HAMBURG 2026 Filmfest Hamburg Industry Days
The International Film Distribution Summit teams up with the Marché du Film
by Cineuropa
- The Cannes market will partner with the Hamburg-based gathering, which will run from 29 September-1 October, and will also support its Best International Innovation Distribution Award
The Marché du Film is joining forces with the International Film Distribution Summit (IFDS) for the latter’s fifth edition, set to take place in Hamburg from 29 September-1 October. The Cannes Film Festival’s market will become an official partner of the event as well as of its Best International Innovation Distribution Award.
The collaboration will also involve Cannes Makers, the Marché du Film’s talent-development programme for emerging film professionals. A selected group of alumni will be invited to attend both the IFDS and its partner event European Work in Progress (EWIP), giving them the opportunity to meet professionals working in international sales, distribution and financing.
“We are delighted to join forces with Marché du Film for the upcoming edition of the IFDS,” said Torsten Frehse, head of IFDS, stressing the role of collaboration in fostering innovation within the international film industry.
As in 2025, the IFDS will form part of the FilmFest Hamburg Industry Days, alongside the Explorer Konferenz, Futura Cinema, the #ATELIER and ENCOURAGE Film Talents initiatives, and European Work in Progress.
The Best International Innovation Distribution Award will once again be one of the summit’s main features. In 2025, the prize went to French sales company Charades, while previous recipients include Italian distributor Lucky Red in 2024, Spain’s Elastica Films in 2023 and US distributor Neon in 2022.
The IFDS focuses on developments affecting film distribution, bringing together distributors, sales agents and other industry professionals through panels, keynotes, master classes and networking sessions. Previous editions have addressed issues including audience development, film marketing in the age of social media and film financing, with speakers such as Charades co-founder Yohann Comte, Neon’s Elissa Federoff, Gruvi CEO Ben Johnson, Picturehouse managing director Sara Frain and I Wonder Pictures CEO Andrea Romeo.
The summit is funded by Creative Europe - MEDIA and supported by Filmfest Hamburg, the MOIN Film Fund Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein and the Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA).
European Work in Progress will take place in Hamburg from 28-30 September, overlapping with the opening days of the IFDS. Registration for the summit is reserved for professionals actively working in the film industry.
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