer SVOD rights after a 6–12 month theatrical/EST holdback in territories with strong VOD markets.
• TV/Free‑to‑air splits: For smaller markets, propose a FTA + digital carve to maximize reach while keeping premium pay windows for bigger territories.

Price anchors and incentives

1. Anchor with comparable titles: Use recent French/European festival titles sold in the past 12 months as benchmarks.
2. Volume discounts: Request package pricing if you buy multiple territories or backlist titles from the same agent.
3. Marketing commitment swaps: Reduce fees in exchange for guaranteed local marketing spend or joint promotion with a platform partner. Tie those swaps to measurable marketing performance KPIs and reporting cadence.

Case examples — experience-driven insights

Real examples from recent markets show what works:

• At Unifrance 2026, several buyers secured multi‑territory packages by committing to theatrical windows and co‑promotion. A mid‑size EMEA distributor closed six French titles with a single sales agent by offering a combined theatrical + TV plan — this approach reduced per‑title cost and increased slate diversity.
• In early Berlinale cycles, buyers who moved swiftly on gala‑selected films arranged conditional LOIs contingent on additional festival wins or TIFF/Locarno pickups. That tactic protected budgets while keeping access to high‑value titles.

What to watch post‑market — conversion checklist

Use this checklist to convert market leads into signed deals within 30 days:

1. Confirm title rights and territory maps in writing.
2. Issue a conditional LOI with clear payment milestones.
3. Agree technical deliverables (DCP, closed captions, EIDR where applicable) and delivery timelines.
4. Set marketing performance KPIs and co‑op commitments if included.
5. Lock in release windows and exercise options for extension/upgrades.

Predictions for the next 12 months (2026 outlook)

Based on early 2026 signals, here are four predictions buyers should factor into acquisition strategies:

• More packaged deals: Sales agents and consolidating companies will push volume offers to counterbalance platform market power.
• Non‑theatrical windows gain importance: Shorter theatrical windows in certain territories will be offset by stronger platform tie‑ins and early TV commitments.
• Regional festivals become deal catalysts: Berlinale, Venice and Sitges will continue to drive prices and pre‑sales for genre and socially urgent projects.
• Data will dominate negotiation: Buyers who present clear audience and platform performance projections will get preferential terms — invest in data ahead of offers.

Quick-read cheat sheet — action items for buyers

• Pre‑book meetings and screeners 72 hours in advance.
• Bring clear acquisition criteria and a one‑page company deck.
• Offer package deals for French slates at Rendez‑Vous to get preferred pricing.
• At Berlinale, prioritize gala/competition titles but leave room for high‑value niche films.
• Use immediate follow‑ups and conditional LOIs to convert fast.

Final takeaways — how to leave both markets with wins

In 2026, the smartest buyers will combine speed with strategy: move quickly on festival‑grade titles, be flexible on rights packaging, and use documented marketing commitments to unlock discounts. French sales companies at Unifrance want global partners; Berlinale offers prestige that can elevate acquisition value. The buyers who plan pre‑market, qualify ruthlessly in person, and convert via fast, data‑backed LOIs will outcompete rivals in the months that follow.

Call to action

Heading to Paris or Berlin this season? Subscribe to our weekly festival briefing for tailored screening lists, pre‑market deal memos, and a downloadable buyer’s LOI template. Get the edge — and turn market meetings into signed deals.

Related Reading

• How to Pitch Bespoke Series to Platforms
• Edge Storage for Media-Heavy One-Pagers
• Compose.page vs Notion Pages: Public Docs
• From CRM to Calendar: Automating Meeting Outcomes
• Edge Datastore Strategies for 2026
• Ten Questions to Ask at Your Next Fan Podcast About the Filoni Star Wars Lineup
• The ‘You Met Me at a Very Chinese Time of My Life’ Meme: A Cultural Anthropology for Creators
• Alternatives to Spotify for Commuters: Offline Playback, Data Use, and Price Hacks
• Private LLMs on a Budget: Running Local Generative AI Models on Raspberry Pi 5
• Build a Capsule Travel Wardrobe Before Prices Rise: 10 Pieces Worth Buying Now